Draft:Matthew de Lacey Davidson
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Matthew de Lacey Davidson (born Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is an American and Canadian composer of concert, orchestral and chamber music who currently resides in Nova Scotia, Canada. Studying in many countries, and integrating the works of numerous cultures into his work, Davidson's work reflects multi-cultural influences. He has studied in Canada, the United States and New Zealand. In addition to early 20th century popular music, his work reflects influences of American, Asian, European and African vernacular or folk-music styles. Davidson is also the author of two novels, a short story collection, a play in verse, and three collections of poetry </ref> The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music,[1] His poetry and short story work have been published in online publications such as Medium.com, </ref> Open Heart Forgery, [2] and Danse Macabre.[3] He has also published a number of music related articles in The Syncopated Times, [4] The Antique Phonograph News, [5] and for Society of Composers, Inc.[6]
Education
[edit]Davidson was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He studied composition with Jack Body at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand; John Beckwith at the University of Toronto; and Salvatore Martirano at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the United States. In addition, he also studied counterpoint and computer music with John Melby at the University of Illinois. He studied piano with teachers in New Zealand whose lineage may be traced to Franz Liszt; and with William Heiles at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.[7]
Composer
[edit]Davidson is a composer of academic concert music influenced by world music, and popular or vernacular idioms (such as jazz, early popular songs, and ragtime). He has written a body of work which includes music for piano solo, chamber music, orchestral music and electronic music. He has also composed a chamber opera based on the short stories of New Zealand author, Katherine Mansfield. Many of his works use direct transcriptions of non-western music from regions as diverse as Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Belgium, the United States, the Basque region, and Africa. These transcriptions are often combined with Frederic Rzewski-style pan-tonal variations, classical music forms, and polytonality. In addition, his work is less concerned with the creation of a specific style of his own, and more towards the conscious development of ‘appropriated’ musical material.[8] His music is published by Honeyrock Publications in Everett, Pennsylvania, and the American Composers Alliance. His work and papers are held in archive at the Alexander Turnbull Library division of the New Zealand National Library, and The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music in the U.S.
Discography
[edit]Davidson has released 13 CDs to date:[9]
- 2025: The Graceful Ghost: Contemporary Piano Rags 1960 - 2021: Re-issue of 1994 album from Mastersound, the 2007 re-release from Capstone Records, combined with new recordings made in 2023, released by Rivermont Records in 2025. [10]
- 2010: The Pianist Musings: Re-issue of performances of works, by Brahms & Rachmaninoff on Navona
- 2008: Talencourt: Music for Voice, Piano, and Strings, by Matthew de Lacey Davidson, Capstone Records
- 2007: The Graceful Ghost: Contemporary Piano Rags, Capstone Records
- 2001: Whippin’ the Keys: 75 years of Novelty Piano Ragtime, with Gary Smart, guest artist, Capstone Records
- 2000: On the Highwire: Piano Rags, Waltzes and Tangos by Donald Ashwander, Capstone Records
- 2000: Stolen Music: New Compositions, by Matthew Davidson, Capstone Records (re-release of original Mastersound album)
- 1999: Syncopated Lady, with Tomoko Deguchi, Capstone Records
- 1996: Stolen Music, Mastersound/Allegro
- 1996: Sugar’s Nightmare: Piano Rags to Jazz 1898–1995', Mastersound/Allegro
- 1995: Voodoo Queen: Piano Rags, Jazz, and Blues, performed by Matthew Davidson, Mastersound/Allegro
- 1994: The Graceful Ghost: Contemporary Piano Rags, Mastersound/Allegro
- 1992: Space Shuffle and Other Futuristic Rags, Stomp Off Records
Awards & Recognition
[edit]As a composer, Davidson has received awards from Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand; a commission for solo guitar from the Queen Elizabeth II (New Zealand National Arts Council, now Creative New Zealand); The American Composers' Forum (to record a new work); Meet the Composer/California (to perform modern piano works, including his own, in the Santa Barbara, California Day of Music Festival, May 30, 1992); The University of Illinois (composition contest for works to be played by pianist Anthony De Mare on September 25, 1991 at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts); a concert of Davidson's music at the Chicago Cultural Center, Preston Bradley Hall (as part of the World in a Weekend series on March 19, 1999); and The Elgin Cultural Arts Commission (to re-release his compact disc Stolen Music in 2000).[11] His recordings have similarly met with positive notices. For instance, Gramophone Magazine stated: "“…a remarkably talented pianist…as a performer Davidson has few peers…”',[12]. Jonathan Woolf, writing in MusicWebInternational wrote, " It’s been 30 years since ‘The Graceful Ghost’ first appeared and the remastering has been accomplished with consistent skill…and the new selections offer more vivid examples of a continuing tradition, to which, over many years, de Lacey Davidson has made a real contribution" [13]
References
[edit]- ^ The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music. Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ "Open Heart Forgery: Authors". Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ " Danse Macabre". Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ "Articles by Matthew de Lacey Davidson in The Syncopated Times". Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ "Canadian Antique Phonograph Society". Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ "Society of Composers Inc.". Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ [ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/matthew-davidson-mn0000403676 "ALLMUSIC.COM: Matthew Davidson"]. Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ "Catching Up With Matthew Davidson" by Larry Melton, "The Syncopated Times". Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ "Discogs.com, Matthew Daivdson (6)". Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ [Matthew de Lacey Davidson: The Graceful Ghost – Rivermont Records/ "Rivermont Records, The Graceful Ghost Contemporary Piano Rags"]. Accessed, June 17, 2025.
- ^ [Liner Notes, Stolen Music: New Compositions by Matthew Davidson], compact disc, Capstone Records 8675, 2000.
- ^ [Gramophone Magazine, review of The Graceful Ghost compact disc, Mastersound, DFCDI-216], Gramophone Magazine, November 1994, p. 196.
- ^ "MUSICWEBINTERNATIONAL.com, The Graceful Ghost Contemporary Piano Rags, Review". Accessed, June 17, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Matthew Davidson “American Composers Alliance”