David First

David First, 2011

David First (born August 20, 1953 in Philadelphia ) is an American composer .

First attended the Combs Conservatory of Music from 1971 to 1973 and studied electronic music at Princeton University from 1975-76 . From 1972 to 1974 he also took private lessons from jazz composer Dennis Sandole .

As a guitarist , he performed with the jazz pianist Cecil Taylor and the rock band Television . In the late 1970s he founded the rock band The Notekillers (with Barry Halkin ), with whom he recorded the album The Zipper . Later he turned to the composition of experimental electroacoustic music, taking up minimalism . In 1991 he recorded the album Resolver with Joseph Celli and the World Casio Quartet with his own compositions.

In 1995 he was awarded the National Endowment for the Arts prize for his opera The Manhattan Book of the Dead . In 2001 he received a Grant to Artists from the Foundation of Contemporary Arts founded by John Cage and Jasper Johns . For the incidental music to the play The Rise and Fall of Timur the Lame of Theodora Skipitares 2002, he received the Music Prize of the Mary Flagler Cary Trust .

Works

• Resolver , XD with electronic and acoustic compositions Firsts, 1991
• Jade Screen Test Dreams of Renting Wings for large mixed ensemble, 1993
• The Manhattan Book of the Dead , Opera, 1995
• The Good Book's (Accurate) Jail of Escape Dust Co-ordinates pt. 2 for large mixed ensemble and computer, CD with First's group Joy Buzzers , 1996
• The Re-enchantment of the Earth , computer-aided sound installation, 1996
• A Bet on Transcendence Favors the House , 1998
• Jump Back - an Ode to the People of New York , a song written in the wake of 9/11, 2001
• Universary , CD, 2002
• Operation: Kracpot audio-video performance with the Notekillers

Web links

• David First homepage
• The Notekillers
• Allmusic - David First
• Foundation for Contemporary Arts - David First