Christopher Rouse

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Christopher Rouse BIO

Born in 1949 in Baltimore, where he lived until his death, Rouse developed an early interest in both classical and popular music. He graduated from Oberlin Conservatory and Cornell University, numbering among his principal teachers George Crumb and Karel Husa. Rouse maintained a steady interest in popular music: At the Eastman School of Music, where he was Professor of Composition from 1981-2002, he taught a course in the history of rock for many years. Rouse was also a member of the composition faculty at The Juilliard School since 1997, and the Distinguished Composer-in-Residence at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University.


Rouse's prolific catalog includes six individualistic symphonies, concertos for 12 different instruments, and a multitude of vivid, colorful symphonic works with programmatic themes. His concertos garnered him several prestigious awards. The Trombone Concerto, written for Leonard Bernstein and dedicated to him after he passed away, earned Rouse the 1993 Pulitzer Prize in Music. His Cello Concerto, premiered by Yo-Yo Ma and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the orchestra's 75th anniversary, won two Grammy Awards. His guitar concerto Concerto de Gaudi, inspired by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi's combination of surrealism and mysticism, won the 2002 Grammy for Best Contemporary Composition.

Throughout his life Rouse was championed by the greatest orchestras and conductors across the US and around the world, most notably Marin Alsop, Alan Gilbert, David Robertson, Leonard Slatkin, and David Zinman. He composed works for renowned soloists Dawn Upshaw, Evelyn Glennie, Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax, Cho-Liang Lin, Sharon Isbin, Carol Wincenc, among others. From 2012-2015, Rouse served as the Marie-Josée Kravis Composer-in-Residence at the New York Philharmonic. Rouse was also resident composer at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Biennalle, Pacific Music Festival, Tanglewood Music Festival, Eugene Symphony, and Aspen Music Festival.

Christopher Rouse News


Tickets On Sale For Composer Jeff Beal's Carnegie Hall Debut

Responsible for catapulting German Expressionism into the mainstream, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari marks the second installment in Beal's Weimar Trilogy of silent films, in which the renowned composer creates works in tandem with classic films from the silent era. It follows Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (dir. F.W. Murnau, 1927).

Lea Salonga, Gavin Creel, Vanessa Williams, Brian d'Arcy James & More Set for MISCAST24

MCC Theater has revealed that Miscast24 will take place on Monday April 15, 2024 at the Hammerstein Ballroom. Learn additional details!

Grammy Award-Winning Organist Paul Jacobs To Give East Coast Premiere Of John Harbison's 'What Do We Make Of Bach?'

GRAMMY Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs will give the East Coast premiere of John Harbison's 'What Do We Make Of Bach?' with the New England Philharmonic. Learn how to purchase tickets!

Grammy Award-Winning Organist Paul Jacobs To Be Presented By Tryon Concert Association Series

GRAMMY Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs returns to Tryon, NC for a solo organ recital on January 5, 2024. Presented by the Tryon Concert Association, the program includes works by Bach, Franck, Buck, and Guilmant.

Grammy Award-Winning Organist Paul Jacobs To Inaugurate Schoenstein Opus 183 Organ With Solo Recital At St. Michael's Abbey

GRAMMY Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs to inaugurate Schoenstein Opus 183 Organ with solo recital at St. Michael's Abbey, Silverado, CA on December 2, 2023. Program includes works by Franck, Mozart, Messiaen, Bach, and Liszt. Tickets available on St. Michael's Abbey's website.

GRAMMY-Winning Organist Paul Jacobs To Be Presented By Live At Winspear In Vital Organs Series, November 21

GRAMMY Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs will perform a solo organ recital at the Winspear Centre in Edmonton, Canada on November 21, 2023. Presented by Live at Winspear in their 'Vital Organs' series, Jacobs will perform works by Bach and Liszt. General admission tickets are available on the Winspear Centre's website. Don't miss this internationally celebrated organist in action!

Walt Disney Concert Hall Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen and Architect Frank Gehry, October 24

GRAMMY Award-winning American organist Paul Jacobs has been invited by the Los Angeles Philharmonic to play the Lou Harrison Concerto for Organ and Percussion in the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Walt Disney Hall on Tuesday evening, October 24, 2023, at 8 pm at the Walt Disney Hall.

Distinguished Composer Lowell Liebermann To Curate 'Thornwillow Concerts At Calvary' In Newburgh

Distinguished Composer Lowell Liebermann curates Thornwillow Concerts At Calvary in Newburgh, NY. GRAMMY-Award winning organist Paul Jacobs performs on the newly restored historic Skinner Pipe Organ at Calvary Presbyterian Church on November 4, 2023.

Conductor Alsop Takes on New UK & Polish Appointments and Leads Major Productions in London, Vienna, and Katowice

Marin Alsop takes on new UK and Polish appointments, leading major productions in London, Vienna, and Katowice. Don't miss her all-American program with the Philharmonia Orchestra, rare performance of Penderecki's The Black Mask, and more.

Orion Weiss Unveils 2023/2024 Season Featuring Performances with MTT, Recitals with Augustin Hadelich & More

Pianist Orion Weiss reveals his exciting 2023/2024 season, including performances with the NSO and CSO conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, recitals with violinist Augustin Hadelich, and chamber music with the Ariel Quartet. Find out more about his upcoming engagements and tour dates.

Organist Paul Jacobs To Premiere Liebermann's ORGAN CONCERTO With Jacksonville Symphony in September

GRAMMY Award-winning American organist Paul Jacobs will open the Jacksonville Symphony season with a world premiere of distinguished American composer Lowell Liebermann' s Organ Concerto under the baton of music director Courtney Lewis.

Giancarlo Guerrero to Step Down as Music Director of the Nashville Symphony

Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero announced today that he will step down as Music Director of the Nashville Symphony at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, his 16th in that role.

New Jersey Symphony To Perform Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto June 1�"4 in Newark, Princeton and New Brunswick

Acclaimed violin virtuoso Randall Goosby is set to solo in the New Jersey Symphony's upcoming performance of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, June 1—4, led by Music Director Xian Zhang. The program also features the world premiere of Chen Yi's Landscape Impression and Stravinsky's Suite from Pulcinella.

The Philadelphia Orchestra to Present Paul Jacobs In All-Bach Solo Recital at Verizon Hall

Grammy-award-winning American organist Paul Jacobs will perform the Six Trio Sonatas by Johann Sebastian Bach at the Verizon Hall, Saturday evening, May 6, 5 p.m. EDT.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic to Present Paul Jacobs In All-Bach Solo Recital At Walt Disney Hall

Grammy-award-winning American organist Paul Jacobs will perform the Six Trio Sonatas by Johann Sebastian Bach at the Walt Disney Hall on Sunday evening, April 16, 7:30 PM PST.

Organist Paul Jacobs To Perform Solo Recital At Boise State University, Idaho, This Month

Grammy-award winning American organist Paul Jacobs will give a solo recital at 7 PM MST on Friday, March 10, 2023, at Boise University's Hemingway Center.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops Announce 2023-2024 Season Featuring HAMLET, THE FIREBIRD & More

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops announced details for the 2023-24 season, Louis Langrée’s eleventh and final season as Music Director of the Orchestra.

American Composers Orchestra to Perform D. J. Sparr's Reimagining of Kaki King's 'Modern Yesterdays'

Thursday, March 16 (7:30 pm) marks the world premiere of composer/guitarist D. J. Sparr's orchestral reimagining of Kaki King's Modern Yesterdays, performed by the American Composers Orchestra under Daniela Candillari, with King as guitar soloist.

Organist Paul Jacobs To Perform & Record Christopher Rouse's Organ Concerto & Wayne Oquin's Resilience

Grammy-award winning American organist Paul Jacobs will return to Nashville, TN, to join the ensemble under the baton of Giancarlo Guerrero to perform and record two American composers' works-Organ Concerto by Christopher Rouse, which was written especially for Mr. Jacobs, and Resilience by Wayne Oquin.

Organist Paul Jacobs To Perform Solo Organ Recital At Bach Festival Society Of Winter Park

Grammy-award winning American organist Paul Jacobs will give a solo organ recital at 7:30 PM EST on Friday, February 3, 2023, in the Knowles Memorial Chapel at Winter Park, Florida.

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