Craig H. Russell (born April 3, 1951) is an American composer of

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...

. Russell was educated at the

University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ...

and then the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, and began a career both as a classical guitarist and as a composer of classical music, in which he follows in the stylistic footsteps of

Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...

. He has also been associated with the vocal ensemble, Chanticleer, as well as holding a professorship at

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (California Polytechnic State University, Cal Poly"Cal Poly" may also refer to California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, California or California State Polytechnic Univ ...

. Russell composed ''Middle Earth'', a suite after

J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, ; 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philology, philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was ...

's ''

The Hobbit ''The Hobbit, or There and Back Again'' is a children's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published in 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the '' ...

'' and ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's boo ...

'', for the San Luis Obispo Youth Symphony. Commissioned in 1995, a recording was released on disk in 2000 by the San Luis Obispo Symphony, together with his ''Rhapsody for Horn and Orchestra'', and the second movement of his Symphony No. 2 ("American Scenes"). He also arranged three compositions for the 2006 film ''

Nacho Libre ''Nacho Libre'' is a 2006 sports comedy film directed by Jared Hess and written by Jared and Jerusha Hess and Mike White. It stars Jack Black as Ignacio, a Catholic friar and lucha libre fan who secretly moonlights as a luchador to earn money fo ...

'', which were performed by Chanticleer.

Discography

*Russell, Craig. ''Rhapsody for Horn and Orchestra; Middle Earth; Gate City—A Methodist Hymn''. Richard Todd, horn; San Luis Obispo Symphony Orchestra. Michael Nowak, cond. Naxos American Classics CD 8.559168.

References

1951 births Living people 20th-century classical composers American male classical composers American classical composers 21st-century classical composers Musicians from New Mexico California Polytechnic State University faculty 21st-century American composers 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians {{US-composer-20thC-stub