ABOUT Allen Shearer |
Allen Shearer has received many awards in music, including the Rome Prize Fellowship, the Aaron Copland Award, a Charles Ives Scholarship, residencies at the MacDowell Colony, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer and other organizations, and the Sylvia Goldstein Award, which funded performances in Davis and Sacramento of his Three Lyrics, a chamber work written at the Copland House. His choral works have been performed in nearly every state of the U.S. as well as in Europe, the former Soviet Union, Asia, and South Africa. With librettist Claudia Stevens he has created ten chamber operas. Of these all but one have been given staged productions. The first of these, The Dawn Makers, was premiered in 2009 at Herbst Theatre, San Francisco by Composers, Inc. The Dawn Makers was selected as a finalist in the National Opera Association’s Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Competition 2014-2016.The very successful premiere of his Middlemarch in Spring garnered praise and distinctions (see home page) and went on to subsequent productions. The three-act opera Howards End, America premiered in San Francisco in 2019 as a co-production of RealOpera and Earplay.
Allen Shearer enjoyed a long career as a baritone, performing vocal music old and new, including his own, and has made several commercial recordings. He was artistic co-director of Composers, Inc. and is a founding co-director of the new music festival Sonic Harvest as well as a member of the board of Ninth Planet. He holds a PhD in music from the University of California at Berkeley and diplomas in concert singing and opera from the Akademie Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. He taught in Special Programs (voice) at the UC Berkeley until his retirement in 2019. Allen Shearer is an affiliate of Broadcast Music, Inc. and a member of New Music USA, the American Composers Forum, and the National Association of Composers USA (NACUSA). He is an emeritus member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. |
News
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Coming up:
In October in Charlottesville and Richmond, VA Claudia's play Anderson, with my musical score, will premiere. Nov. 23 my song cycle Echoes on poems of Philip Larkin will premiere on a concert of NACUSA in San Francisco. Nov 30 my duet for mezzo soprano and oboe Measure Me, Sky will premiere at the Festival Osmose in Brussels. And Feb. 6 at the University of New Mexico my Nocturne for nine cellos will premiere. Looking back: On Sonic Harvest Oct. 6, my Plenitudes as well as The Singer Josephine were premiered. In the new music festival at Central Washington University Sept 21-23 my trio Weft premiered. In two NACUSA concerts, Amy Foote and the Friction Quartet performed my At Water's Edge; and Dan Flanagan, violin and Vicky Ehrlich, cello premiered my Duo at the Center for New Music. Einstein at Princeton, our new one-act opera, premiered at the Berkeley City Club Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023 as part of the Berkeley Chamber Performances series. Strange Gifts premiered Oct. 1 on the Sonic Harvest series, me singing, with Jeffrey Sykes, piano. My song cycle How Poems Are Made was performed in New York by Fresh Squeezed Opera November 2, 2023. Our new two-act opera Prospero’s Island premiered March 25, 2023 at Herbst Theater in SF, fully staged and with a fabulous cast. San Francisco Girls Chorus participated as the island’s penguins. |
On June 10, 2022 Ninth Planet offered a concert in the chapel of the Unitarian-Universalist Church at Franklin and Geary, SF which included the premiere of my Eastbound Passenger. July 16 at 3 pm, Palo Alto Arts Center Auditorium, Menlo Brass performed my brass quintet October on a concert of NACUSA. On May 30 (Memorial Day), 2022 Sonic Harvest presented the premiere of From Spell to Trance for soprano and piano as well as excerpts from Prospero’s Island. |
Music
Opera
Andersen, a play by Claudia Stevens with music (2024)
The Singer Josephine, chamber opera in one scene on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2023)
Einstein at Princeton, chamber opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2022)
Prospero’s Island, opera in two acts on a libretto by Claudia Stevens after Shakespeare’s The Tempest (2021)
Jackie at Vassar, opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2019)
Howards End, America, opera in three acts on a libretto by Claudia Stevens after the novel by E.M. Forster (2018) howardsendamerica.com
Circe’s Pigs, opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2016) video
Kissing Marfa, comic opera in one scene on a libretto by Claudia Stevens after a story by Anton Chekhov (2015)
Middlemarch in Spring, opera on a libretto by Claudia Stevens after the novel by George Eliot (2014) middlemarchinspring.com Video, Act I Video, Act II
Riddle Me, opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2010)
A Very Large Mole, opera in one act on a libretto after Kafka by Claudia Stevens (2009)
The Dawn Makers, opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2008) video
The Goddess, opera in four acts. Libretto adapted by the composer from the screenplay by Satyajit Ray (1997)
Instrumental Works
Reveille for trumpet, trombone and tuba (2024)
Intermezzo 2 for flute, bassoon and viola (2024)
Weft for clarinet, bassoon and piano (2024)
Forest Scene for unaccompanied violin (2024)
Nocturne for nine cellos (2023)
Wink for wind ensemble (2023)
Duo for violin and cello (2022)
Impossible Marriage for clarinet, violin and piano (2022)
Eastbound Traveler for mixed quartet (2021)
October for brass quintet (2021)
Early Start for flute, cello and piano (2019)
Thinking Thoughts, theme and variations for violin and piano (2019) LISTEN
Sea Critter for piano solo (2016)
Road Piece for brass trio and percussion (2015) LISTEN
Intermezzo for clarinet solo (2014) LISTEN
Footloose for flute, guitar and violin (2013) LISTEN
Footloose, version for flute, guitar and viola (2023)
Roundelay for oboe, clarinet and bassoon (2012) YouTube
Riff on a Verse for violin and percussion (2011) LISTEN
Soliloquy for viola solo (2009) LISTEN
Bagatelles for flute and clarinet (2006) LISTEN
Memory Beams for violin and guitar (2005)
Strokes for Violin for violin solo (1999) LISTEN
Choral Works
Lyrics for Chorus SATB, in three movements (2023)
Romanç de matinet for mixed chorus SATB (2012)
Listen. Put on Morning for mixed chorus SSATB (2011)
The Holy Innocents for mixed chorus SSAATTBB (2011)
Orpheus in the Underworld for men’s chorus TTBB (2010)
Songs of the Moment for women’s chorus SSAA (2007)
The Illusion of Eternity for male vocal ensemble (1985) LISTEN
Vocal Works
Echoes for soprano, cello and piano (2024)
Duets for Voice and Oboe for soprano and oboe (2024)
Plenitudes for soprano, flute, viola and guitar, on poems of Jane Hirshfield (2022)
Strange Gifts, song cycle for baritone and piano (2022)
From Spell to Trance, song cycle for soprano and piano (2021) LISTEN
The River-Merchant’s Wife for soprano, flute, viola and piano (2018) LISTEN
Psalm, Lament and Aubade for soprano, clarinet and piano, on poems of April Bernard (2018)
November Gold for medium voice and piano on poems of Robert Francis (2017)
Stories Wind Told to Grass for mezzo soprano, flute, cello and piano (2015) LISTEN
Night Songs II for mezzo soprano, viola and piano (2009); version for soprano, cello and piano (2015)
The Leaves of Another Year for baritone, clarinet and guitar (2014)
Learning the Elements for mezzo soprano, clarinet, cello and piano (2007)
How Poems Are Made for soprano and piano (2006)
Secrets for mezzo soprano, flute, cello and piano (2003) LISTEN
Fables II for mezzo soprano or baritone, flute, guitar and double bass (2002)
At Water’s Edge for soprano and string quartet (2002) LISTEN
Moly for baritone voice, bass clarinet and marimba (2001) LISTEN
A Wreath to the Fish for medium voice, bass clarinet and guitar (2001) LISTEN
Three Lyrics for soprano, clarinet, violin and harp (1999) LISTEN
Five Poems of Wallace Stevens for baritone and piano (1984). Fallen Leaf Press
Andersen, a play by Claudia Stevens with music (2024)
The Singer Josephine, chamber opera in one scene on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2023)
Einstein at Princeton, chamber opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2022)
Prospero’s Island, opera in two acts on a libretto by Claudia Stevens after Shakespeare’s The Tempest (2021)
Jackie at Vassar, opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2019)
Howards End, America, opera in three acts on a libretto by Claudia Stevens after the novel by E.M. Forster (2018) howardsendamerica.com
Circe’s Pigs, opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2016) video
Kissing Marfa, comic opera in one scene on a libretto by Claudia Stevens after a story by Anton Chekhov (2015)
Middlemarch in Spring, opera on a libretto by Claudia Stevens after the novel by George Eliot (2014) middlemarchinspring.com Video, Act I Video, Act II
Riddle Me, opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2010)
A Very Large Mole, opera in one act on a libretto after Kafka by Claudia Stevens (2009)
The Dawn Makers, opera in one act on a libretto by Claudia Stevens (2008) video
The Goddess, opera in four acts. Libretto adapted by the composer from the screenplay by Satyajit Ray (1997)
Instrumental Works
Reveille for trumpet, trombone and tuba (2024)
Intermezzo 2 for flute, bassoon and viola (2024)
Weft for clarinet, bassoon and piano (2024)
Forest Scene for unaccompanied violin (2024)
Nocturne for nine cellos (2023)
Wink for wind ensemble (2023)
Duo for violin and cello (2022)
Impossible Marriage for clarinet, violin and piano (2022)
Eastbound Traveler for mixed quartet (2021)
October for brass quintet (2021)
Early Start for flute, cello and piano (2019)
Thinking Thoughts, theme and variations for violin and piano (2019) LISTEN
Sea Critter for piano solo (2016)
Road Piece for brass trio and percussion (2015) LISTEN
Intermezzo for clarinet solo (2014) LISTEN
Footloose for flute, guitar and violin (2013) LISTEN
Footloose, version for flute, guitar and viola (2023)
Roundelay for oboe, clarinet and bassoon (2012) YouTube
Riff on a Verse for violin and percussion (2011) LISTEN
Soliloquy for viola solo (2009) LISTEN
Bagatelles for flute and clarinet (2006) LISTEN
Memory Beams for violin and guitar (2005)
Strokes for Violin for violin solo (1999) LISTEN
Choral Works
Lyrics for Chorus SATB, in three movements (2023)
Romanç de matinet for mixed chorus SATB (2012)
Listen. Put on Morning for mixed chorus SSATB (2011)
The Holy Innocents for mixed chorus SSAATTBB (2011)
Orpheus in the Underworld for men’s chorus TTBB (2010)
Songs of the Moment for women’s chorus SSAA (2007)
The Illusion of Eternity for male vocal ensemble (1985) LISTEN
Vocal Works
Echoes for soprano, cello and piano (2024)
Duets for Voice and Oboe for soprano and oboe (2024)
Plenitudes for soprano, flute, viola and guitar, on poems of Jane Hirshfield (2022)
Strange Gifts, song cycle for baritone and piano (2022)
From Spell to Trance, song cycle for soprano and piano (2021) LISTEN
The River-Merchant’s Wife for soprano, flute, viola and piano (2018) LISTEN
Psalm, Lament and Aubade for soprano, clarinet and piano, on poems of April Bernard (2018)
November Gold for medium voice and piano on poems of Robert Francis (2017)
Stories Wind Told to Grass for mezzo soprano, flute, cello and piano (2015) LISTEN
Night Songs II for mezzo soprano, viola and piano (2009); version for soprano, cello and piano (2015)
The Leaves of Another Year for baritone, clarinet and guitar (2014)
Learning the Elements for mezzo soprano, clarinet, cello and piano (2007)
How Poems Are Made for soprano and piano (2006)
Secrets for mezzo soprano, flute, cello and piano (2003) LISTEN
Fables II for mezzo soprano or baritone, flute, guitar and double bass (2002)
At Water’s Edge for soprano and string quartet (2002) LISTEN
Moly for baritone voice, bass clarinet and marimba (2001) LISTEN
A Wreath to the Fish for medium voice, bass clarinet and guitar (2001) LISTEN
Three Lyrics for soprano, clarinet, violin and harp (1999) LISTEN
Five Poems of Wallace Stevens for baritone and piano (1984). Fallen Leaf Press
