TAYLOR BROOK 505 West 148th Street, Apt. 4A, New York, NY 10031 USA mobile: 347-559-3314 email: [email protected] website: www.taylorbrookmusic.com Taylor Brook is a composer based in New York. He writes music for the concert stage, electronic music, music for robotic instruments, as well as music for video, theater, and dance. Described as “gripping” and “engrossing” by the New York Times, Brook’s compositions have been performed around the world by ensembles and soloists such as the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, Quatuor Bozzini, JACK Quartet, Mivos Quartet, Talea Ensemble, Ensemble Ascolta, and others. He has won numerous SOCAN Young Composers awards, including two first-place prizes and the grand prize in 2016 for Song, for solo cello. Brook studied composition with Brian Cherney in Montreal, Luc Brewaeys in Brussels, and George Lewis and Georg Haas in New York. In 2008, he studied Hindustani music and performance with Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya in Kolkata. His music is often concerned with finely tuned microtonal sonorities, combining his interest in exploring the perceptual qualities of sound with a unique sense of beauty and form. Brook holds a master’s degree in music composition from McGill University. He currently lives in New York, where he recently completed a DMA in music composition at Columbia University May 2018, with Fred Lerdahl. Brook is currently on faculty at Columbia University as a Core Lecturer. Brook is the technical director of TAK ensemble. Education_______________________________________________________________ Columbia University, New York, NY D.M.A. Composition, awarded May 2018 studied with: George Lewis, Richard Carrick, Georg Frederic Haas, Fred Lerdahl Thesis Piece: Lush, for large ensemble and electronics Thesis Paper: Synergy of Form, Rhythm, and Orchestration in three microtonal Compositions Advisor: Prof. Fred Lerdahl Honors: Charles Miller Award Private Instruction, Brussels, Belgium Individual composition study with Luc Brewaeys, January 2010–August 2011 McGill University, Schulich School of Music, Montreal, QC M.Mus. Composition, awarded November 2010 Thesis Title: Mitya: Concerto for Clarinet B.Mus. Honours in Music Composition – Guitar, awarded May 2007 Honors: Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition, Electroacoustic Music Prize Taylor Brook Curriculum Vitae 1 Teaching Experience______________________________________________________ Columbia University, New York, NY Masterpieces of Western Music, Instructor, Undergrad Level, Fall/Spring/Summer 2017–2018 • Delivered lectures and led discussions in class • Organized several in-class live performances to provide the students with direct experience of the music we were studying and discussing • Organized a class outing to the Metropolitan Opera • Met with students during office hours to assist them with their learning or to provide more challenging material to those with a higher level of musical experience • Designed and graded assignments, quizzes, midterm, and final exam Undergraduate Composition, Teaching Assistant to Prof. Georg Haas, Spring 2017 • Collaborated with professors on giving feedback to students on their compositions • Provided one-on-one lessons with undergraduate composition students • Prepared and delivered lectures on contemporary music analysis and composition • Organized end-of-term concert, including booking venue, rehearsals, coordinating with the ensemble, arranging for the concert recording, and managing concert promotion Interactive Sound and Video, Teaching Assistant to Terrence Pender, Fall 2016 • Led three classes on programming in Max/MSP and Jitter • Met with students during office hours to help them with their projects and assignments • Assisted in grading and student evaluation • Assisted in the overall upkeep and organization of the computer music center and studios. Columbia University Orchestra, Assistant Conductor to Jeffrey Milarsky, Fall/Spring 2013–2015 • Evaluated student auditions • Facilitated communication between the Conductor, Librarian, and orchestra members • Created seating and staging charts for orchestra rehearsals and performances • Conducted the orchestra in rehearsal and concert, leading performances of the Brahms Violin Concerto and the Overture to the Magic Flute • Advised on repertoire and rehearsal structure • Wrote program notes and formatted program for concerts • Maintained the orchestra website Music Humanities, Teaching Assistant, Fall/Spring 2012–2013 • Observed and taught several lectures over two semesters with two different professors • Participated in class discussions • Assisted with grading • Met with students during regular office hours McGill University, Schulich School of Music, Montreal Twentieth Century Music Analysis, Teaching Assistant to Prof. Christoph Neidhofer, Spring 2010 • Observed and taught several lectures over two semesters with two different professors • Led classes on analysis of twentieth century music • Aided with grading Modal Counterpoint I, Teaching Assistant, Fall 2009 and Spring 2008 • Led two sections of fifteen students each week • Graded counterpoint assignments Tonal Harmony I, Teaching Assistant, Spring 2009 • Led two sections of fifteen students each week • Graded Harmony assignments Taylor Brook Curriculum Vitae 2 Teaching Interests________________________________________________________ Composition; Microtonality; Music Production; Sound Design; MAX, Sound Recording; Electronic Music; Digital Audio Processing; Computer Music; Computer Music Improvisation; Interactive Sound and Video; Game Audio, Procedural Audio, Twentieth Century Analysis; Music Theatre and Dramaturgy; Music and Politics; Orchestration; Contemporary Orchestration; Extended Techniques; Improvisation; Arts Incubator Class; Contemporary Composition for Beginners (Non-Composition Majors); Composition and Transcription; Music and Theater; American Experimentalism; Inter-Arts Collaboration Research Interests________________________________________________________ Historical Tunings; Microtonality; Harry Partch; Just Intonation; Sound Arts; Canadian Contemporary Music; Chamber Music of Brian Cherney; Sound Art and Installation; Music and Theater Collaboration; Interdisciplinary Projects; Computer Music; Procedural Audio Residencies______________________________________________________ Beyond Microtonal Music Festival, Pittsburgh, January 2018 ECM Générations 2016, Canadian Tour, Banff, October 2016 Mise-en Festival, New York, June 2015 Vancouver New Music, Vancouver, March 2015 NU:NORD Contemporary Music Festival, Montreal, August 2014 Gaudeamus composition competition finalist, Utrecht, September 2013 Dian Red Kechil International Young Composers Forum, Singapore, May 2013 MATA New Music Festival, New York, April 2013 NU:NORD Contemporary Music Festival, Oslo, August 2014 ArtSpring residency with Quatuor Bozzini, Salt Spring Island, BC, August 2012 NU:NORD Contemporary Music Festival, Oslo, August 2012 Cluster New Music and Integrated Arts Festival, Winnipeg, March 2012 Banff Centre via Gruppo Montebello (Henk Guittart, director), October 2011 Nouvel Ensemble Moderne Young Composers FORUM, November 2010 Awards and Prizes________________________________________________ John J. Cali String Quartet Composition Competition honorable mention, 2018 Il Suono Academy Call for Scores winner, 2017 Charles Miller Award for the creation of a new ambitious composition from Columbia University, 2016 Juried Award for Tirant Lo Blanc from ECM+ Générations tour, 2016 Weinzweig Grand Prize for the solo cello work Song, SOCAN Young Composers, 2016 Pierre Mercure Prize for the solo cello work Song, SOCAN Young Composers, 2016 Serge Garant Prize First Place for the chamber piece Amalgam, SOCAN Young Composers, 2016 Pierre Mercure Prize for the solo guitar work Sui Generis, SOCAN Young Composers, 2014 Jules Léger Prize for best chamber composition in Canada, honorable mention for “El jardin de senderos que se bifurcan”, 2013 MIVOS/Kantor Prize for string quartet: “El jardin de senderos que se bifurcan”, 2013 Taylor Brook Curriculum Vitae 3 CAC Robert Fleming Prize for the best personal musical project of Spring, 2013 Serge Garant Prize for the string quartet “El jardin de senderos que se bifurcan”, SOCAN, 2013 Jules Léger Prize, for best chamber composition in Canada, honorable mention for Against the Morning, 2012 Winner of APNM call for scores 2013 with solo violin piece Vocalise Finalist in the American Composers Forum string quartet competition, 2012 Second Prize and Prix Public, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne Young Composers FORUM, 2010 Serge Garant Prize for the chamber piece Kolkata Predawn, SOCAN Young Composers, 2010 Pierre Mercure Award for the solo violin piece Vocalise, SOCAN Young Composers, 2010 Lee Ettelson Composer’s Award from Composers, Inc., for solo violin piece Vocalise, 2010 Coup de Coeur award from Le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne for Kandinsky’s Palette, 2009 Pierre Mercure Prize for solo piano piece It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there, SOCAN, 2009 Grants Awarded_________________________________________________________ Canada Council for the Arts Research to Creation Grant for Virtutes Occultae, November 2017 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Connections grant for two-day symposium at McGill University: Illuminations: Brian Cherney at 75, co-authored with Prof. Aiyun Huang (University of Toronto), February 2017 New Music USA Impact Fund (three-year funding) for TAK Ensemble general budget, co- authored with Marina Kifferstein, March 2016 Canada