American composer, conductor, teacher, and percussionist (1923–2022)
William Kraft (September 6, 1923 – February 12, 2022) was an American composer, conductor, teacher,
timpanist, and percussionist.
Biography
Early life and education (1923–1954)
Kraft was born in
Chicago, Illinois. He was awarded two Anton Seidl Fellowships at
Columbia University, graduating with a bachelor's degree cum laude in 1951 and a master's degree in 1954. He studied composition with
Jack Beeson and
Henry Cowell, orchestration with
Henry Brant, percussion with Morris Goldenberg, timpani from
Saul Goodman, and conducting with Rudolph Thomas and
Fritz Zweig.
While in New York City, Kraft worked as a freelance musician and was an extra percussionist at the
Metropolitan Opera. In 1954, Kraft joined the
Dallas Symphony. After one season, he accepted a position as percussionist with the
Los Angeles Philharmonic.[1]
At the Los Angeles Philharmonic (1955–1985)
Kraft began as a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's percussion section, before being promoted to the orchestra's principal timpanist. From 1968 to 1972, he also served as the orchestra's assistant conductor, under then music director
Zubin Mehta.[2] From 1981 to 1985, Kraft was Composer-in-Residence for the orchestra; during that period he founded and directed its New Music Group.[3] Altogether he spent 26 years with the Philharmonic.[4]
Kraft served as chairman of the composition department and holder of the Corwin Chair at the
University of California, Santa Barbara until he retired in June 2002.
Kraft died on February 12, 2022, at the age of 98.[9][10]
In the 1960s and 1970s, most of Kraft's compositions were
serial, while in the 1980s he incorporated jazz rhythms and impressionist harmonies. Although percussion works feature prominently in his catalog, in 1996–1998 he concentrated on composing his first opera, Red Azalea.[13] His works have been performed by many major American orchestras as well as those in Europe, Japan, Korea, China, Australia, Israel, and the USSR. Kraft's Contextures: Riots – Decade '60 (1967) has been choreographed and performed by both the
Scottish National Ballet and the Minnesota Dance Company. In 1986,
United Airlines commissioned a work expressly to accompany a lumetric sculpture by
Michael Hayden titled Sky's the Limit, for their pedestrian passageway at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport.[14]
World premiere by David Herbert (soloist) and San Francisco Symphony Orchestra on 9 June 2005
Recordings
Compact discs completely devoted to Kraft's music can be found on
Harmonia Mundi,
CRI,
Cambria,
Crystal,
Albany, and
Nonesuch labels. Other works can be found on
GM, Crystal,
London Decca, Townhall,
EMI, and Neuma. Recent works include Brazen, commissioned by the
San Francisco Symphony Orchestra; Quintessence Revisited and Concerto for Four Percussion Soloists and Symphonic Wind Ensemble, premiered and recorded by the
New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble,
Frank Battisti conducting. His Encounter solo series has been recorded multiple times on all appropriate instruments. On Encounters, he worked with guitarist
John Schneider. Encounters II showcases unique techniques for tuba such as
multiphonics double pedal range. In 2010, the
Los Angeles Philharmonic released a recording on
DG Concerts of the Timpani Concerto No. 1 featuring
Joseph Pereira as soloist with
John Adams conducting.
Discography
Encounters, (Cambria, 2009)[full citation needed], Latin Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album
^Bridwell, Barry (1993). The Multi-Percussion Writing of William Kraft in His Encounters Series with Three Recitals of Selected Works of ERB, PTASZYNSKA, REDEL, SERRY and Others. University of North Texas: Barry D. Bridwell.
Shulman, Laurie. 2001. "Kraft, William". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by
Stanley Sadie and
John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan Publishers.