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David Shohl
Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, David Shohl studied composition
at the San Francisco Conservatory, Columbia University, and the
Manhattan School of Music (where he earned his doctorate). His works
have won ASCAP and Meet the Composer awards, and have been performed
by Ursula Oppens, North/South Consonance, Kathleen Supové,
the New Music Consort, and the Locrian Chamber Players.
David Shohl |
How long have you worked at Juilliard, and what do you remember
about your first day?
I remember the cordiality of my colleagues and the library
patrons, and the pleasure of being employed in a superb musical environment.
I'm glad you didn't ask about my second day of work—my first
day was September 10, 2001—but the satisfaction I enjoyed from
that first day continues through the present.
What is the strangest job you've ever had and what made
it strange?
Teaching an 11-year-old prodigy. My student—who has
a wall full of trophies for chess tournaments, spelling bees, math
prizes, and athletic awards—has made great progress at the
piano in the last two years and I am now teaching him composition.
He loves Ives and Stravinsky, as well as Bach and Beethoven. Working
with him is an amazing experience.
What are some of your recent compositional activities?
My quintet Airs was recently premiered by the Windscape
(a group that includes Juilliard professors Alan Kay and Frank Morelli),
and was commissioned by the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival.
Last January, the brass faculty of the Mannes College of Music premiered
my new trio, written for David Jolley, Robert Sullivan, and David
Taylor. I'm now finishing a commission for the Los Angeles Guitar
Quartet; the New York premiere is scheduled for March 2004 at the
92nd Street Y.
What kind of performances do you prefer to attend and why?
Most of the performances I attend are contemporary music
concerts featuring friends (either performers or composers), although
I also go to readings and dance/theater performances (again, usually
to see a friend's work) when I can.
What other pursuits are you passionate about?
I am working on a book about the aliens in Star Trek,
an exposé of the show's unrecognized racism, sexism, and
violence. (Anyone who knows a literary agent who might want to hear
more about this project should contact me at ext. 265.)
If out of the blue your boss said to take the day off,
what would you do with your free time?
I would spend it composing, writing prose, and walking
around the greatest city on earth.
What is your proudest accomplishment in life?
I'm most proud of my piece, The Restless Chorus.
It's a one-movement orchestral work, about 10 minutes long. (There
is no literal chorus—the title comes from St. Augustine's
"Cor Irrequietum.") The rhythmic, harmonic, and orchestrational
discoveries I made while writing the piece represent a great advance
for me, both stylistically and technically.
What might people be surprised to know about you?
Most people seem surprised to learn that I was born and
raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Actually, New York City (where I've
lived for 15 years now) has a number of things in common with Alaska:
In both places, life can be (in Hobbes' phrase) nasty, brutish,
and short. But both places can also bring out the best in people,
and both are home to beautiful sights and sounds found nowhere else.
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