John Anthony Lennon

Biography

John Anthony Lennon (b. Greensboro, North Carolina, 1950) is an American composer of contemporary classical music now based in California. He was raised in Mill Valley, California, and was professor of composition at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, until 2017. He also taught at the University of Tennessee (beginning in 1977), and taught as a guest composer at Northwestern University in the spring of 1998.

He earned a B.A. degree in liberal arts from the University of San Francisco, at first majoring in English and minoring in philosophy, later adding music courses. He received M.M. and D.M.A. degrees in music composition from the University of Michigan, where he studied composition with Leslie Bassett and William Bolcom.

Lennon is known particularly for his works for classical guitar (all written for the American guitarist David Starobin), including Another's Fandango (1981), Gigolo (1996), and the guitar concerto Zingari (1991).

Lennon's music is published by C. F. Peters, E. C. Schirmer, Dorn Publications, Mel Bay, Woodwind Services, Inc., Roseanne Music, Galaxy/Columbia University Press, Oxford University Press, and American Composers Edition (BMI). His music has been recorded by CRI, Bridge Records, Contemporary Record Society, Society of Composers/Capstone, and Open Loop, and (as a performer) with the University of Michigan recording series.

In 1981 he was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. In 1994 he won a Kennedy Center Friedheim Award, tying for third place. He has also won a Rome Prize and been a resident of the MacDowell Colony.

  • solo keyboard
  • ACE Publications

    33 title(s)
    Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
    John Anthony Lennon bon mechants guitar and double bass
    John Anthony Lennon Chasing Infinity for Piano and Orchestra Piano and Chamber Orchestra
    a.sax, 2 tpt, timp, 2 perc, hp - piano solo - strings
    John Anthony Lennon COLORS WHERE THE MOON NEVER COULD
    sop & vln,vla,vcl,cel,perc
    John Anthony Lennon Crimson Twilight Orchestra
    2222-4211-timp, harp - strings
    John Anthony Lennon Echolalia Solo Flute
    John Anthony Lennon Electric Candlelight Concerto Electric Guitar and Orchestra
    2(2+picc)13(3=bcl)1 - 2211 - timp, 4 perc, cel, hp (amplified) - electric guitar solo - strings
    John Anthony Lennon Escapades Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra
    2222 - 221(btbn)0 - timp, hp (amp.) - soprano sax solo - strings
    John Anthony Lennon ETERNAL GATES
    LARGE ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, SATB SOLOISTS
    John Anthony Lennon Fatas Morgana Four Electric Guitars
    John Anthony Lennon FROM OTHER FUTURES alto saxophone and piano
    John Anthony Lennon GHOSTFIRES
    msop & perc, fl, gtr ,hp
    John Anthony Lennon MISERICORDIA concert organ
    John Anthony Lennon MORNING WINGS EVENING COLOR WIND
    gt
    John Anthony Lennon PASSAGE TO THEREAFTER sa chor(8min)& orch: 3/pic-3/eh-3/bcl-3/cbsn,4-3-3btbn-2,3perc,cel,2hp,str
    John Anthony Lennon psysis String Quartet
    John Anthony Lennon Serpent flute, harp, and viola

    Additional Works