Frank La Rocca (born in 1951 in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

) is an American classical music composer.

Life

Frank La Rocca was born in 1951 in New Jersey. He studied at

Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...

and at the

University of California at Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant univ ...

. His early musical experiences ranged from classical piano to playing electronic keyboards in various rock and blues bands. He began composing at age 14. His teachers included Edwin Dugger,

Olly Wilson Olly Woodrow Wilson, Jr. (September 7, 1937 – March 12, 2018) was an American composer of contemporary classical music, pianist, double bassist, and a musicologist. He was one of the most preeminent composers of African American descent in the ...

Andrew Imbrie Andrew Welsh Imbrie (April 6, 1921 – December 5, 2007) was an American contemporary classical music composer and pianist. Career Imbrie was born in New York City and began his musical training as a pianist when he was 4. In 1937, he went to Par ...

, Jonathan Kramer, Frank Lewin and John Mauceri. He has received grants and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the California Arts Council, and a Young Composers Award from ASCAP. He was a 2018 American Prize winner for the oratorio, "A Rose in Winter – the life of St. Rita of Cascia". Trained as an academic modernist during his degree studies at Yale and University of California, Berkeley, La Rocca came to see this approach as a barrier to authentic musical expression, and spent many years in search of a personal creative language. A composer of works for both the concert stage and liturgy, one finds considerable common ground between these two in works like Veni Sancte Spiritus, for soprano, clarinet and baroque string quartet. La Rocca regards himself in the role of "an apologist for a distinctively Christian faith – not through direct persuasion, but through the beauty of music". He was named Composer-in-Residence at the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Liturgy in 2018. La Rocca has been awarded several times for outstanding achievements as a professor of music

California State University, East Bay California State University, East Bay (Cal State East Bay, CSU East Bay, or CSUEB) is a public university in Hayward, California. The university is part of the 23-campus California State University system and offers 136 undergraduate and 60 pos ...

. La Rocca's music has been performed in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Uganda. Performers include the California Symphony, Oakland Symphony, Lumen Valo, soprano Christine Brandes, Strata, Artists Vocal Ensemble, Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School, Young Women's Chorus of San Francisco, Cathedral Choral Society, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Prague Radio – Choir and Orchestra, Alexander String Quartet and others . His music is published by

Boosey & Hawkes Boosey & Hawkes is a British music publisher purported to be the largest specialist classical music publisher in the world. Until 2003, it was also a major manufacturer of brass, string and woodwind musical instruments. Formed in 1930 throu ...

, Walton Music, Santa Barbara Music Publishers and Lumen Verum Music. He is recorded on Cappella Records, Enharmonic Records, CRI, CRS, SCI, and ERM Media. Cappella's 2022 release of ''Mass of the Americas'', produced by 11-time Grammy Award-winner Blanton Alspaugh, was in the Billboard Top Ten Traditional Classical albums for 2022. Frank La Rocca taught music theory and composition at California State University, East Bay from 1981–2014.

Choral works

*''Missa Pange Lingua'' (2020) for Choir SATB, optional sackbut consort *''There is no Rose of Such Vertu'' (2020) for Choir SSAA *''Missa Sancte Ioseph'' (2018) for Choir SATB *''Remember Me'' (2017) for Choir SATB *''Tantum Ergo'' (2017) for Choir SATB *''Ave Verum Corpus II'' (2017) for Choir SATB *''Ne Irascaris Domine'' (2016) for Choir SSAATTBB *''Ave Maria II'' (2015) for Choir SATB *''Qui Creavit Caelum'' (2015) for Choir SSAA and Violoncello *''Anima Christi'' (2014) for Choir SSATBB *''Tread Softly'' (2014) for Choir SSAATB *''Ego Sum Pastor Bonus'' (2013) for Choir SATB *''Diffusa Est Gratia'' (2012) SATB choir *''Ave Maris Stella'' (2012) for Women's Choir *''Nunc Dimittis'' (2012) for Women's Choir *''O Sacrum Convivium'' (2011) for Choir SATB† *''Iam Lucis Orto Sidere ''(2010) for Women's Choir *''Credo'' (2010) for Choir SATB† *''Ave Maria'' (2009) for Choir SATB *''The Divine Image'' (2008) for Choir SSAATTBB *''Ave Verum Corpus'' (2008) for Choir SATB *''Alleluia'' (2007) for Choir SATB, Organ and Brass (ad lib.) *''O Eve'' (2007) for Choir SATB and SSAA *''Cantate Domino'' (2006) for Choir SATB and Orchestra (or Organ) *''Sicut Cervus'' (2005) for Choir SATB *''O Nata Lux'' (2005) for Choir SATB and String Orchestra *''Resurrection Prelude'' (2005), for Choir SATB, Organ, Brass, and Timpani *''Miserere'' (2004) for Choir SATB† *''Echo'' (2004) for Women's Choir *''O Magnum Mysterium'' (2003) for Choir SATB† *''Ubi Caritas'' (2003) for Choir SATB *''O Vos Omnes'' (2003) for Choir SATB *''Eli, Eli'' (2003) for Choir SATB and Organ *''Magnificat'' (2002) for Women's Choir *''Psalm 23'' (2002) for Choir SATB *''Expectavi Dominum'' (2001) for mixed Choir† *''In the Beginning'' (2000) for mixed Choir *''Exaudi'' (1998) for mixed Choir †recorded on Enharmonic CD 12-025 "IN THIS PLACE"

Liturgical Works

*''Messe des Malades'' (2022) for Choir SATB and organ *''Missa Sancti Juníperi Serra'' (2022) for Choir SATB, baroque flute and string ensemble, organ *''Requiem for the Homeless'' (2020) for Choir SATB, low strings, organ and harp * ''Missa Pange Lingua'' (2020) for Choir SATB, optional sackbut consort *''Mass of the Americas'' (2018) for Choir SATB, organ, string ensemble, guitar and marimba *''Missa Sancte Ioseph'' (2018) for Choir SATB *''Tantum Ergo'' (2017) for Choir SATB *''Ave Verum Corpus II'' (2017) for Choir SATB *''Ne Irascaris Domine'' (2016) for Choir SSAATTBB *''Ave Maria II'' (2015) for Choir SATB *''Missa Papae Benedicti XVI'' (2012) SATB choir and organ *''Missa Cordi Sacro'' (2010) SATB choir and organ *''Ego Sum Pastor Bonus'' (2013) for Choir SATB *''In the Splendor of the Holy Ones'' (2013) SATB choir *''Behold, a Virgin Shall Conceive'' (2013) SATB choir *''This is the Body'' (2013) SATB choir *''He Who Ponders the Law of the Lord'' (2013) SATB choir *''Christ, our Passover'' (2013) SATB choir *''Laudate Dominum'' (2013) SATB choir *''Diffusa Est Gratia'' (2012) SATB choir *''O Sacrum Convivium'' (2011) for Choir SATB *''Ave Verum Corpus'' (2008) for Choir SATB *''Sicut Cervus'' (2005) for Choir SATB *''Miserere'' (2004) for Choir SATB† *''O Magnum Mysterium'' (2003) for Choir SATB†

Chamber music

*''Veni Sancte Spiritus'' (2001) for Soprano, Clarinet, Baroque String Quartet† *''In This Place'' (2000) for Clarinet, Violin and Piano† †recorded on Enharmonic CD 12-025 "IN THIS PLACE" *''Precipice'' (1997) for String Quartet *''Meditation'' (1991) Piano solo *''Divertimento'' (1990) for two pianos *''Secret Thoughts'' (1986) for Cello solo Recorded on CRI SD 567 *''Canti d'Innocenza'' (1984) for Soprano, Clarinet, Harp and Vibraphone Recorded on CRS 8944. *''Frammenti'' (1983) for Piano solo *''Duo Lirico'' (1982) for Violin and Viola *''String Trio'' (1981) for Violin, Viola and Cello Recorded on CRI SD 567 *''Fantasy'' for Violin and Piano (1979) *''Phoenix'' (1976) for Clarinet, String Quartet, Piano and Percussion *''Night Music'' (1975) for Violin and Piano

Major vocal works

*''A Rose in Winter - the life of St. Rita of Cascia'' (2015) for chorus, orchestra, soloists and organ, libretto by Matthew Lickona 90' *''In a Dark Time'' (1989) for Choir SATB and Chamber Ensemble 20' *''The Pure Fury'' (1988) for Tenor and large Chamber Ensemble 25'

Orchestra works

*''Veni Sancte Spiritus'' (2001) for Soprano, Clarinet and String Orchestra *''While Orpheus Dreamed'' (1998) for Orchestra *''The Right Road Lost'' (1996) for large Orchestra *''Crossing the Rubicon'' (1994) for Orchestra *''No Strings'' (1993) for Symphonic Band *''The Pure Fury'' (1989) for Tenor and Chamber Orchestra *''Chen'' (1977) Prologue for Orchestra

Electronic music and film scores

*''Labyrinth'' (1977) for tape *''Newsical Muse'' (1975) contributor to Live-Radio Theater piece by Neil B. Rolnick *''Emergency'' (1974) Music for a Documentary Film *''Krystallos'' (1973) Music for a Documentary Film

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:La Rocca, Frank 1951 births Living people 20th-century classical composers American male classical composers American classical composers American people of Italian descent Yale University alumni University of California, Berkeley alumni California State University, East Bay faculty 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians