Read, Thomas L.

1938 -
Read, Thomas L.

Thomas L. Read, noted composer and violinist, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Vermont. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1938, he studied violin, composition and conducting at the Oberlin, Mozarteum, New England and Peabody Conservatories with such noted musicians as Andor Toth Sr., Richard Burgin, Bernhard Paumgartner, Leon Fleisher, and Benjamin Lees. As violinist he has been a member of the Erie Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Boston Festival Arts (under Harold Farberman), Vermont Symphony and the Saratoga Festival of Baroque Music. He joined the faculty of the University of Vermont in 1967, becoming Professor Emeritus in 2008. During his more than 40 years on the faculty he taught countless students, conducted and coached many concerts and musical theater productions, and led an innovative series of new music concerts and lectures (Symposium on Contemporary Music, held annually from1968 until 1991).He remains active as a violinist and conductor as well as a composer. He has written music for a variety of media- much of it on commission: music for small ensembles, full orchestra including two symphonies, solo voice, chorus and musical theater. Working with many performers and venues, his music has been heard live and through radio broadcasts across the U.S. and in various European cities from London to Sofia. He has been a recipient of Vermont Arts Council and University Stipends, UVM Faculty Emeritus Development Award, and  fellowships from organizations such as the McDowell Colony, the Charles Ives Institute, and the Johnson Composers Conference.   A complete repertoire and recording list is at ThomasLRead.com.

Over the past three decades he has created a body of music that projects a consistent and distinctive personal style while embracing a variety of New Music idioms and techniques. Critics, while noting its lyrical qualities, have called his music "substantive and meticulously planned, with a wide expressive range leaving a feeling of rich satisfaction." His seemingly free lyrical forms are the outcome of "compositional strategies that engender multidimensional and fascinatingly equivocal emotional states."
Working with many performers and venues, his music has been heard live and through radio broadcasts across the U.S. and in various European cities including London, Amsterdam, Salzburg and Sofia. Stations that have featured his music include WGBH, WCBR, WBUR in Boston, KGNU in Boulder Colorado, WVPR and WGDR in Vermont. Organizations and performers who have commissioned and premiered his music include The Vermont Symphony Orchestra, The Vermont Friends of Music, The Barbican Centre, The Social Band, The Vermont Youth Orchestra, Ukrainian String Quartet, The New England Conservatory Alumni Association,  Sage City Symphony, Royall Tyler Theatre and University Players, The Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble, North/South Consonance,  Cathedral of St. Paul in Burlington, the Raphael Piano Trio, Craftsbury Chamber Players, Bertram Turetzky, Dona Amato, Carson Cooman, Mark Nelson, Pam Guidetti, Marge and Richard Veleta, Michael Arnowitt, Neil Boyer, David Cowley, C. Robert Wigness, Paul Orgel, and many others.

  • Quintet for Piano and Strings Quintet for Piano and Strings

    Quintet for Piano and Strings

      Thomas L. Read

      Quintet for Piano and Strings

      Two Violins, Viola, Cello, and Piano

      $46.00
      $46.00
    • RONDO FANTASY for viola and piano RONDO FANTASY for viola and piano

      RONDO FANTASY for viola and piano

        Thomas L. Read

        RONDO FANTASY for viola and piano

        Viola and Piano

        $14.00
        $14.00
      • SONATA for Cello and Piano SONATA for Cello and Piano

        SONATA for Cello and Piano

          Thomas L. Read

          SONATA for Cello and Piano

          vcl, pf

          $21.00
          $21.00
        • Sonata for Viola and Piano Sonata for Viola and Piano

          Sonata for Viola and Piano

            Thomas L. Read

            Sonata for Viola and Piano

            Viola and Piano

            $23.00
            $23.00
          • Sonata No. 1 for Volin and Piano Sonata No. 1 for Volin and Piano

            Sonata No. 1 for Volin and Piano

              Thomas L. Read

              Sonata No. 1 for Volin and Piano

              Violin and Piano

              $22.50
              $22.50
            • Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano

              Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano

                Thomas L. Read

                Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano

                Violin and Piano

                $18.00
                $18.00
              • Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano

                Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano

                  Thomas L. Read

                  Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano

                  Violin and Piano

                  $23.00
                  $23.00
                • STRING QUARTET NO. 1 STRING QUARTET NO. 1

                  STRING QUARTET NO. 1

                    Thomas L. Read

                    STRING QUARTET NO. 1

                    String Quartet

                    $29.50
                    $29.50
                  • String Quartet No. 2 String Quartet No. 2

                    String Quartet No. 2

                      Thomas L. Read

                      String Quartet No. 2

                      Archival

                    • STRING QUARTET No. 3 STRING QUARTET No. 3

                      STRING QUARTET No. 3

                        Thomas L. Read

                        STRING QUARTET No. 3

                        two violins, viola, cello

                        $41.50
                        $41.50
                      • STRING QUARTET NO. 4 STRING QUARTET NO. 4

                        STRING QUARTET NO. 4

                          Thomas L. Read

                          STRING QUARTET NO. 4

                          string quartet

                          $41.50
                          $41.50
                        • String Quartet No. 5 String Quartet No. 5

                          String Quartet No. 5

                            Thomas L. Read

                            String Quartet No. 5

                            string quartet

                            $49.50
                            $49.50
                          • String Quartet No. 6: "The Gyres" String Quartet No. 6: "The Gyres"

                            String Quartet No. 6: "The Gyres"

                              Thomas L. Read

                              String Quartet No. 6: "The Gyres"

                              String Quartet

                              $46.00
                              $46.00
                            • String Trio String Trio

                              String Trio

                                Thomas L. Read

                                String Trio

                                Violin, Viola, and Cello

                                $19.00
                                $19.00
                              • Suite of Dances, Marches and Songs (Without Words) Suite of Dances, Marches and Songs (Without Words)

                                Suite of Dances, Marches and Songs (Without Words)

                                  Thomas L. Read

                                  Suite of Dances, Marches and Songs (Without Words)

                                  Chamber (Theater) Orchestra 2(2+picc)0101(asax/bsax) - 1110 - perc, gtr(+egtr), ebass, hp, pno, acc(+epno) - strings

                                  $105.00
                                  $105.00

                                • SUMMER HOLIDAY

                                    Thomas L. Read

                                    SUMMER HOLIDAY

                                    2 VIOLINS, 'CELLO

                                    Archival

                                  • SYMPHONIC EPISODES SYMPHONIC EPISODES

                                    SYMPHONIC EPISODES

                                      Thomas L. Read

                                      SYMPHONIC EPISODES

                                      orch:3/pic-2-2-2,4-3-2-btbn-1, timp,3perc,str

                                      $14.50
                                      $14.50
                                    • SYMPHONY NO. 1 SYMPHONY NO. 1

                                      SYMPHONY NO. 1

                                        Thomas L. Read

                                        SYMPHONY NO. 1

                                        Orchestra 3(3=picc)222 - 4330 - timp, 2 perc, pno - strings

                                        $87.00
                                        $87.00
                                      • SYMPHONY No. 2 SYMPHONY No. 2

                                        SYMPHONY No. 2

                                          Thomas L. Read

                                          SYMPHONY No. 2

                                          Picc,2,2,EH, 2,B.cl, 2, Contra bn, 4,3,2,Bass tbn, Tba, timp., percussion (3), piano, strings

                                          $82.50
                                          $82.50
                                        • Tales From a Virtual World Tales From a Virtual World

                                          Tales From a Virtual World

                                            Thomas L. Read

                                            Tales From a Virtual World

                                            Solo Guitar

                                            $8.50
                                            $8.50
                                          • THEN AND NOW: Nocturne for Five Players THEN AND NOW: Nocturne for Five Players

                                            THEN AND NOW: Nocturne for Five Players

                                              Thomas L. Read

                                              THEN AND NOW: Nocturne for Five Players

                                              Bass Clarinet, Violoncello, Guitar, Harp, Percussion

                                              $59.00
                                              $59.00
                                            • Three Fantasies for Four Violins Three Fantasies for Four Violins

                                              Three Fantasies for Four Violins

                                                Thomas L. Read

                                                Three Fantasies for Four Violins

                                                Four Violins

                                                $18.00
                                                $18.00

                                              • THREE KEYBOARD INTERLUDES

                                                  Thomas L. Read

                                                  THREE KEYBOARD INTERLUDES

                                                  pno

                                                  Archival

                                                • THROUGH THE WHITE DOOR THROUGH THE WHITE DOOR

                                                  THROUGH THE WHITE DOOR

                                                    Thomas L. Read

                                                    THROUGH THE WHITE DOOR

                                                    Mz Sop, cl, vn, vc

                                                    $31.50
                                                    $31.50