Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy

Biography

Atlanta-born Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy (1925-2013) was commissioned
by many contemporary dance companies and chamber groups, and worked with
noted choreographers Takehiro Ueyama in New York, Bill Bayles at Bennington
College, and Peggy Lawler at Cornell. Her music extends the usual sonorities of
the instruments and has a strong rhythmic drive at its core.

She composed works for voice, orchestra, and mixed media. She was Composer in Residence for Dance and Theater Arts at Bennington College and Cornell University. Awards and Grants include the NEA and NEH Endowments, the Georgia Commission on the Arts, Meet the Composer grants ,and the Cornell Council for Creative and Performing Arts. She was a winner in the Philadelphia Classical Symphony/Maxfield Parrish and Women Composers' Showcase, New Jersey City University, competitions, with her work Desert Echoes.

Commissions included the Walker Art Center, Cornell Theater Arts Dept., several choreographers and commissions for 20th and 21st century works. Performances included the Alabama Symphony. Atlanta String Quartet and Relache Ensemble; venues at Eastman School of music, Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, the Bowling Green College of Musical Arts Festival,''05, and abroad in Paris, Upsala and Beijing. Her music is  published by ACA, the SCI Journal of Music Scores, and EC Schirmer Publishing. CD recordings are available on Capstone and Euterpe labels. Fairlie-Kennedy was a member of ACA, SCI, AMC, IAWM, NYCC and BMI.

Reviewers have commented: "Expressive use of a 12 tone row...eloquence and energy... atmospheric and dreamy" N.Y. Times. "extended the usual sonorities of the instruments... its emotional focus was strong and the expressive range of the instruments spoke well for the composer's gift." Philadelphia Inquirer; "Mr. Ueyama's opening dance was set to urgent and atmospheric music by Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy" N.Y. Times Dance Review. '05.

ACE Publications

15 title(s)
Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy DESERT ECHOES fl(afl), cl(bcl), vln, vc, perc, pf
sextet plus conductor
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy FOUR IMAGES FOR PIANO
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy HEY NONNY NONNY Sop.Mezzo Sop. fl, vln, pf
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy HIGH FLIGHT Tenor,Piano
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy JABBERWOCKY
Tenor, piano, 2 percussion (timpani/cymbal, and bongo player)
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy LAST WORD fl (pic), marimba
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy MAURA ten, vln, vc, pf
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy NIGHT CALLS/WAITING AND LISTENING fl(pic, afl), ob(ca), cl, 2perc, vln, vc, tp
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN flute, piano, spoken narration
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy SPIRIT MAN Flute (Optionally Doubling Alto Flute)
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy SUMMER SOLSTICE 6 players: fl/alt fl/pic, cl, vln, vcl, perc, pf
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy TRIO cl,vln,pf
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy UNDERTOW vln, pf
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy WIND QUINTET
1-1-1-1,HN
Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy WINDRIDER / FINAL ASCENT Flute and Piano

Additional Works