Sydney Hodkinson

A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sydney Hodkinson (b. 1934) received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Degrees from the Eastman School of Music where he studied composition with Louis Mennini and Bernard Rogers. He continued his studies in composition at the Princeton Seminars with Elliott Carter, Roger Sessions, and Milton Babbitt. Hodkinson received his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Michigan in 1968, studying with Leslie Bassett, Niccolo Castiglioni, Ross Lee Finney and George B. Wilson.

Dr. Hodkinson has taught at the Universities of Virginia, Ohio and Michigan and prior to his present appointment, served two years as artist-in-resldence in Minneapolis under a grant from the Ford Foundation Contemporary Music Project. He joined the faculty of the Eastman School of Music in 1973 assuming direction of the Eastman Musica Nova, a virtuoso new music ensemble described by the Cleveland Plain Dealer as "a student ensemble of professional quality." During the academic years 1984-86, Hodkinson served as Meadows Distinguished Visiting Professor of Composition at Southern Methodist University.

In addition to his activities as conductor, Mr. Hodkinson is one of the most prolific and widely performed contemporary composers. His most recent compositions include an opera "SAINT CARMENT OF THE MAIN", a commission from the Banff Centre for the Arts and the world premiere by the Guelph Spring Festival May 19-24, 1988, BUMBERBOOM, Commissioned and premiered by the Montreal Symphony, D.R. Davies conducting, EDGE OF THE OLDE ONE for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, premiered with Pierre Boulez conducting, CHANSONS DE JADIS - six songs of loneliness for soprano and orchestra, premiered by the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Ottawa, Mario Bernardi conducting with Gwenlynn Little as soloist.

Awards include the Farnsley Prize by the Louisville Orchestra, Guggenheim Foundation, National Institute of Arts and Letters, Canada Council, The National Endowment for the Arts and the International Congress of Jeunesses Musicales Competition. Compositions by Dr. Hodkinson appear in the catalogs of American Composers Alliance, Associated Music Publishers, Theodore Presser, Music for Percussion, Editions Jobert, Ricordi, Columbia University Music Press, and Transcontinental. Activities as composer/conductor are recorded on CRI, Grenadilla, Louisville, Advance, Nonesuch, CBC, and Pantheon labels.

Winter 2012  NEWS RELEASE                        SYDNEY HODKINSON
                                                                                     
PREMIERES:
POTPOURRI (2088), for Sym. Orch.,Stetson Sym. Orch., A Hose cond., Lee Chapel Stetson University, Deland, FL, 9/30/10

FADED ANECDOTES (2009), for solo piano, Kristie Born, School of Music, Lee Chapel, Stetson University, 2/4/11

EULOGY (2009), for Symphonic Band, Stetson University Band, B. Adams, cond., Lee Chapel, Stetson University, Deland, FL, 2/11/11

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED (2010), for Chamber Ens., Aspen Contemporary Ens., Hodkinson, cond., Aspen Music Festival & School, Harris Hall, Aspen, CO, 8/20/11

PERFORMANCES:

STOLEN GOODS (2008), Four Preludes for solo piano, Barry Snyder, Second World Piano Conference, Isidor Bajic Music School, Novi Sad, Serbia, 8/27/10

A PILGRIM'S COUNSEL (2009), Four Ballads for voice and piano, E. Murphy, tenor, M. Rickman, Pno., Lee Chapel, Stetson University, Deland, FL, 2/4/11

TSATSKES (1984), for woodwind trio, Veritate Winds, Adams, oboe, Musco, clar., Heintzen, bassoon, Lee Chapel, Stetson University, Deland, FL, 3/15/11

RUSH (2008), for solo violin, P. Szewczyk, violin, Lee Chapel, Stetson University, Deland, FL, 9/9/11


NEWS:

Hodkinson continues teaching at Stetson University, Aspen Music Festival & School, and will be the Bolcom Composer-in-Residence at the University of Michigan spring semester 2012.