Alice Shields

Biography

Alice Shields is noted for the power of her writing for live and electronically transformed voices and the moving quality of her writing for instruments.  One of the pioneers of electronic music, she creates operas, vocal and chamber music and music for dance and video.  Her work is influenced by Western and non-Western forms of classical music and theater, including Bharata Natyam dance-drama and Japanese Noh Theater. 

Current performances include the world premiere of Larynx (2018) for piccolo, piano and three percussionists by Iktus Percussion on May 11, 2018 at Areté Gallery, Brooklyn, which will be recorded in January, 2019; two electronic scenes from the opera Mass for the Dead performed by the NYC-Electroacoustic Music Festival on July 20 2018, and the world premiere of her opera Zhaojun - The Woman Who Saved the World (2018) on November 20, 2018 in concert at Engelman Recital Hall, Baruch College by the Association for the Promotion of New Music.

 

  • choral a cappella
  • solo voice(s)+2 to 6 instruments
  • voice(s)+ 1 inst or tape playback non-keyboard
  • ACE Publications

    9 title(s)
    Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
    Alice Shields Ave Maris Stella SATB
    unaccompanied
    Alice Shields Komachi at Sekidera
    soprano/mezzo-soprano, alto flute, koto
    Alice Shields LEVERTOV SONGS Mezzo Soprano, Viola
    Alice Shields MASS FOR THE DEAD Ghost Opera For 3 singers (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Baritone), optional Chorus, fixed audio media, and 4 optional live inst (cello, bassoon, keyboard, percussion)
    Alice Shields NERUDA SONGS
    female voice, cello
    Alice Shields O GRACIOUS LIGHT SATB mixed choir
    Alice Shields WILDCAT SONGS Soprano, piccolo
    Alice Shields WIND IN THE PINES soprano, alto recorder, alto flute, Renaissance bray harp, oud, Therobo, percussion (1)
    Alice Shields Zhaojün - The Woman Who Saved the World Sop, Bar, fl, ob, perc(1), vln, vla, vcl, pf

    Additional Works