A new award that allows composers to devote themselves full-time for three years to the creation of music has been awarded to Martin Bresnick, professor of composition at the School of Music.
The Charles Ives Living award, presented by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, is named for the groundbreaking composer and Yale alumnus, who graduated from the University 100 years ago this spring. The award is funded by royalties from Ives' music, which were donated to the academy by the composer's widow, Harmony Ives. The prize carries an annual stipend of $75,000.
Bresnick says he was both "stunned" and "amazed" at the news he had won the award. "I knew I had been nominated for it," he notes, "but then you try to do your best to forget about it."
While Ives spent his weekdays selling insurance and his weekends creating his musical compositions, the recipients of the Charles Ives Living awards are expected to dedicate themselves solely to composition and may not receive a salaried income during the three-year period.
For Bresnick, this means he will leave the University at the end of July and will return in the year 2001. His colleagues at the School of Music, who he says were "at first thrilled" at the news of his award, are now busy trying to determine how best to replace Bresnick during his absence. In addition to Bresnick's classroom responsibilities, his duties at the School of Music include serving as coordinator of the composition department and as director of the New Music New Haven concert series.
During his three-year hiatus, Bresnick plans to divide his time between his homes in New Haven and New York, and to spend some time traveling as well. In addition to finishing several of his current commissioned works, he plans to concentrate on a major piano piece for a film project based on the writings of William Blake.
A native of New York City, Bresnick was educated at the High School of Music and Art, the University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music, Stanford University and the Akademie für Musik in Vienna. His compositions include orchestral works, chamber music, choral music and works for digital synthesizer. He has received international attention for his orchestral works, which have been performed in Europe, South America, Israel, Australia and the United States. His chamber music has been performed in concerts throughout the United States. He has also written music for films; two of these, "Arthur & Lillie" (1975) and "The Day After Trinity" (1981) were nominated for Academy Awards in the documentary category.
In addition to the Charles Ives Living prize, Bresnick has received first-prize awards for composition, numerous fellowships and grants, as well as awards for teaching excellence. He is published by Bote and Bock, Berlin and CommonMuse Music Publishers in New Haven.
"Martin Bresnick is not only a distinguished composer, but one of our most outstanding teachers," says School of Music Dean Robert Blocker. "The Ives Living award acknowledges his extraordinary talents and brings honor to the School of Music and the University."