Jeffrey Brooks (born 1956) is an American composer living in Minneapolis. Brooks composed the popular work ''Dreadnought'' (for wind ensemble) as well as several works for

Bang on a Can Bang on a Can is a multi-faceted contemporary classical music organization based in New York City. It was founded in 1987 by three American composers who remain its artistic directors: Julia Wolfe, David Lang, and Michael Gordon. Called "the cou ...

. Brooks holds degrees from the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

and

Yale University 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 wo ...

. He studied with

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and

Martin Bresnick Martin Bresnick (born 1946) is a composer of contemporary classical music, film scores and experimental music. Education and early career Bresnick grew up in the Bronx, and is a graduate of New York City's specialized High School of Music and A ...

. In the mid-1980s, at Yale and

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, he met

Steve Martland Steve Martland (10 October 1954 – 7 May 2013) was an English composer. He helped to curate the Factory Classical label of Factory Records, featuring contemporary British composers. Life and music Martland was born in Liverpool, and studied co ...

Art Jarvinen Arthur Justin Jarvinen (January 27, 1956 – October 2, 2010) was an American composer. Of Finnish heritage, he was the son of a Lutheran clergyman and grew up in Ohio and Canada. He attended the California Institute of the Arts, studying percus ...

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, Michael Gordon and David Lang, who have remained the most important influences in his musical life to this day. Brooks has composed, with few exceptions, instrumental works, from the very small (''What Bird am I Thinking of'', for piano trio) to the very large (''Dreadnought'', ''John Henry'', ''Funeral Music'', and ''Providence''), all for forces of 60-plus musicians.

Works

*'' The Passion'' (2017) *'' Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother'' (2015) *''After the Treewatcher'', piano and chamber orchestra (2013) *''The Starry Messenger'', SSATB (2011) *''John Henry Symphony'', concert wind ensemble (2010) *''Funeral Music'', concert wind ensemble (2009) *''What Bird am I Thinking of'', piano trio (2008) *''Providence'', double concerto for trumpet and trombone in three movements (2007) *''Skeleton Crew'', for mixed amplified chamber ensemble (2005) *''The Erlking'', counter tenor and percussion quartet (2004) *''Arbor Day'', soprano, double bass and percussion (2003) *''Dreadnought'', concert wind ensemble (2001) *''The Thinking Flame'', mixed amplified chamber ensemble (1998) *''Planting Tears'', violin, cello, clarinet, marimba and piano (1997) *''Composition'', Two Pianos (1997) *''Soli'', alto sax, marimba and piano (1994) *''Sextet'', piano and wind quintet (1991)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brooks, Jeffrey American male composers 21st-century American composers 1956 births Living people Yale University alumni 21st-century American male musicians