Lawrence Dillon@Sequenza21.com

"There are no two points so distant from one another that they cannot be connected by a single straight line -- and an infinite number of curves."

Composer Lawrence Dillon has produced an extensive body of work, from brief solo pieces to a full-length opera. Partially deaf from birth, Dillon grew up in a bustling household with seven older siblings. He began composing as soon as he started piano lessons at the age of seven. In 1985, he became the youngest composer to earn a doctorate at The Juilliard School, and was shortly thereafter appointed to the Juilliard faculty. Dillon is now Composer in Residence at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he has served as Music Director of the Contemporary Ensemble, Assistant Dean of Performance and Dean of the School of Music.

Dillon's music, in the words of American Record Guide, is "lovely...austere...vivid and impressive." His works are recorded by Albany Records, Channel Crossings and CRS, and published by American Composers Editions. He is represented by Jeffrey James Arts Consulting.


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Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Five Not-So-Easy Pieces

Just back from Boston and a lovely (and rare) opportunity to perform with my wife. She’s a fantastic flutist and I am a mediocre pianist, so I always feel like I’m holding her back a bit, but it’s still a great pleasure to share the stage from time to time. The piece was a slight work of mine, suitable for a mediocre keyboard player -- so it’s fair to say that the performance was masterful.

Another highlight of the trip was the chance to visit with my sister in Jamaica Plain and take a long walk through the Arboretum on Saturday morning, passing through a thousand lilacs with pointed blossoms and heart-shaped leaves.

Tonight’s the premiere of my Sonata: Motion for flute and piano. It’s going to be played by Tadeu Coelho and Allison Gagnon. I heard a rehearsal last Thursday that reminded me how fortunate I am to have such unbelievable artists dedicate so much time and hard work to my music. Allison is a pianist of tremendous sensitivity, and Tadeu makes everything look easy. You can never tell when he is circular breathing: there’s no break in the sound or sign of effort.



The premiere of Blown Away went very well on Friday night, according to the disk I received yesterday. I’m very happy with the piece. It was my first attempt at writing for wind ensemble, so I was ready for disappointment -- I wasn’t sure I had a secure grasp of the medium. But it worked beautifully, and it was also an excellent learning opportunity for me, if I ever decide to write for wind ensemble again.

Heard a rehearsal of another piece of mine yesterday, one that’s slated for a premiere next week -- but more on that later.