Tcherepnin, Ivan (Alexandrovich)

Tcherepnin, Ivan (Alexandrovich), French born American composer of Russian descent, son of Alexander (Nikolaievich) Tcherepnin and brother of Serge (Alexandrovich) Tcherepnin; b. Issy-les-Moulineaux, near Paris, Feb. 5, 1943; d. Boston, April 11, 1998. He studied composition with his father at home and at the Académie Internationale de Musique in Nice, and also had piano lessons with his mother. He went to the U.S. and became a naturalized American citizen (I960), where he continued his studies with Thompson and Kirchner at Harvard Univ. (B.A., 1964; M.A., 1969). He received the John Knowles Paine Travelling Fellowship to pursue training in electronic music with Stockhausen and Pousseur in Cologne and in conducting with Boulez (1965). He likewise studied electronic techniques in Toronto (1966). He taught at the San Francisco Cons, and at Stanford Univ. (1969-72), where he served as co-director, with Chowning, of its new-music ensemble, Alea IL He then was assoc. prof, and director of the electronic music studio at Harvard Univ. (from 1972). In 1989 he traveled to China, where he performed and gave lectures in Shanghai and Beijing. In 1996 he won the Grawemeyer Award at the Univ. of Louisville for his Double Concerto. From 1984 his work was evenly divided between electronic and instrumental pieces; his Rhythmantics series used digital sampling techniques and temporal displacement to explore areas of rhythmic pattern formation. His instrumental works, generally more referential, drew on musical resources ranging from gagaku and gamelan to Western tonal structures.

Works

orch: Le Va et le vient (1978); Concerto for Oboe and Orch. or Wind Orch. (1980; rev. 1988); New Consonance for Strings (1983); Solstice for Chamber Orch. (1983); Status for Wind Orch. (1986); Constitution for Narrator and Wind Orch. (1987); Concerto for 2 Continents for Synthesizer and Wind Orch. (1989); Carillona for Wind Orch. (1993); Dialogue Between the Moon and Venus as Overheard by an Earthling for Wind Orch. (1994); Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orch. (Cambridge, Mass., June 3, 1995); Triple Concertino for English Horn, Trombone, Contrabass Clarinet, and Wind Orch. (1996). CHAMBER: Suite progressive for Flute, Cello, and Timpani (1959); Deux entourages pour un thème russe for Horn or Ondes Martenot, Piano, and Percussion (1961); Suite Mozartienne for Flute, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1962); Cadenzas in Transition for Clarinet, Flute, and Piano (1963); Sombres lumières for Flute, Guitar, and Cello (1965); Wheelwinds for 9 Wind Instruments (1966); Explorations for Flute, Clarinet, String Trio, Piano, and Optional Live Electronics (1985); Trio Fantasia for Violin, Cello, and Piano (1985); Fanfare for Otto Hall for 3 Trumpets and 4 Horns (1991); 7 Fanfares for 3 Trumpets (1995). P i a n o : 4 Pieces from Before (1959-62); Beginnings (1963); 2 Reminiscences (1968); Silent Night Mix for 2 Pianos (1969); 3 Pieces for 2 Pianos (1970-72); 12 Variations on Happy Birthday (1970-80); Fêtes (1975); Valse éternelle: “The 45 R.P.M.” (1977); Summer Nights (1980). WITH ELECTRONICS: AC-DC (Alternating Currents) for 8 Percussionists and Tape (1967); Rings for String Quartet and Ring Modulators (1969); Light Music for 4 Instrumental Groups, 4 Sound-activated Strobe Lights, Photocells, Electronics, and Tape (1970); Les Adieux for Tenor, Alto, 14 Instruments, Electronics, Tape, and Colored Lights (1971); Globose Fioccose for Brass Quintet, String Quartet, Electronics, and Tape (1973); Set, Hold, Clear, and Squelch for Oboe, Frequency Follower, Electronics, and Tape (1976); Santur Opera for Santur, Electronics, Actors, and Projections (1977; rev. 1994 as Santur Opera II, the Sequel); Flores musicales for Oboe, Violin, Cello, Psalter, and Electronics (1979); 5 Songs for Contralto, Flute, and Electronics (1979); Cantilenas/Hybrids for Violin and Electronics (1983); New Rhythmantics for String Quartet and Electronics (1985); Explorations for Flute, Clarinet, String Trio, Piano, and Optional Electronics (1985); New Rhythmantics IV for String Quartet, Trumpet, and Electronics (1987); The Creative Act for 4 Performers and Live Electronics (1990); Pictures at an Exhibition I: “Untitled” by Jasper Johns for Samplers (1992); also solo pieces for Tape. VOCAL: And So It Came to Pass, cantata for Soprano, Tenor, Chorus, and Orch. (1991).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire