Gwyneth Walker
2008-03-03 13:44:46 - Back
Dr. Gwyneth Walker (b. 1947) is a graduate of Brown University and the Hartt School of Music. She holds B.A., M.M. and D.M.A. Degrees in Music Composition. A former faculty member of the Oberlin College Conservatory, she resigned from academic employment in 1982 in order to pursue a career as a full-time composer. She now lives on a dairy farm in Braintree, Vermont.
Gwyneth Walker is a proud resident of Vermont. She is the recipient of the Year 2000 "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Vermont Arts Council.
Walker's catalog includes over 160 commissioned works for orchestra, band, chorus and chamber ensembles. The music of Gwyneth Walker is published by E.C. Schirmer of Boston (choral/vocal music) and MMB Music of St. Louis (orchestral/instrumental music).
During the 2005-6 season, Gwyneth Walker traveled across the United States working with a variety of musicians as they premiered and recorded her works. The areas of focus were choral, chamber and orchestral music. The locations were as diverse as Saginaw, MI and Chapel Hill, NC, St. Johnsbury, VT and Durango, CO. Performers ranged from professional soloists to high school players and singers. A highlight of the season was a week spent in Walla Walla, WA working with the choirs at Whitman College as they rehearsed and recorded a CD of the choral music of Gwyneth Walker. “An Hour to Dance” will be released in 2007.
In addition to the composing of new works, there has also been a special project of creating orchestral accompaniments for a number of choral and vocal works in the Walker catalog. Thus, the Songs for Women’s Voices, I Thank You God, I Will Be Earth and the song cycle, No Ordinary Woman!, have all been orchestrated. Two performances of this repertoire were given at Carnegie Hall during the 2005-6 season.
Commissions for the coming year include several choral works with a local, New England flavor: New England Journey (musical settings of the poetry of New England Poets for the Worcester, Mastersingers – Worcester, MA), A Heart in Hiding: The Passionate Love Poems of Emily Dickinson (for the Thomas Circle Singers – Washington, DC) and Songs to the Lord of Peace (on texts by Thomas Merton for the Fairfield University Glee Club – Fairfield, CT).
These “musical homecomings” in 2007 are part of Gwyneth Walker’s 60th Celebration Year! Various festivities are planned nationally. And, in October 2007, Chandler Music Hall in Randolph, VT will be hosting a 2-day “Festival of the Music of Gwyneth Walker.” Chamber musicians from around the country will perform instrumental and vocal music on a series of concerts. On the following day, eleven Vermont choruses will gather for a Choral Celebration.
Heading into her 60th year, Gwyneth Walker is grateful for good health and energy – necessary ingredients for the traveling composer! She feels blessed to have met and worked with many fine musicians. And she is especially appreciative of the support of the performers across the country (whom she has never met, and may never meet) who have embraced her music.