{{Short description|American composer (born 1946)}} {{Use shortened footnotes|date=February 2021}} '''Sheila Jane Silver''' (born October 3, 1946) is an American composer.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000042685|title=Silver, Sheila|last=Libby|first=Cynthia Green|date=January 20, 2001|website=Oxford Music Online|access-date=April 10, 2018|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.42685|isbn=978-1-56159-263-0|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
==Early life and studies== Sheila Silver was born in Seattle, Washington in 1946, the youngest daughter of Robert and Fannie Silver. She started piano studies at the age of five. After two years at the University of Washington, she transferred to the University of California where she received a Bachelor of Arts in 1968. She then studied with Erhard Karkoschka at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, and with György Ligeti in Berlin and later in Hamburg. She attended the 1970 Darmstadt Summer Institute, and spent a summer at the Tanglewood Music Center (1972) where she studied with Jacob Druckman. At Brandeis University she studied with Arthur Berger and Harold Shapero, earning her PhD in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sheilasilver.com/2212-2/|title=Biography|website=Sheila Silver Composer|access-date=April 10, 2018|date=2015-10-07}}</ref>
Silver is Professor Emerita at the State University of New York at Stony Brook<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwclassical/article/BWW-Interview-A-Conversation-With-Composer-Sheila-Silver-20180118|title=BWW Interview: A Conversation with Composer Sheila Silver|website=Broadway World|access-date=February 11, 2022|date=January 18, 2018}}</ref> and served as visiting professor at the College of William and Mary.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Levin |first1=Neil |title=Sheila Silver |url=https://www.milkenarchive.org/artists/view/sheila-silver |website=Milken Archive |publisher=Milken Archive of Jewish Music |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref>
==Career== Silver has merged tonal and atonal elements in works starting with her 1979 ''Canto, A Setting of Ezra Pound’s Canto XXXIX'', for baritone and chamber ensemble (commissioned by the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood). Richard Dyer wrote in the Boston Globe of the world premiere, “Sheila Silver’s ''Canto'' matches Pound’s text with music of a comparably audacious directness, simplicity, and specificity and therefore boldly occupies a psycho-spiritual region that few other composers have cared to approach; it is a beautiful work.”<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dyer |first1=Richard |title=Sheila Silver Reviews |date=10 January 2011 |url=https://www.sheilasilver.com/reviews/ |publisher=The Boston Globe |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> Silver often finds inspiration in non-Western musical traditions, such as Hebraic Chant, (''Shirat Sara'' and ''Cello Sonata''), Sikh prayer mantras (''The Thief of Love'', ''Ek Ong Kar'',) or Hindustani music (''A Thousand Splendid Suns'').<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.aopopera.org/suns |title=A Thousand Splendid Suns|website=American Opera Projects|access-date=February 11, 2022|date=January 18, 2018}}</ref> She collects Tibetan singing bowls and has used them in compositions such as ''Being in Life'' and ''The White Rooster''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Browers |first1=Victoria |last2=Guth |first2=Martha |title=If Trees Could Talk: Sheila Silver & John Feldman Interviewed |url=https://www.songfest.us/june-15-trees |website=Songfest |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> Critics have praised Silver’s work for being modern and accessible. Cary Smith in the Journal American wrote: “''To the Spirit Unconquered'' is one of those rare compositions that grabs you emotionally and will not let you go. It is a stunning modern masterpiece, a work of profound musical and emotional depth.”<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Cary |title=Sheila Silver: To the Spirit Unconquered |url=https://www.newworldrecords.org/products/sheila-silver-to-the-spirit-unconquered |website=New World Records |publisher=Bellevue/Seattle Journal American |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref>
Her ''Piano Concerto'' was written for pianist Alexander Paley and premiered by the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in 1996. Said Steve Schwarz, in Classical Net, the Concerto "speaks with what I'd call a depth of discourse...it bespeaks a maturity of mind and culture found in few composers."<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.classical.net/music/recs/reviews/n/nxs57015a.php|title=Sheila Silver Piano Music|last=Schwartz|first=Steve|date=2007|website=Classical Net|access-date=February 11, 2022 }}</ref>
==Film music== Silver has scored three independent feature films directed by her husband, John Feldman,:<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0271057/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm|title=John Feldman |website=IMDb|access-date=February 11, 2022}}</ref> ''Alligator Eyes'', ''Dead Funny'' and ''Who the Hell is Booby Roos?'', winner of the Seattle International Film Festival’s New American Cinema Award in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326408/|title=Who the Hell is Bobby Roos? (2002)|website=IMDb|access-date= February 11, 2022}}</ref> She also scored Feldman’s much acclaimed documentary about the scientist Lynn Margulis, ''Symbiotic Earth'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hummingbirdfilms.com/symbioticearth/|title=Symbiotic Earth|website=HummingbirdFilms|date=2 May 2017 |access-date=February 11, 2022}}</ref> and is currently working on the score for his new documentary, ''Regenerating Life''.
==Vocal music==
Silver has written several song cycles. ''Beauty Intolerable: A Songbook based on the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay'' includes 14 songs and two rounds by this American iconic poet. It can be heard on a 2021 album released by Albany Records<ref>{{cite web |title=A Stellar Group of Singers and Pianists Performs Art Songs by Noted American Composer Sheila Silver |url=https://www.albanyrecords.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AR&Product_Code=TROY1854-55&Category_Code=a-NR |website=Albany Records |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> and starring singers Dawn Upshaw, Stephanie Blythe, Sidney Outlaw, Deanne Meek, Lucy Fitz Gibbon, pianists Gilbert Kalish, Warren Jones, and other musicians. Of the recording, American Record Guide says “Silver...writes music that marries the delicious bitterness of jazzy discord with lush, cool harmonies and merges the two harmonic moods together with ease...The music is just as rich and captivating as the text that inspired it, and the splendid performances by this top-notch cast of artists are not a surprise. Spend some time with Edna and Sheila and Sappho and the rest.”<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Boyd |first1=Stephanie |title=SILVER: Beauty Intolerable |journal=American Record Guide |date=September–October 2021 |volume=84 |issue=5 |page=183 |url=http://argsubsonline.com/subscribers/ARG2109.pdf |access-date=February 22, 2021}}</ref>
In 2021, Silver completed an opera based on Khaled Hosseini's novel ''A Thousand Splendid Suns'' with a libretto by her long-time collaborator, Stephen Kitsakos. It was premiered by the Seattle Opera in February 2023.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rabinowitz |first1=Chloe |title=Seattle Opera Announces 2022/23 Season |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/seattle/article/Seattle-Opera-Announces-202223-Season-20220208 |access-date=February 21, 2022 |publisher=Broadway World Seattle |date=February 8, 2022}}</ref> In preparation for composing this opera, she undertook a study of Hindustani music, making multiple trips to India between 2013-2020 to study with Pandit Kedar Bodas in Pune. Silver’s intention is to take color and inspiration for her Western musical voice from Hindustani music.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Thousand Splendid Suns |url=https://www.sheilasilver.com/1000-splendid-suns-3/ |website=sheilasilver.com |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref>
==Awards and honors== In addition to grants and commissions from such organizations as the Paul Fromm Foundation, the Barlow Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Cary Trust, Chamber Music America, and Opera America, Silver’s honors include: * invited to be the Elliot Carter Resident Composer at the American Academy in Rome (Spring 2020)<ref>{{cite web |title=Biography: Sheila Silver |url=https://www.highresaudio.com/en/artist/view/00a27f9e-ea88-41b9-b03a-ea092160d4e1/various-artists-sheila-silver |website=HighResAudio.com |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> * Guggenheim Fellowship (2013)<ref>{{cite web |title=Sheila Silver Fellow Awarded 2013 |url=https://www.gf.org/fellows/all-fellows/sheila-silver/ |website=gf.org |publisher=John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> * The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Prize in Music Composition in Opera (2007—for The Wooden Sword)<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://today.uconn.edu/2010/11/school-of-fine-arts-presents-world-premiere-of-new-opera|title=School of Fine Arts Presents World Premiere of New Opera|last=Saunders|first=Jenni|date=November 4, 2010|website=UConn Today|access-date=February 11, 2022 }}</ref> * American Academy of Arts and Letters Composer Award (1986)<ref>{{cite web |title=Awards |url=https://artsandletters.org/awards/?awdpage=music |website=American Academy of Arts and Letters |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> * Twice winner of the ISCM National Composers Competition (1982 and 1983) * The Rome Prize in Music Composition (1979)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brody |first1=Martin |title=Music and Musical Composition at the American Academy in Rome |date=2014 |publisher=University of Rochester Press |isbn=9781580462457 |page=83}}</ref> * The Radcliffe Institute Fellowship (1977)<ref>{{cite web |title=Music of Hale Smith, Sheila Silver & Joel Hoffman |url=https://www.dramonline.org/albums/music-of-hale-smith-sheila-silver-joel-hoffman/notes |website=DRAMOnline |publisher=DRAM |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> * The George Ladd Prix de Paris (1969–71)<ref>{{cite web |title=Sheila Silver |url=https://www.keisersouthernmusic.com/composers/sheila-silver |website=Keiser Southern Music Composers |publisher=Keiser Southern Music |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> * Koussevitzky Fellowship<ref>{{cite book |last1=McVicker |first1=Mary F. |title=Women Opera Composers: Biographies from the 1500s to the 21st Century |date=4 August 2016 |publisher=McFarland, Incorporated |isbn=9781476623610 |pages=211–212}}</ref>
==List of works== ===Orchestral works=== * ''Being in Life'', Concerto for Horn/Alphorn, string orchestra, and Tibetan singing bowls (2019) * ''Midnight Prayer'' (2003) * ''Piano Concerto'' (1996) * ''Three Preludes for Orchestra'' (1992) * ''Song of Sara'' for string orchestra (1985/87) * ''Chariessa'', for soprano and orchestra (1980)
===Operatic works=== *''A Thousand Splendid Suns,'' 2021 (based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini) * ''The Wooden Sword'', 2010 (chamber opera based on an international folktale) * ''The Tale of the White Rooster'', 2010 (chamber opera about Tibetan nuns escaping across the Tibetan Indian border) * ''The Thief of Love'', 1986 (based on a 17th century Bengali court tale<!-- introduce redlink because this technical term would benefit from a WP article --> as told by Bharatchandra)
=== Vocal works === * ''On Loving: Three Songs for Diane Kalish in memoriam'' (2016) * ''Beauty Intolerable: A Songbook based on the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay'' (2013) * ''Transcending: Three Songs for Michael Dash, in memoriam'' (1999) * ''Ek Ong Kar'', a capella chorus (1983) * ''Canto: A Setting of Ezra Pound’s Canto XXIX'' for baritone and chamber ensemble (1979) * ''Chariessa: A Cycle of Six Songs on Fragments from Sappho'' (1978)
===Chamber=== * ''Resilient Earth: Six Preludes for Piano and Four Caprices for Solo Violin'' (2022) * ''Three Etudes'', for Trumpet (2020) * ''Toccata and Nocturne'', for solo piano, inspired by Raga Jog (2016/18) * ''Down by the River'', for trombone quartet (2016) * ''Hazim’s Dance'', for string trio, harp, and oboe (2008) * ''Twilight’s Last Gleaming'', for two pianos and percussion (2007) * ''Chant'', for contrabass and piano (2004) * ''Moon Prayer'', for string sextet (2002) * ''Music Visions (Subway Sunset and As the Earth Turns)'', for woodwinds and video (1999/2000) * ''Lullaby'', for bassoon or bass clarinet and piano, (1999) * ''Four Etudes and a Fantasy'', for string quartet (1996) * ''From Darkness Emerging'', for string quartet and harp (1995) * ''To the Spirit Unconquered'', for piano trio, inspired by the writings of Primo Levi (1992) * ''Six Preludes for Piano on poems of Baudelaire'' (1991) * ''Cello Sonata'' (1988) * ''Dance Converging'', for horn, viola, piano, and percussion (1987)
===Film scores=== * ''Alligator Eyes'' * ''Dead Funny'' * ''Who the Hell is Booby Roos?'' * ''Symbiotic Earth''
==Discography== * ''Beauty Intolerable: Songs of Sheila Silver'' (2021), CD, (TROY 1854-55) with Dawn Upshaw, Stephanie Blythe, Sidney Outlaw, Lucy Fitz Gibbon, Deanne Meek, Risa Renae Harman, Gilbert Kalish, Timothy Long, Kayo Iwama, Warren Jones, Ryan M. McCullough # ''Beauty Intolerable,'' A Songbook based on the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay # ''On Loving,'' Three Songs for Diane Kalish, in memoriam # ''Transcending,'' Three Songs for Michael Dash, in memoriam # ''Chariessa,'' A Cycle of Six Songs on Fragments from Sappho # ''Nocturne,'' Inspired by Raga Jog, for solo piano
* ''String Quartet'' (2011) (NWCRL 520) Atlantic String Quartet * ''Twilight’s Last Gleaming'' (2009) (Bridge 9319 - Stony Brook Soundings) Pianists: Gilbert Kalish, Christina Dahl. Percussion: Eduardo Leandro, Kevin Dufford * ''Six préludes pour piano, d’après poèmes de Baudelaire'' (2009) (TROY 1087) Tanya Bannister, piano * ''Shirat Sara (Song of Sarah)'' (2004) Milken Archive (Naxos 8.559426) Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony Strings * ''Piano Concerto'' and ''Six Preludes for Piano on Poems of Baudelaire'' (2003) (Naxos 8.557015) with Alexander Paley, piano, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Guntaras Rinkevicius, conductor * ''To the Spirit Unconquered'' (1996) (CRI 708) The Guild Trio: Janet Orenstein, violin; Brooks Whitehouse, cello; Patricia Tao, piano; Gilbert Kalish, piano; Lois Martin, viola; William Purvis, French horn; Lisa Moore, piano; Thad Wheeler, percussion # ''Dance Converging'' # ''Dynamis'' # ''Six Preludes for Piano on poems of Baudelaire''
* ''Ek Ong Kar'' (1987) (GSS 107) The Gregg Smith Singers * ''Canto, A Setting of Ezra Pound’s Canto XXIX'' (1979) (Mode 23) Musicians' Accord ensemble, Michael Dash, baritone, Sheila Silver, cond. * ''Cello Sonata'' (1977) (CRI 590) Timothy Eddy, cello, Gilbert Kalish, piano
== References == {{reflist|colwidth=15em}}
==Further reading== {{div col|colwidth=45em}} * Webber, Sandra J. 1993. "[https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/21/nyregion/a-composer-and-her-personal-voice.html?_r=0 A Composer and Her Personal Voice]" ''The New York Times'' (March 21) {{div col end}}
==External links== *{{Official website| https://www.sheilasilver.com/}} *[https://www.sheilasilver.com/works/#thousand-splendid-suns Recordings of Sheila Silver’s Music] *[https://www.naxos.com/person/Sheila_Silver/22884.htm Sheila Silver at Naxos Records] *[https://www.keisersouthernmusic.com/catalog/search?text=Sheila+Silver Order Sheila Silver’s Music from Keiser Southern Music] *[https://theberkshireedge.com/review-beauty-intolerable-songs-of-sheila-silver/ Review of ''Beauty Intolerable: Songs of Sheila Silver''] *[https://www.aopopera.org/have-a-voice/2013/06/05/aopspotlight_sheilasilver American Opera Projects Spotlight on Sheila Silver] *[https://www.berkshireeagle.com/lifestyle/tyne-daly-to-read-millay-poems-to-sheila-silvers-cycle-of-songs/article_f120ddc6-c68b-5ea8-a33b-1a8f74888a35.html Berkshire Eagle: ''Tyne Daly to read Millay poems to Sheila Silver’s cycle of songs''] *[https://www.milkenarchive.org/news/news-items/view/rediscover-the-unconquerable-spirit-of-sheila-silver/ Rediscover the Unconquerable Spirit of Sheila Silver] *[https://christianbcarey.com/2018/02/22/sheila-silver-composer-portrait-at-merkin-hall/ Sheila Silver Composer Portrait at Merkin Hall] *[https://fdleone.com/2015/12/08/sheila-silver-speaks-a-musical-language-of-her-own/ Overview of Silver’s career at Musica Kaleidoskopea] *{{YouTube| -MyXNbO59u8|Interview about ''To the Spirit Unconquered''}} *{{YouTube| ZSeqYr6ni5Y|Interview about ''Song of Sara''}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Silver, Sheila}} Category:1946 births Category:20th-century American classical composers Category:20th-century American women composers Category:21st-century American classical composers Category:21st-century American women composers Category:American opera composers Category:Brandeis University alumni Category:Classical musicians from Washington (state) Category:College of William & Mary faculty Category:Jewish American classical composers Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Seattle Category:Pupils of Jacob Druckman Category:Stony Brook University faculty Category:University of California, Berkeley alumni Category:Women in classical music Category:American women opera composers