Daniel Felsenfeld

Daniel Felsenfeld (1970- ) is a composer of contemporary classical music^[1] and a writer.

Biography

Felsenfeld was born in Washington, D.C., raised primarily in Southern California and currently resides in Brooklyn with his wife, writer Elizabeth Isadora Gold. He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he got his undergraduate degree in composition studying with Margaret Meyer. He did his Masters and Doctoral work at the New England Conservatory where he studied with Arthur Berger and Lee Hyla. He is also an author, having written three books published by Amadeus Press as well as hundreds of articles. In 2007 he was the subject of a "Talk of the Town" piece in The New Yorker magazine because many writers whom he met at the MacDowell Colony used his last name in their novels, most notably Michael Chabon in The Yiddish Policemen's Union. He teaches at City College of New York.

The Dresden Soul Symphony (2008, with Larry Gold) for orchestra, chorus, rock band, and four soul singers
Insomnia Redux; 4am (2005) for orchestra
Thursday Night Overture (1999) for chamber orchestra
The Bridge (2003) for soprano and chamber orchestra
Summer and All it Brings (2002) solo cantata for soprano, narrator and chamber orchestra
Busmeat: A Parable (1998) for orchestra
Nicotine Sinfonietta (1997 for chamber orchestra
Bad Coffee Serenade (1994) concerto for violin and chamber orchestra

The Last of Manhattan (2004) for singers and chamber ensemble, libretto by Ernest Hilbert
Summer and All it Brings (2002) for soprano, narrator, harpsichord and cello, libretto by Ernest Hilbert
Thursday Night: Suite from an Abandoned Opera (1999) for singers and chamber orchestra

"You.Have.No.Idea" (2009–10) for string quartet
All Work and No Play (2007) for piccolo and piano
Life Shrinks (2007) for piano, cello and percussion—music for dance
Living Room Suite (2006) for string trio
For Stephanie (2006) for string quartet
First Scenes from Red Room (2006) for violin and piano
From Maldoror (2003) for flute, oboe, piano and narrator
I Conquered Egypt (2000) for piano trio
Let Me Out (1999) for timpani, cello and bass clarinet
Live ‘Til Twilight (1999) for cello and piano
Fast Living (1999) for cello and percussion
Cultivating Cool (1999) for flute, clarinet, trumpet, piano, percussion and double bass
Smoking My Diploma (1998) for oboe, cello and piano
Looking for Funny Dog (1998) for flute and organ
O I LIKE the LIFE that I’m LEADING (1997) for flute and piano
Something Very Serious (1995) for violin and piano
Don’t Call me Sir (1994) for clarinet and piano
Bad Coffee Serenade (1994) for violin and piano

"From Sleepless Nights" (2009) for mezzo-soprano and cello
In My Craft and Sullen Art (2008) for soprano and piano
The Poet’s Dream of Herself as a Young Girl (2008) for mezzo-soprano and piano trio
Fall, Leaves, Fall (2007) for soprano and piano
“Aria” from Magnificat (2007) for soprano and piano
To a Cabaret Dancer (2007) for mezzo-soprano and piano
Dry Sandwiches (2007) for soprano and piano
Lines for Winter (2007) for tenor and piano
You Want a Social Life, With Friends (2007) for baritone and piano
Annus Mirabilis (2007) for bass and piano
True Love (2007) for soprano and organ
The Bridge (2003) cycle of five songs for soprano and piano; inspired by the poetry of W. H. Auden and Ernest Hilbert, and The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
New Forms of Control (2000) for female voices, two synthesizers, and percussion
I May Never Get Home (1999) cycle of seven songs for baritone and piano
Thank You, Goodnight (1999) cycle of five songs for soprano and piano
L’Envoi (1999) for soprano and piano
Sunday Night (1999) for soprano and piano
Elizabeth Among the Rains (1997) cycle of five songs for mezzo-soprano and piano
From the Letters of Heloise (1996) for soprano, clarinet, bass clarinet, percussion and strings
I Am Saturn (1997) cycle of three songs for soprano and piano
Equals (1996) for soprano and string quartet
Five Songs for Five Friends (1995) cycle of five songs for soprano and piano

Revolutions of Ruin (2008) for SATB chorus with soprano and baritone soloists and chamber orchestra
Manhattan Choruses (2004) for SATB chorus and organ