Morten Johannes Lauridsen, Composer-in-Residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale from 1994-2001 and Professor of Composition at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music for more than thirty years, occupies a permanent place in the standard vocal repertoire of the Twentieth Century. His seven vocal cycles -- Les Chansons des Roses (Rilke), Mid-Winter Songs (Graves), Cuatro Canciones (Lorca), A Winter Come (Moss), Madrigali: Six "FireSongs" on Renaissance Italian Poems, Nocturnes, and Lux Aeterna -- and his series of sacred a cappella motets (O Magnum Mysterium, Ave Maria, O Nata Lux, Ubi Caritas et Amor and Ave Dulcissima Maria) are featured regularly in concert by distinguished ensembles throughout the world. O Magnum Mysterium, Dirait-on (from Les Chansons des Roses) and O Nata Lux (from Lux Aeterna) have become the all-time best-selling choral octavos distributed by Theodore Presser, in business since 1783. In speaking of Lauridsen's sacred works in his book, Choral Music in the Twentieth Century, musicologist and conductor Nick Strimple describes Lauridsen as "the only American composer in history who can be called a mystic, (whose) probing, serene work contains an elusive and indefinable ingredient which leaves the impression that all the questions have been answered... From 1993 Lauridsen's music rapidly increased in international popularity, and by century's end he had eclipsed Randall Thompson as the most frequently performed American choral composer."
His works have been recorded on over a hundred CDs by ensembles including the Robert Shaw, Dale Warland and Donald Brinegar Singers, the San Francisco, Cleveland and Dallas Symphony Choruses, Pacific Chorale, Seattle Pro Musica, the Los Angeles and San Francisco Chamber Singers, Choral Cross-Ties, Chicago a cappella, New York Concert Singers, Germany's Nordic Chamber Choir, Finland's Lumen Valo and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. Maestro Paul Salamunovich and the Los Angeles Master Chorale received a Grammy nomination in 1998 for their CD of his compositions entitled Lux Aeterna on RCM Records. His principal publishers are Peermusic (New York/Hamburg) and Peer's affiliate, Faber Music (London).
A recipient of numerous grants, prizes and commissions, Mr. Lauridsen chaired the Composition Department at the USC Thornton School of Music from 1990-2002, and has held residencies as guest composer/lecturer at over two dozen universities. His most recent commissions have been from Harvard University, the San Francisco Bay Brass, and the Raymond Brock Memorial Commission for the American Choral Directors Association's 2005 national convention in Los Angeles.
Raised in Portland, Oregon, Mr. Lauridsen (b. February 27, 1943 in Colfax, Washington) attended Whitman College and worked as a Forest Service firefighter and lookout (on an isolated tower near Mt. St. Helens) before travelling south to attend USC, where he studied composition with Ingolf Dahl, Halsey Stevens, Robert Linn and Harold Owen. He divides his time now between Los Angeles and his summer cabin on a remote island off the northern coast of Washington.
PUT YOUR BIO SECTION HERE!
Changes may take up to 2 mins to show on your profile
Dear Morten Lauridsen, I have performed your music as a choral director and singer for many years. I still find it deeply inspiring - many thanks for this. Best regards, Tim Corlis
Dear Mr Lauridsen, I have the greatest admiration for your wonderful musics. And I am sure that our Delian Society would be very proud to have you as one of his members. With my best wishes from Québec, Jean Chatillon, composer
I love all of your works. I especially enjoy how you seemingly incorporate dissonance with interesting contrapuntal harmonic lines, without the blatancy of may other contemporary composers. I do enjoy that style, but I really enjoy a composer who uses it for special effect. You remain very high on my list, right by Arvo Part. many thanks.
thank you for the add. My choir is going to be singing Lux Aeterna in front of the state's music educators convention as a main performer. It's a pretty awesome pieces and it's very well written with some of the twisted chords to some of the more easy sounding harmony's. Again, thanks for the add.
Just wanted to share a moment I had when conducting the O Magnum with the New York City Master Chorale this weekend. Mr. Lauridsen your ability to take the music off the page with just a glance at the score helps the musician realize true meaning behind music making. You are a God-Send. Happiest of Holidays to you.
We've just added to our music player "Se per Havervi ohimè" (a live performance in the Seghizzi International competion at Gorizia, Italy)...we'd love if you pass by and have a peek :) Thank you for your music, cheers from Rome!
n'joy my new tracks
http://djkhy.free.fr
friendly dj khy
Many thanks for the add and all the best to you!
Luis Hernandes
We love Morten Lauridsen! We are doing 2 of Lauridsen's Madrigali this year. We absolutely love them! Thanks for being awesome!
CSUF Singers
Dear Mr. Lauridsen!
I'm really gratful for adding me as a friend.
And thank you for your music.
Zuzanna from Poznań, Poland
Estimated Lauridsen:
thank you for add! You are an exelente composer and I am charmed with the harmony of your compositions. Cecilia
Dear Morten Lauridsen,
I have performed your music as a choral director and singer for many years. I still find it deeply inspiring - many thanks for this.
Best regards,
Tim Corlis
Hello from Slovenia:)
Thank you for your virtual friendship...
Great music... really great
Best wishes
Hey Morten Lauridsen Fan Page, I just bought you as my PET! Click here to find out how much I think you're $$WORTH$$!
-------------------------------
This comment was sent by your friend via the Own Your Friends! application. To block comments sent via Apps.
click here.
Dear Mr Lauridsen,
I have the greatest admiration for your wonderful musics.
And I am sure that our Delian Society would be very proud to have you as one of his members.
With my best wishes from Québec,
Jean Chatillon, composer
jeanchatillon. com
Hallo, hallo
Danke für die Freundschaft
Schön, daß ich Dich fand.
viele internette Grüße
aus München/Germany
Thankyou for the add
and thank you for your
beautiful music.
See you soon
ff
Thank you for your profoundly beautiful and moving music.
Sincerely,
Roland Jelinek, Violinist/Composer
I love all of your works. I especially enjoy how you seemingly incorporate dissonance with interesting contrapuntal harmonic lines, without the blatancy of may other contemporary composers. I do enjoy that style, but I really enjoy a composer who uses it for special effect. You remain very high on my list, right by Arvo Part. many thanks.
Thanks very much for adding me as a friend. Your music is beautiful!
Sharing the gift of music is the greatest gift one can give oneself...Thank you!
Thank you very much for the add! We love your music!
Grazie, TCS di Napoli
thank you for the add. My choir is going to be singing Lux Aeterna in front of the state's music educators convention as a main performer. It's a pretty awesome pieces and it's very well written with some of the twisted chords to some of the more easy sounding harmony's. Again, thanks for the add.
Dear Morten,
thank you for friendship and welcome to my space!
It..s a real pleasure for me, listen to your beautyful music.
Best wishes,
Rainer Dimmler
Thank you for the request dear friend. Keep up the great work you do!
Regards from Slovenia!
AVE
Just wanted to share a moment I had when conducting the O Magnum with the New York City Master Chorale this weekend. Mr. Lauridsen your ability to take the music off the page with just a glance at the score helps the musician realize true meaning behind music making. You are a God-Send. Happiest of Holidays to you.
Thanks for the add. Love your original and exceptional compositions!
Best,
Bill Ecker
Harmonie Autographs and Music, Inc.
Classical Music and Opera Autographs & Antiquaria
www.harmonieautographs.com
Thanks for the add!
Wow! Thanks for the add and,more importantly, thanks for the music!
Kind regards,
Sharon
We've just added to our music player "Se per Havervi ohimè" (a live performance in the Seghizzi International competion at Gorizia, Italy)...we'd love if you pass by and have a peek :)
Thank you for your music, cheers from Rome!
Help | Terms | Privacy Policy | Safety Tips | Block User | Report Abuse | MySpace International | MySpace Latino
Press Room | Advertise | Developers
©2003-2009 MySpace.com. All Rights Reserved.