One of America’s most prominent composers and winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize in Music for his Trombone Concerto, Christopher Rouse created a body of work perhaps unequalled in its emotional intensity. The New York Times called it “some of the most anguished, most memorable music around.” He was a frequent presence at the Cabrillo Festival where more than twenty of his works were performed and premiered.
Rouse’s music has been played by every major orchestra in the U.S. and numerous ensembles overseas. From 2012-2015, Rouse served as the Marie-Josée Kravis Composer-in-Residence at the New York Philharmonic. He also was in residence at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Symphony, Helsinki Biennalle, Pacific Music Festival, Tanglewood Music Festival, and Aspen Music Festival.
The 2019-2020 season saw the world premiere of Rouse’s Symphony No. 6 with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Louis Langrée in October. Other recent premieres include a Bassoon Concerto, debuted by soloist Andrew Cuneo and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under Cristian Macelaru, and Berceuse Infinie, written for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Rouse’s longtime collaborator Marin Alsop in November 2017.
Christopher Rouse passed away in September 2019.
Photo by Jeff Herman
