The Choral World of David Conte: A Conversation with the Composer by David P. DeVenney ttendees at the 2007 ACDA Bowling Green University and an M.F.A. written for the San Francisco Symphony National Convention in and D.M.A. from Cornell University. Chorus; the symphonies of Dayton, Oak- Miami will be privileged to Among his teachers have been Wallace land, and Stockton; the American Guild hear David Conteʼs The Nine DePue, Ruth IngelÞ eld, Karel Husa, Rob- of Organists; the Sonoma City Opera; and A ert Palmer, Steven Stucky, and Thomas the Gerbode Foundation. He has writ- Muses, set to a text by Minneapolis-based poet John Stirling Walker. This compo- Sokol. Prior to teaching at SFCM, Conte ten songs for Barbara Bonney, Thomas sition was commissioned by ACDA as held faculty appointments at Cornell, Hampson, and Phyllis Bryn-Julson. the prestigious Raymond Brock Choral Keuka College, and Colgate University Conteʼs numerous choral works are Composition for this convention. Conte in addition to published exclusively by E.C. Schirmer has previously set Walkerʼs texts, notably teaching at Music. His works include sacred and in the emotionally taut Elegy for Matthew Interlochen. secular settings for all voicings (menʼs, (2001). In 1982, he womenʼs, mixed, and unison chorus), My friendship with San Francisco worked close- both accompanied and unaccompanied. composer Conte (b. 1955) began over a ly with Aar- His other compositions include a num- decade ago, when we were introduced at on Copland, ber of instrumental and keyboard works, a Chorus America conference. I had just preparing a and four operas: The Dreamers, The Gift performed my Þ rst Conte composition: study of Cop- of the Magi (both available on an Arsis the well-known and often heard Invoca- landʼs musical CD), The Passion of Rita St. James, and tion and Dance, to a text from Whitman. sketches. He the Firebird Motel, which was recently Since then, I have performed much of was one of the released on CD. He collaborated with last of many Þ lm composer Todd Boekelheide in writ- his music, including most of the longer David Conte works. As music director of the Reading young Ameri- ing the score for the 2005 documentary (PA.) Choral Society, I also commis- can compos- Þ lm Ballets Russes (recently available on sioned his longest choral work to date, ers and conductors to study with Nadia DVD), which premiered at the Sundance the three-movement American Triptych Boulanger in France, traveling there on a Festival, and garnered wide acclaim for chamber orchestra and choir. Fulbright Scholarship. He has also been from critics and audiences around the David Conte is Professor of Composi- a Ralph Vaughan Williams Fellow and globe. He also composed the score for tion at the San Francisco Conservatory an Aspen Music Festival Conducting the PBS documentary “Orozco: Man of of Music, where he has taught for twenty Fellow. Fire,” about the great Mexican painter years. He also directs the Conservatory Conte has been widely commissioned, Jose Clemente Orozco, which will be Chorus, continuing his lifelong love of and it was his many works for Chanticleer broadcast next fall on the “American choral singing. A native of suburban that perhaps cemented his early reputa- Masters” series. Cleveland, Ohio, he earned a B.M. from tion as a composer for choirs. He has also David Conteʼs compositional style is February 2007 • CHORAL JOURNAL 77 fresh, although it lies Þ rmly within the tion The Nine Muses is the Raymond mainstream of choral composition in the Brock commission for the 2007 Mi- ami convention. Could you describe The Nine Muses United States. He relies on more-or-less conventional harmonic movement used in your process in composing this work? striking and often unexpected ways. His We Sing the Muses melodic style is reminiscent of Coplandʼs, Conte First, let me say that I have at- tended every national convention of the I. Music using intervals that often leap upwards in wide steps, before being tamed by shorter ACDA since 1987, and Iʼve made many For the sake of all that sings dear friends through ACDA, and they Bring we mighty, glorious things: steps in the reverse direction. He often Things of marvel, things of splendor writes passages in a Renaissance point- have been the source and inspiration for Things no mortal finds an end for. of-imitation technique, although he can so many of my choral works. Composing allow these passages to come to rest on an can be a lonely occupation, especially II. Dance unresolved dissonance. Perhaps the most for someone as extroverted as I am, and For the sake of all that dances I really do hold in my mind these many Will we gracious motion, glances indelible mark of his compositional style Fervent, hearts on fire, is the rhythmic drive that permeates his musical friends and their ensembles as All that lifts the body higher. music, particularly the faster passages. Iʼm doing my solitary work. And dur- Frequently changing, asymmetrical me- ing the composition of The Nine Muses, III. History ters often create a bouncy, jazzy palette I have certainly enjoyed and beneÞ ted For the sake of all that marches that sounds particularly American to from being in close contact with Mike Onward, forward, through the arches Scheibe and the University of Miami Of historical conditions, my ears. His orchestrations are unique, Make we light of prohibitions. clever, and colorful; American Triptych Chorale, who will present the premiere (1999), for example, uses a quintet of at our convention. IV. Astronomy and Astrology saxophones for its core-sound—a very It took me a long time to Þ gure out For the sake of heavenly cycles, American solution complementing the what kind of work would best honor this Planets coursing under Michael’s three poems by e. e. cummings, Bliss Car- commission. For a time, I considered Brilliant, shining solar power, Say we: “Look, it is the hour.” men, and W. S. Merwin. Conteʼs deeply writing a piece called In Time of War touching Elegy for Matthew (2001), based on several war poems, and this is V. Tragedy written to commemorate the murder of a work that I do want to write someday. For the sake of tragic tales Matthew Shepherd, relies on ß owing solo But ultimately for this occasion, I became That deepen, feelingly, travail’s wind lines, hovering strings, and a harp more compelled to write a work about the Strong hold on human minds, transÞ guring power of art. I turned for a Write we forthwith much that binds. to gently ruminate on the power of hate to overcome innocence. text to my frequent collaborator, the poet VI. Sacred Poetry An excellent summary of Conteʼs style John Stirling Walker, who had written the Bound to virtue, bound to truth, was provided by Ben Finane in 2003,1 texts for my works Elegy for Matthew in Bound to beauty, yea, forsooth, reviewing the opera Firebird Motel: memory of Matthew Shepard, and Sep- For the sake of all that honors, tember Sun, a 9/11 memorial piece. Yield we up the Sacred. Conteʼs score for five-piece Johnʼs poem is in nine stanzas; one VII. Comedy chamber orchestra, singers, and for each Muse. The challenge was to Dawn pours out Her holy light tape is accessibly tonal and his compose a single-movement work, last- Upon mankind in its plight. American sound reveals a penchant ing about Þ fteen minutes that, like the As we lighten mankind’s load, for his Yankee predecessors— poem, holds together as one thought For the sake of humor bold. Barber, Gershwin and Sondheim from beginning to end. One way I was among them…. His real strength VIII. Epic Poetry able to achieve variety and ß ow was lies in the ruminating orchestration to create music for each Muse by con- Epic grandeur is the lot that fills the space between the We take upon our shoulders, not trasting choral textures. For example; By dint, merely, of fashion, dialogue. He demonstrates a knack eight-part mixed chorus for the Muses But imbued with daring passion. for convincingly avoiding cadences of Music and Dance; menʼs chorus for and prolonging musical phrases, History; womenʼs chorus for Astronomy IX. Lyric Poetry which mightily sustains the tension and Astrology; mezzo soloist for Tragedy; For it is the courage-filled of the [drama]. soprano for sacred poetry; tenor solo for Who shall bring man’s power, killed Comedy; and a bass for Epic Poetry. By theory, killed by lace, The following dialogue was con- Into lyric beauty’s forms, I do ultimately want to do a version for ducted throughout the fall of 2006 over now filled with grace. orchestra and chorus, but for this conven- the course of several phone calls and tion performance, I decided to arrange e-mails. John Stirling Walker the work for piano four-hands and two percussionists, which is a small ensemble DeVenney Your new composi- that can also project the workʼs character. 78 CHORAL JOURNAL • February 2007 I used this solution for my Invocation and Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, where my – this in an era where there were literally Dance, which has made that work more mother was a singer. I was lucky to be a no public school music programs. accessible. part of a truly outstanding public school music program in Lakewood, Ohio, Conte Another large part of the appeal DeVenney I know that you and I led by B. Neil Davis, who was a very of choral singing is that it involves text had this same discussion when you were important mentor.