Musical Profile

[Guest]

Artist Genre: Classical


Description: Laurie Conrad is a classical pianist and composer living in Ithaca, NY. Some of her honors include: Who’s Who in American Music, The International Who’s Who in Music (Cambridge), Who's Who's in American Pianists, The International Encyclopedia of Women Composers, The Dictionary of International Biography and Marquis’ Who’s Who in America.

She is available for concerts and lecture concerts and open rehearsals of her own works, as well as works from great classical composers of the past. Available lecture/concerts (other than her own compositions): Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Scriabin (The Black Mass Sonata) and Debussy.

Founded the Ithaca Contemporary Players, a chamber group devoted to the performance of Conrad's Music. Studied composition with Karel Husa and piano with George King Driscoll at Ithaca College. Short List of Published Works: Song Cycles for voices and piano: Songs of Will (1976) (mezzo); Tonight the Moon (1978) (sop.); Elegies (1994) for mezzo & piano; Song cycles for voice & chamber instruments: Preludes (1982) (mezzo & bar.); The Gates of Dawn (1982) (sop. & bar.); L'Apparition (1983)(sop. & bar.) ; The Visitor (1985) (bar.); Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra (1984, revised 1994); For Two Pianos (1983) dedicated to George King Driscoll; For solo violin: Jeux (1986), Aurore (1986); For solo Viola: Fantasie (1991), Le Printemps (1991); For solo cello: Pensees (1981). More recent works, unpublished : Chansons du Monde (revised 2003) for full orch., choir and soloists; Visions (2001), nine pieces for harp and flute; Images (2002), cycle for flute, harp and viola; Elegie (2003) one movement for string quintet;string quintet #2(2004);Piano Quintet (1996).


Mission Statement: As a pianist I am trying to uphold the legacy of the great pianists. As a composer, I am considered very innovative, yet I am trying to continue the legacy of beauty, depth and grandeur that is music - even while using new forms, harmonies and modalities.

Influences: I studied composition with Karel Husa and piano with George King Driscoll at Ithaca College. As a pianist, I was probably influenced by all the great pianists. Even as a child I listened to the great pianists and learned from them. As a composer, I am probably influenced by all the great composers. A good part of my training as a composer was to study and analyse the works of the great composers. I was lucky to have many fine teachers, and even as a child played professionally with fine musicians.