Donal Fox (born July 17, 1952) is an American composer, pianist and improviser in the jazz and classical genres. He was the first African-American composer-in-residence with the St. Louis Symphony (1991–1992).[1][2] In 1993 he was a visiting artist at Harvard University.[3] From 2009–2011, he was Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[4] Donal Fox is a Steinway Artist.[5]
Donal Fox | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 17, 1952 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, classical, Latin |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Piano |
| Labels | New World, Evidence, Music & Arts, Passin' Thru, Wergo |
| Website | donalfox |
Fox's works have been performed at Carnegie Hall. The concerto "Peace Out" for Improvised Piano and Orchestra was premiered at Zankel Hall in 2009, where Fox was the piano soloist.[6] "Peace Out" was commissioned and performed by the American Composers Orchestra. His piece, "Hear De Lambs A-Cryin," was performed at Stern Auditorium in 2011 by the Albany Symphony Orchestra.[7]
Awards and honors
editHe received a 1997 Guggenheim Fellowship in music composition[8] and a 1998 Fellowship from the Bogliasco Foundation.[9] In 2008, Fox was awarded the American Academy of Arts and Letters Academy Award in Music.[10]
Relatives
editDonal Fox is the eldest of six siblings. His brother Brian Fox is a computer programmer and the original author of GNU Bash shell. Donal is the paternal grandson of artist Daniel Fox, creator of the Monopoly Man.[11]
References
edit- ^ Wierzbicki, James (1992-01-15). "Classical Artists Show A Bent For Improvisation". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, MO.
THE BIG surprise on Monday evening's Discovery concert at the Sheldon came at the very end, when composer/pianist Donal Fox led a half-dozen members of the St. Louis Symphony in a collective improvisation. Improvisation used to be a matter of course for musicians of classical bent. But in this age of specialization, off the cuff performance is left largely to jazzers, rockers and church organists, and orchestral musicians seldom do anything but read whatever notes are set before...
- ^ Wierzbicki, James (1992-10-21). "Musicians Savor Freedom's Discipline By Rendering Spirited Improvisation". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, MO.
The complex and often hauntingly expressive vocal part that Antoine Wallace contributed to the third piece on Monday evening's Discovery concert contained but a single word. Freedom, he whispered after the instrumental music had boiled to its climax. And with those two syllables - extended, softened, shaped into a conclusive descending phrase - he summarized one of the most important steps the St. Louis Symphony has lately taken. Freedom in music, as composer Donal Fox told...
- ^ "Jazztalk, Improvisation, and Funny Hats in the Quad". thecrimson.com. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ "Donal Fox, Music and Theater Arts – Martin Luther King Jr. Scholars". mlkscholars.mit.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
- ^ "Donal Fox - Steinway & Sons". steinway.com. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ Tommasini, Anthony (December 2009). "Navajo, Jesuit and Jazz for Orchestra". The New York Times. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ "Spring for Music: Albany Symphony". NPR.org. npr.org. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
- ^ "John Simon Guggenheim Foundation | Donal Fox". gf.org. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
- ^ "Directory of Fellows | Bogliasco Foundation Donal Fox". bfny.org. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
- ^ "New Music News Wire | NewMusicBox". nmbx.newmusicusa.org. 7 March 2008. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
- ^ Assoc. of Game and Puzzle Collectors Quarterly www.AGPC.ORG summer 2013 Vol.15 No. 2. Page 18. Meet Dan Fox-- The Artist Who Created "Mr. Monopoly" by Philip E.Orbanes
External links
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