Lettie Beckon Alston (born 1953) is an American composer known for her piano work and a longstanding series of concerts, "Lettie Alston and Friends."
Biography
Alston was born in 1953 in Detroit. [1]
Alston attended Wayne State University for her undergraduate and masters degrees. [2] In 1983, she earned her doctorate in musical composition from the University of Michigan (UM) where she had studied with Leslie Bassett, William Bolcom and Eugene Kurtz. [1] [2] She was the first African-American to earn this degree from UM. [2]
Work
Alston's work includes traditional, as well as electronic instruments. [3] She has composed for orchestra, chamber and vocal groups. [3]
In 1995, Alston started a series of concerts at Oakland University called, "Lettie Alston and Friends." [4] The concerts featured contemporary classical music usually based around a central theme. [2] [4] The last of these concerts took place in 2008. [2]
In 2001, her work was recorded on a two CD set, Keyboard Maniac. [5] The set highlighted both her work on acoustic and electric piano. [5] She passed away in 2014 while vacationing in Hawaii.
Selected works
Instrumental Solos
Violin
Pulsations (unaccompanied). 1974, revised 1993. Duration 10:00. Three movements. Recorded by Gregory Walker, Kaleidoscope: Music by African-American women (Leonarda CD-LE339). Library: AMRC, IU-USM. Available from: Alston. [6]
Oboe
Three implied jesters (unaccompanied). 1975. Available from: Alston. [6]
Percussion
Visions (piano, marimba). 1979, revised 1993. Duration: 7:00. Performances include Larry Kaptein, marimba, Lettie Beckon Allston, piano, University of Michigan Symposium on Black Women Composers, August 1985. Library: AMRC. Available from: Alston. [6]
Piano
Four moods for piano. 1993. Duration: 12:00. Performances include the Unisys African-American Forum Chamber Music Concert, Orchestra Hall, Detroit, April 1993. Library: AMRC, IU-USM. Available from Alston. [6]
Moods for piano. 1975. Duration: 5:00. Library: AMRC, Available from Alston. [6]
References
- ^ a b Gray, Anne (2007). The World of Women in Classical Music. La Jolla, Calif.: WordWorld. pp. 211. ISBN 978-1-59975-320-1. OCLC 123539910.
- ^ a b c d e "Lettie Beckon Alston Scores and Other Material". Black Metropolis Research Consortium. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
- ^
a
b Walker-Hill, Helen (2007).
From Spirituals to Symphonies: African-American Women Composers and Their Music. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp.
42.
ISBN
978-0-252-07454-7.
lettie alston and friends.
- ^ a b Stryker, Mark (February 6, 2004). "Big Weekend for the DSO". Detroit Free Press. p. 44. Retrieved December 14, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Stryker, Mark (May 20, 2001). "Detroit Disc". Detroit Free Press. p. 70. Retrieved December 14, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e Walker-Hill, Helen (1995). Music by Black women composers : a bibliography of available scores. Chicago: Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College. ISBN 0-929911-04-0. OCLC 31971765.
External links
- Rhapsody No. 4, "Keyboard Maniac"
- More recordings and access to scores can be found at A Seat at the Piano.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1953 births
- Musicians from Detroit
- Wayne State University alumni
- University of Michigan alumni
- African-American composers
- African-American women composers
- American women composers
- Living people
- African-American women musicians
- 21st-century African-American musicians
- 20th-century African-American musicians
- 20th-century African-American women
- 21st-century African-American women
Lettie Beckon Alston (born 1953) is an American composer known for her piano work and a longstanding series of concerts, "Lettie Alston and Friends."
Biography
Alston was born in 1953 in Detroit. [1]
Alston attended Wayne State University for her undergraduate and masters degrees. [2] In 1983, she earned her doctorate in musical composition from the University of Michigan (UM) where she had studied with Leslie Bassett, William Bolcom and Eugene Kurtz. [1] [2] She was the first African-American to earn this degree from UM. [2]
Work
Alston's work includes traditional, as well as electronic instruments. [3] She has composed for orchestra, chamber and vocal groups. [3]
In 1995, Alston started a series of concerts at Oakland University called, "Lettie Alston and Friends." [4] The concerts featured contemporary classical music usually based around a central theme. [2] [4] The last of these concerts took place in 2008. [2]
In 2001, her work was recorded on a two CD set, Keyboard Maniac. [5] The set highlighted both her work on acoustic and electric piano. [5] She passed away in 2014 while vacationing in Hawaii.
Selected works
Instrumental Solos
Violin
Pulsations (unaccompanied). 1974, revised 1993. Duration 10:00. Three movements. Recorded by Gregory Walker, Kaleidoscope: Music by African-American women (Leonarda CD-LE339). Library: AMRC, IU-USM. Available from: Alston. [6]
Oboe
Three implied jesters (unaccompanied). 1975. Available from: Alston. [6]
Percussion
Visions (piano, marimba). 1979, revised 1993. Duration: 7:00. Performances include Larry Kaptein, marimba, Lettie Beckon Allston, piano, University of Michigan Symposium on Black Women Composers, August 1985. Library: AMRC. Available from: Alston. [6]
Piano
Four moods for piano. 1993. Duration: 12:00. Performances include the Unisys African-American Forum Chamber Music Concert, Orchestra Hall, Detroit, April 1993. Library: AMRC, IU-USM. Available from Alston. [6]
Moods for piano. 1975. Duration: 5:00. Library: AMRC, Available from Alston. [6]
References
- ^ a b Gray, Anne (2007). The World of Women in Classical Music. La Jolla, Calif.: WordWorld. pp. 211. ISBN 978-1-59975-320-1. OCLC 123539910.
- ^ a b c d e "Lettie Beckon Alston Scores and Other Material". Black Metropolis Research Consortium. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
- ^
a
b Walker-Hill, Helen (2007).
From Spirituals to Symphonies: African-American Women Composers and Their Music. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp.
42.
ISBN
978-0-252-07454-7.
lettie alston and friends.
- ^ a b Stryker, Mark (February 6, 2004). "Big Weekend for the DSO". Detroit Free Press. p. 44. Retrieved December 14, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Stryker, Mark (May 20, 2001). "Detroit Disc". Detroit Free Press. p. 70. Retrieved December 14, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e Walker-Hill, Helen (1995). Music by Black women composers : a bibliography of available scores. Chicago: Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College. ISBN 0-929911-04-0. OCLC 31971765.
External links
- Rhapsody No. 4, "Keyboard Maniac"
- More recordings and access to scores can be found at A Seat at the Piano.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1953 births
- Musicians from Detroit
- Wayne State University alumni
- University of Michigan alumni
- African-American composers
- African-American women composers
- American women composers
- Living people
- African-American women musicians
- 21st-century African-American musicians
- 20th-century African-American musicians
- 20th-century African-American women
- 21st-century African-American women