return to: pastorob at  www.pastorob.com/rob’sblog.htm

        Ramon Zupko                                  
        Biography   Works                                                                     


  Craft must be assumed, regardless of style or aesthetic persuasion.

Style is of little relevance if the statement is urgent, and comes from the core. For me, there is a certain child-like innocence, obsession and naiveté in music that I like - the interplay of poetry and imagery; movement and drama, the earth and the sky, the known and the unknown, all of which happen to end up as sounds controlled by a fertile adult imagination. It is a vital sign of civilization and should be treasured.

  Over the past two decades I have become increasingly concerned with a more ecumenical approach to musical expression, which
  endeavors to synthesize the spectrum of contemporary compositional materials with those of the past, as well as those of other,
  non-Western cultures.

  This approach is supported philosophically by the works of various 20th century writers who have
  concluded that the essence of our survival as a species is dependent upon the acceptance of the multiplicity of our experience,
  and the evolution of the network of human consciousness.
                        
                                                                        1633 W. Estes, 1E
                                                                        Chicago, IL 60626
                                                                        773.465.8553
                                                                        zupko@wmich.edu

Biography

Ramon Zupko was born in Pittsburgh, PA. He is currently retired Professor Emeritus of Music of the School of Music, Western Michigan University, where he taught composition, theory, and founded and directed the Studio for Electronic and Computer music from 1971 to 1997. He taught theory and established the first Electronic Music Studio in Chicago at the Chicago Musical College from 1967-1971. He began to compose before his teens, and received his Bachelor and Master of Science in Composition degrees from the Juilliard School of Music. His principal composition teacher was Vincent Persichetti. He completed additional study with Aaron Copland, Otto Leuning, and in Europe (where he lived for 5 years) with Michael Gottfried Koenig in Hilversum, and Karl Shiske in Vienna. He is a member of the American Composers Alliance, (from whom all of his otherwise unpublished works can be ordered) and BMI. He is also a member of the American Music Center.

Zupko’s catalog includes nearly 100 works, many of which employ the electronic and digital mediums, as well as works for the theater. His composition awards, commissions, and honors include:

Zupko's compositions have been performed at New York's "Composer 's Forum,” Carnegie Recital Hall, Alice Tulley Hall in Lincoln Center, Borden Hall, BAM, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and at various festivals and college campuses throughout the country, as well as in Europe. His orchestral works have been performed by the Detroit, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Kalamazoo, Curtis Institute, Tanglewood Festival, National Orchestral Association, Grand Rapids, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and American Composers orchestras. Some of his principal works are published by C.F.Peters, Elkan-Vogel, and Sonzogno.

Complete Catalogue (89 works)

* = appears on BMI website   All works are available through the American Composer Alliance website except those indicated with other publishers.  + = private recording available from the composer.        Email: Ramon Zupko

Year Title (Publisher) Medium/Instrumentation Duration
2004
 		 *Fantasia for Piano piano solo 9'
1995-97
 		 *The Nightingale + multimedia opera ca. 70'
1995 *Chaconne piano solo 12'
1994 *Fluxus XI + flute & tape 13'
  *Fluxus XII + mallet instr. & tape 11'
1993 *Fluxus X + horn & tape 11'
1991-92 *Vox Naturae + Concerto for brass quintet & orchestra 18'
1990 *Fluxus IX + piano & tape 11'
  *Folksody + piano trio 22'
1989 *Chorale + brass quintet 7.5'
1988 *Fluxus VIII + alto sax & tape 10.5'
  *Fluxus VII + trb & tape 9'
  *Fluxus VI + tpt & tape 9'
1987 *Fluxus V + cl & tape 9.5'
  *Fluxus IV guitar 9'
1986 *Pro and Contra Dances (Peters) + brass quintet 18'
  *Blue Roots + Symphony in 3 mov. 15'
1985 *Solo Passages + fl, hrn, hrp, string trio 22'
1984 *Earth and Sky + Symphony in 4 mov. for symph. band 18'
  *Te Deum Trilogy + organ 18'
1982 *Where the Mountain Crosses (Peters) + Cycle for Mz and pno 26'
  *Canti Terrae + Orchestra 17'
1981 *Rituals and Dances + 18 instr. 30'
  *Life Dances + Orchestra 17'
1980 *Somewhere Gladly Beyond + piano 7.5'
  *Noosphere + string quartet 23'
1979 *Windsongs (Peters) + Concerto for Piano and Orchestra 23'
  *Fantasies (Peters) + woodwind quintet 20'
1978 *Fluxus III amplified violin, percussion & tape 15'
  *Fluxus II (Peters) + piano 12'
1977 *Nocturnes (Peters) + two pianos 18'
  *Fluxus I + tape 6'
1975-76 *Proud Music of the Storm + Multi-media Theatre-Dance work 75'
1974 *Fixations (Peters) pno, vln, vc, tape 15'
  *Salve Pacis Nuntia a capella choir 8'
1973 *Masques + amplified piano and brass quintet 12'
  *Trichromes + wind ensemble and tape 10'
1972 *Voices Soprano and tape 10'
  *Creation + tape 5.5'
1971 *Radiants + Orchestra 10'
  *Spring Sonata + tape 18'
1969 *Emulations piano and tape 12'
1967 *Tangents + 18 brass instr. 9'
  *Translucents + string orchestra 10'
1966 *120th Psalm + a capella choir 5'
  *Weathers + a capella choir 3'
  *Pied Beauty + a capella choir 3.5'
  Conversions (Elkan Vogel) + Symphonic Band 7.5'
1965 La Guerre + Trilogy for female voc & chamber ens. 17'
  *Metacycles + Trilogy for female voc & chamber ens. 17'
1964 *Winter 64 + piano 11'
  *Reflexions 8 instr. 10'
1962 Concerto (Sonzogno) violin and orchestra 30'
  *Dance Prelude + band 4'
  *Four Preludes + brass qt. 10'
  *This is the Garden + choir, solo instruments, strings 10'
  *All The Pretty Horses choir and chamber orchestra 5'
1961 *March band 3'
  *Variations + orchestra 8'
  Prelude and Bagatelle (Elkan Vogel) + string orch 5'
  *Psalm #8 + a capella choir 5'
  *Dialogues and a Dance + Symphonic band 5'
  Ode and Jubilation (Elkan Vogel) + Symphonic band 5'
  *Prologue, Aria and Dance + horn and string orch. 10'
  *Breaking of Nations + a capella choir 2.5'
  *Variations + cello and piano 8'
1960-64 *Images - 15 Piano Pieces for Children piano 18'
1959-60 *Sonata piano 12'
  *Trio vln, vc, pno 16'
1957 *Sonata + violin and piano 10'
  *Song and Dance horn and piano 5'
  *Cradle Song soprano and piano 3'
  *Six Preludes for Piano + piano 10'
  *Introduction and Bagatelle 10 instruments 6'
  *Epitaph string quintet 6'
  *Ballade orchestra 5'
  *Elegy string orchestra 6'
1956 *Aria and Toccata cello and piano 5'
  *Spring Pastorale low voice and piano 3'
  *Interlude organ 4'
  *Two Canzonas 2 flutes and piano 8'
  *Adagio and Scherzo piano 7'
  *Pastorale clarinet and string orchestra 8'
  *Fantasia orchestra 10'
1955 *Night Music piano 5'
  *Songs of Childhood soprano and piano 12'
  *The City in the Sea Mz and string quartet 10'
 

* = appears on BMI website   All works are available through the American Composer Alliance website except those indicated with other publishers.  + = private recording available from the composer.        Email: Ramon Zupko

return to: pastorob at  www.pastorob.com/rob’sblog.htm