Joan Linda La Barbara (born June 8, 1947) is an American

vocalist Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

and composer known for her explorations of non-conventional or "extended" vocal techniques. Considered to be a vocal virtuoso in the field of

contemporary music Contemporary classical music is classical music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 modern forms of post-tonal music after the death of Anton Webern, and included seria ...

, she is credited with advancing a new vocabulary of vocal sounds including trills, whispers, cries, sighs, inhaled tones, and multiphonics (singing two or more pitches simultaneously).

Biography

An influential figure in experimental music, La Barbara was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since 1 ...

. She is a classically trained singer who studied with soprano Helen Boatwright at Syracuse University and contralto Marion Freschl at

the Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

in New York. Joan La Barbara's early creative work (early to mid 1970s) focuses on experimentation and investigation of vocal sound as raw sonic material including works that explore varied timbres on a single pitch,

circular breathing Circular breathing is a technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption. It is accomplished by breathing through the nose while simultaneously pushing air through the mouth using air stored ...

techniques inspired by horn players, and multiphonic or chordal singing. In the mid 1970s, she began creating more structured compositional works, some of which include electronics and layered voice sounds. She has accumulated a large repertoire of vocal works by 20th- and 21st-century music masters, including many pieces composed especially for her voice. She has performed and recorded works by composers including

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading fig ...

Robert Ashley Robert Reynolds Ashley (March 28, 1930 – March 3, 2014) was an American composer, who was best known for his television operas and other theatrical works, many of which incorporate electronics and extended techniques. His works often involve i ...

Morton Feldman Morton Feldman (January 12, 1926 – September 3, 1987) was an American composer. A major figure in 20th-century classical music, Feldman was a pioneer of indeterminate music, a development associated with the experimental New York School ...

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimalism, being built up from repetitive p ...

Larry Austin Larry Don Austin (September 12, 1930 – December 30, 2018) was an American composer noted for his electronic and computer music works. He was a co-founder and editor of the avant-garde music periodical '' Source: Music of the Avant Garde''. Austi ...

, Peter Gordon,

Alvin Lucier Alvin Augustus Lucier Jr. (May 14, 1931 – December 1, 2021) was an American composer of experimental music and sound installations that explore acoustic phenomena and auditory perception. A long-time music professor at Wesleyan University in Mi ...

, and her husband

Morton Subotnick Morton Subotnick (born April 14, 1933) is an American composer of electronic music, best known for his 1967 composition '' Silver Apples of the Moon'', the first electronic work commissioned by a record company, Nonesuch. He was one of the fo ...

, and has collaborated with choreographer

Merce Cunningham Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years. He frequently collaborated with artists of other discipl ...

, and poet Kenneth Goldsmith. She also received a Foundation for Contemporary Arts John Cage Award (2016). La Barbara is a guest instructor at

HB Studio The HB Studio (Herbert Berghof Studio) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering professional training in the performing arts through classes, workshops, free lectures, theater productions, theater rentals, a theater artist residency progra ...

Other Work

Joan La Barbara has also done work acting and composing for television, film, and dance. She composed and performed the music for the

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) an ...

animated segment ''Signing Alphabet,'' for electronics and voice, and has composed a variety of chamber, orchestral, and choral works. She also appears in

Matthew Barney Matthew Barney (born March 25, 1967) is an American contemporary artist and film director who works in the fields of sculpture, film, photography and drawing. His works explore connections among geography, biology, geology and mythology as well ...

’s 2014 film '' River of Fundament''. La Barbara is currently on the music composition artist faculty at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, t ...

Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions, and on the faculty of Mannes/The New School/College of Performing Arts.

Discography

La Barbara works

* ''Voice Is the Original Instrument'' (2016). Arc Light Editions, vinyl release, ALE005. * ''io: atmos'' (2009) New World Records, CD 80665 * ''Voice Is the Original Instrument: Early Works'' (2003). Lovely Music, CD 3003. * ''Awakenings, for chamber ensemble'' (1994) Music & Arts, CD 830 * ''Shamansong'' (1998) New World Records, CD 8054 * ''73 Poems'' (1994) book and CD with Kenneth Goldsmith, Lovely Music, Ltd., CD 3002 * "Computer Music Series, Vol.13, The Virtuoso in the Computer Age III", ''l'albero dalle foglie azzurre (tree of blue leaves), for solo oboe and computer music on tape'' (1993) Centaur Records, CRC 2166 * ''Sound Paintings'' (1991) Lovely Music, Ltd., CD 3001 * ''Silent Scroll'' on ''Newband Plays Microtonal Works'', (1990) Mode Records, #18 * ''The Art of Joan La Barbara'' (1985) Nonesuch, LP 78029-1 * ''As Lightning Comes, In Flashes'' (1983) Wizard Records, LP RVW 2283 * ''The Reluctant Gypsy'' (1980) Wizard Records, RVW 2279 * ''Tapesongs'' (1978) Chiaroscuro, LP CR-196 * ''Voice Is the Original Instrument: Early Works'' (1976) Wizard Records, LP 2266

Featured on works by other composers

* Johann Johannsson ''Arrival (Original Soundtrack)'' (2016) Deutsche Grammophon, CD * Robert Ashley ''Now Eleanor's Idea'' (2007) Lovely Music, Ltd., CD 1009 * Robert Ashley ''Celestial Excursions'' (2004) Lovely Music, Ltd., CD 1007 * Robert Ashley ''Dust'' (2000) Lovely Music, Ltd., CD 1006 * Robert Ashley ''Your Money My Life Goodbye'' (1999) Lovely Music, Ltd., 1005 * John Cage ''John Cage at Summerstage with Joan La Barbara, William Winant and Leonard Stein'' (1995), Music & Arts, CD 875 * Larry Austin ''La Barbara'' on '' CDCM Computer Music Series, Vol. 13, The Virtuoso in the Computer Age III'' (1993) Centaur Records, CRC 2166 * Morton Subotnick ''All my hummingbirds have alibis'' (1993) The Voyager Company, CD-Rom LS36 * Charles Dodge ''The Waves'' on "Any Resemblance is Purely Coincidental'' (1992) New Albion, NA 045 * Robert Ashley ''Improvement'' (1992) Elektra/Nonesuch, double CD 79289-2 * Steve Reich ''Voices and Organ'' (1991) Deutsche Grammaphon, CD box * John Cage ''Joan La Barbara Singing Through John Cage'' (1990) New Albion, NA035 * Philip Glass ''Music in 12 Parts'' (1990) Virgin Records * Morton Feldman '' Three Voices for Joan La Barbara'' (1989) New Albion, NA018 * Morton Subotnick ''Jacob's Room'' (1987) Wergo, WER2014-50 * Morton Subotnick ''The Last Dream of the Beast on "The Art of Joan La Barbara", Nonesuch 78029–1, 1985, LP only * John Cage ''Solo for voice 45'' (1978) Chiaroscuro, LP CR-196, 1978 * Lou Harrison ''May Rain'' on "Prepared Piano--the First of Four Decades" with Richard Bunger, piano, Musical Heritage Society, LP MHS-4187 * Bruce Ditmas ''Aeray Dust'' (1978) Chiaroscuro, CR-195 * Bruce Ditmas '' Yellow'' (1977) Wizard Records, LP #222, 1977, LP * Philip Glass ''North Star'' (1977) Virgin Records, PZ-34669 * Philip Glass ''Music in 12 Parts (Parts 1 & 2)'' (1974) Virgin Records, LP * Steve Reich ''Voices and Organ'' (1974) Deutsche Grammaphon, LP box * Garrett List ''Your Own Self'' (1973) Opus One Records, LP * Jim Hall '' Commitment'' (A&M/Horizon, 1976) on "Lament for a Fallen Matador (Based on "

Adagio in G minor Adagio in G minor for strings and organ, also known as Adagio in Sol minore per archi e organo su due spunti tematici e su un basso numerato di Tomaso Albinoni (Mi 26), is a neo-Baroque composition commonly attributed to the 18th-century Venet ...

)", arr. by Don Sebesky *

Stanley Silverman Stanley Silverman (born July 5, 1938, in New York City) is an American composer, arranger, conductor and guitarist. Silverman's diverse career covers music theatre, film, television, classical and pop music. His work has featured on stages acros ...

and Richard Foreman ''Dr. Selavy's Magic Theatre'' (1973) Rainbow Collection records, LP * The Living Theatre with Wavy Gravy (Hugh Romney) and The New Wilderness Preservation Band (1973) *

Don Sebesky Don Sebesky (born December 10, 1937) is an American arranger, jazz trombonist, and keyboardist. Biography Sebesky trained in trombone at the Manhattan School of Music; in his early career, he played with Kai Winding, Claude Thornhill, Tommy Dors ...

'' The Rape of El Morro'' (1973) CTI Records LP

External links

Joan La Barbara's website

La Barbara's faculty page at NYU Steinhardt

featuring ''73 Poems'' (1993), text by Kenneth Goldsmith
NewMusicBox cover: La Barbara in conversation with Molly Sheridan, January 30, 2006 (includes video)(plus a master class with La Barbara)

La Barbara interview

by Bruce Duffie, August 16, 1991

with Libby Van Cleve from the Oral History of American Music, February 17, 1998

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:La Barbara, Joan American classical composers Contemporary classical music performers Electroacoustic music composers 1947 births Living people Avant-garde singers American women classical composers American women in electronic music Musicians from Philadelphia Singers from Pennsylvania 21st-century American composers 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers 20th-century classical musicians 21st-century classical musicians 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers 20th-century American composers Classical musicians from Pennsylvania 20th-century women composers 21st-century women composers 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers