David Sampson (composer)


David C. Sampson is an American contemporary classical composer.

Biography

Sampson earned a B.A. in music from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied trumpet with Gilbert Johnson. He continued his studies with Donald Lybbert in composition at Hunter College, earning an M.F.A. in composition, followed by a D.M.A. at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied composition with John Corigliano and trumpet with Robert Nagel and Raymond Mase. He also attended the Ecole d’Art Americaines at Fontainebleau as a composition student of Robert Levin. Additionally, he has studied with Karel Husa and Henri Dutilleux in composition and Gerard Schwarz on trumpet.
Sampson has received major grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, American Academy of Arts and Letters, Chamber Music America, Barlow Endowment, New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Jerome Foundation, Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

Selected commissioned works

• The War Prayer for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. Commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts and premiered by Princeton Pro Musica.
• Hommage JFK for 14 brass and three percussion. Commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra.
• Monument. Commissioned by the Barlow Foundation for the Akron and Memphis Symphony Orchestras.
• Turns for violoncello and orchestra. Commissioned by the Bergen Foundation and cellist Paul Tobias and premiered by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
• Triptych for trumpet and orchestra. Commissioned by the International Trumpet Guild. Premiered by Raymond Mase at the Aspen Music Festival and with the American Composers Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.
• Dectet. Commissioned by the Chicago Chamber Musicians.
• Strata. Commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Brass Quintet.
• Jersey Rain. Commissioned by the NEA and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and premiered by Harmonium and Masterworks Choruses and the Colonial Symphony.
• Breathing Lessons for saxophone quartet. Commissioned by Chamber Music America for the Amherst Saxophone Quartet.
• Short Stories. Commissioned by Chamber Music America and the Pew Charitable Trust.
• Elements for string quartet. Commissioned by the Elements String Quartet.
• Double Back for trumpet, trombone, and wind ensemble. Premiered by Rex Richardson, Joseph Alessi, and the VCU Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Terry Austin, director.
• Simple Lives. Commissioned by the Colonial Symphony.
• Duncan Trio for brass trio. Commissioned by Dorothy Duncan.
• Breakaway for two trumpets and electronics. Commissioned by Raymond Mase and Kevin Cobb.
• Smoky Mountain Fanfare for brass quintet. Commissioned by the Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet.
• Like the Risen Grain for mixed chorus, brass quintet, timpani, and organ. Commissioned by Bucknell University.
• Legend for wind ensemble. Commissioned by Texas A&M Commerce University.
• Still for brass quintet. Commissioned by the Gaudete Brass Quintet.
• Mock Attack! for clarinet. Commissioned by the Montclair Art Museum.
• Memories To Keep Awhile for trumpet/flugelhorn, violin, violoncello, and piano. Commissioned by David Elton and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music.
• Random Acts for trumpet and piano. Commissioned by a consortium of 15 trumpets players organized by Kevin Cobb.

Discography

Orchestral

The Notes Fit To Print for orchestra, 1980
Three Portraits for tuba and chamber orchestra, 1990
Simple Lives for orchestra, 1990
Triptych for trumpet and orchestra, 1991
Turns for violoncello and orchestra, 1994
Monument for orchestra, 1996–97
Serenade for flügelhorn and string orchestra, 1998
Jersey Rain for baritone, chorus and orchestra, 2001
Concerto for oboe and string orchestra, 2003
New Providence Overture for orchestra, 2003
Concerto for soprano saxophone and string orchestra, 2004
Black River Concerto for violin, percussion and orchestra, 2007

Mixed Ensemble

Permit Me Voyage for viola and piano, 1978
Passage for viola and flügelhorn, 1979
Flashback for percussion quartet, 1980
Sonata Forty for horn and piano, 1991
Three Arguments for unaccompanied violoncello, 1993
Dectet for oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, piano, two violins, viola, violoncello, and double bass, 1998
Sketches for violin and marimba, 2007
The Powell Trio for tenor trombone, marimba, and piano, 2009
Three Sides for trumpet, vibraphone, and piano, 2009
Just Keep Moving for horn, bass trombone, marimba, and piano, 2010
Undercurrents Redux for flute, clarinet, and piano, 2010
Counterwork for trumpet, marimba, and piano, 2010
Flare for violoncello, marimba and string orchestra, 2012
Death of Macbeth for percussion quintet, 2013
Memories to Keep Awhile for trumpet/flügelhorn, violin, violoncello, and piano, 2014
Skeleton at the Feast for flute, viola, and guitar, 2017

Choral

O Blessed Face for flute, harp, organ, and mixed choir, 1978
Peace for mixed choir a cappella, 1981
Behold How Good and Lovely It Is for mixed choir and organ, 1984
Shout for Joy! for brass quartet, organ, and mixed choir, 1992
Of the Father’s Love Begotten for mixed choir and organ, 1993
Praise! for mixed choir and organ, 1994
Replogle "Amens" for mixed choir, 2010
For the Last Time for viola, piano, and mixed choir, 2016

Choral with Orchestra

The War Prayer for six vocal soloists, mixed choir, and chamber orchestra, 1984-5
Jersey Rain for baritone solo, mixed choir, and orchestra, 2001

Songs and Song Cycles

The Skein for soprano and piano, 1973
The Birthday for soprano, oboe, violoncello, and harp, 1982
Four Scenes and an Epilogue for soprano, string quartet, and harp, 1984
Three Christmas Scenes for flute/piccolo, oboe/English horn, violoncello, piano, and mixed choir, 1987
The Song My Paddle Sings for mixed choir a cappella, 1987
The Figured Wheel for soprano, oboe/English horn, bassoon, and piano, 1988
“Our Father’s Road,” A Cantata for New Sweden for narrator, soprano, oboe/English horn, violoncello, piano, and percussion, 1989
Voices of Our Youth for flute, viola, violoncello, harp, and mixed choir, 1997
Two Settings of the Serenity Prayer for mixed choir and organ, 2007
To Hold Us for mixed choir and piano, 2008
Like the Risen Grain for mixed choir, brass quintet, timpani, and organ, 2011

Piano

Cuttings, 1980
Without Warning, 1992

Trumpet(s)/Flügelhorn

The Mysteries Remain for trumpet and organ, 1978
Passage for viola and flügelhorn, 1979
Litany of Breath for trumpet, 1980
Trumpet Descants on Festive Hymns for trumpet, 1981
Flight for three trumpets, 1982
Winter Ceremony for two trumpets and percussion, 198.
Trumpet Descants on Christmas Hymns for trumpet, 1983
Triptych for trumpet and orchestra, 1991
Solo for unaccompanied flügelhorn, 1991
Serenade for flügelhorn and string orchestra, 1998
Notes from Faraway Places - three suites of concert etudes for one or two trumpets, 2001
Breakaway for two trumpets and digital audio, 2004
Serenade for trumpet and wind ensemble, 2006
Morning Pages for unaccompanied trumpet, 2007
Three Sides for trumpet, vibraphone and piano, 2009
Inamere for 12 trumpets, 2011
Memories to Keep Awhile for trumpet/flügelhorn, violin, violoncello, and piano, 2014
The Wind Came In Red for trumpet and piano, 2015
Double Back for solo trumpet, trombone, and wind ensemble, 2015
Random Acts for trumpet and piano, 2018
In Time for bass trombone, percussion, and piano, 1988

Tuba

Three Portraits for tuba and chamber orchestra, 1990
Emma’s Dance for tuba and piano, 1994
Evensong for tuba and digital audio, 1995
Serenata for tuba and wind ensemble, 2005
Sightline for tuba and piano, 2017

Wind Ensemble

Moving Parts for wind ensemble, 2003
Serenata for tuba and wind ensemble, 2005
Serenade for trumpet and wind ensemble, 2006
Outburst for wind ensemble, 2006
Millbrook Suite for wind ensemble, 2008
Legend for wind ensemble, 2011
Future Relics for baritone saxophone, marimba/xylophone, and wind ensemble, 2013
Double Back for solo trumpet, trombone, and wind ensemble, 2015

Brass Ensemble

Fanfare for Canterbury Cathedral for double brass quintet, 1978
Points for brass octet and percussion, 1983; rev. 1987
Reflections On a Dance for 14 brass and two percussion, 1988
Westfield Fanfare for 13 brass and three percussion, 1993
Hommage JFK for 14 brass and three percussion, 1995
Edge for 13 brass, snare drum, and timpani, 2008
Changewater Suite for eight trombones, 2008
Crosscurrents for 15 brass and two percussion, 2009
Chants and Flourishes for double brass quintet, 2009
Inamere for twelve trumpets, 2011

Brass Quintet

Echoes and Other Ghosts, 1986
Morning Music, 1986
Distant Voices, 1990
Strata, 1999
Entrance/Exit, 2003
A Family Portrait, 2008
Chesapeake, 2010
Smoky Mountain Fanfare, 2010
Still, 2013

Brass Trio

Duncan Trio, 1980

Chamber Winds

The Endless Instant for clarinet and percussion, 1980
In Memoriam: W.E.S. for woodwind quintet, 1981
Nine Times Mime for oboe, harp, and percussion, 1983
Four Winds for wind quartet, 1991
Short Stories for woodwind quintet, 1994

String Orchestra

Serenade for flügelhorn and string orchestra, 1998
Concerto for Dancers and String Orchestra for dancers and string orchestra, 2000
Concerto for soprano saxophone and string orchestra, 2004

Single Instrument

Litany of Breath for unaccompanied trumpet, 1980
Solo for unaccompanied flugelhorn, 1991
Notes From Faraway Places for unaccompanied trumpet, 2001
Undercurrents for unaccompanied flute, 2007
Morning Pages for unaccompanied trumpet, 2007

String Quartet

Elements, 2002
Breathing Lessons, 2006

Concerto

Triptych for trumpet and orchestra, 1991
Turns for violoncello and orchestras, 1994
Serenade for flügelhorn and string orchestra, 1998
Concerto for Dancers and String Orchestra for dancers and string orchestra, 2000
Concerto for oboe and string orchestra, 2003
Concerto for soprano saxophone and string orchestra, 2004
Black River Concerto for violin, percussion, and orchestra, 2007
Future Relics for baritone saxophone, marimba/xylophone, and wind ensemble, 2013
Double Back for trumpet, trombone, and wind ensemble, 2015