Robert Kyr
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| Robert Kyr | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robert Kyr |
| Born | 1952 |
| Occupation(s) | composer and music educator |
Robert Kyr (b. 1952) is an American composer and music educator.
Robert Kyr is one of America's prominent living composers of classical music, and is probably the most prolific composer of his generation (12 symphonies, 3 chamber symphonies, 3 violin concerti, numerous large works for orchestra, oratorios and other large-scale choral works, and numerous chamber works for strings, piano, and other instruments).
Luminous and sometimes ecstatic in effect, Kyr's work is basically tonal, and often harmonically and rhythmically complex, its sophistication deriving from its synthesis of both modern and ancient modes, and both Western and Asian musical traditions. An engaged activist for world peace and environmentalism, Kyr has initiated a number of projects that bring together musicians from diverse cultures, or combine music with other media, and touch upon current or historical events.
The titles of Robert Kyr's works often point to their spiritual and metaphysical dimensions: "Infinity to Dwell," "Into the Hour of New Life," "On the Nature of Creation", "Oh Jerusalem," "Songs of the Shining Wind," and "Unseen Rain."
Kyr's compositions have been performed widely around the world, in prominent forums such as Juilliard and Carnegie Hall, and have been commissioned by the United Nations, by the city of Nagasaki, and by many ensembles, such as Chanticleer, the Oregon Symphony, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra. He is the recipient of awards from Meet the Composer, Chamber Music America, and many others.
Kyr's music has been recorded under the Telarc and New Albion labels.
Kyr is a figure on the international academic scene. He has held teaching positions at Yale University, UCLA, the Longy School of Music and since 1990, has been professor of composition program at the University of Oregon, which also includes David Crumb on the faculty. Kyr also directs the respected University of Oregon Composers Forum, the Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium, and the Music Today Festival.
Kyr received his Bachelor's Degree from Yale University in 1974, followed by a Master's Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1980 and a Ph.D from Harvard University in 1989; he also briefly studied at the Royal College of Music in London, England. His primary teachers included George Rochberg and George Crumb.
