Meet a Composer: Christopher Rouse

 Meet a Composer: Christopher Rouse 

Years Lived: 1949-2019

Period: Contemporary (neoromantic)

Country: United States

Christopher Rouse is an American composer from the modern (contemporary) era. He was born and lived most of his life in Baltimore, just a few miles from where The Columbia Orchestra is located! When Rouse was just 6 years old, he decided to be a composer after hearing Beethoven's 5th Symphony. 

Rouse went to school at Oberlin Conservatory and did his graduate studies at Cornell University, studying with famous composers George Crumb and Karel Husa. His early compositions were picked up by BMI in a student composer competition. 

Rouse taught at Julliard, Peabody Conservatory, University of Michigan, Eastman School of Music, and at the Aspen Music Festival. 

Rouse's compositions were sometimes tonal and sometimes atonal. He tried to blend the two within his pieces. His music uses a lot of percussion which helps convey the intensity and emotion his music is known for. The heavy influence rock music had on him can be heard reflected in his composition style. 

Rouse wrote a Requiem, 6 symphonies, 16 orchestral works, 12 concertos and orchestral solos, chamber music, and vocal works. His 6th symphony was premiered after he passed away. Fifty-five of his compositions have been published. 

After his death, Leonard Slatkin said of Rouse, "he will be remembered for his incredible individuality, humility, immense knowledge, and willingness to share.”

Did You Know?

Rouse received awards including the Kennedy Center Friedheim Award, Grammy Award for best classical contemporary composition, and the Pulitzer Prize for Music. From 2012-2015 he was the New York Philharmonic's Composer-in-Residence and he also served as composer-in-residence in other years for for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Music Festival, Pacific Music Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival. 

The Columbia Orchestra performed Rouse's Trombone Concerto in 2014, with guest artist trombonist David Murray.

Rouse taught a class on the history of rock music at the University of Michigan and the Eastman School of Music. 

Rouse used a type of code to spell out words in his music. The code converts alphabet letters to musical pitches, allowing him to spell out names and other words. In his 3rd Symphony, a musical portrait of his second wife, Rouse spells out her name several times in the music.

This YouTube video features Christopher Rouse speaking about composing and his career as a composer and in this YouTube video, he talks about the power of classical music. 

This YouTube video is a performance of Rouse's Bonham for percussion. Rouse's inspiration for this piece was John Bonham, rock and roll drummer for Led Zeppelin.

The Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra performs Rouse's Violin Concerto with violin soloist Cho-Liang Lin in this YouTube video.