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Gray, John S. (b. January 18, 1953, Halifax, Nova Scotia). Canadian composer of mostly chamber, piano and electroacoustic works that have been performed in Canada; he is also active as a pianist.
Mr. Gray is self-taught as a composer. He had private piano studies in Halifax from 1959-69 and wrote his first work in 1973.
As a pianist, he gave his début in 1960 and toured Canada with David Barteaux, G. Bertok and Floyd Gillis in 1982. He has also performed music at numerous sound installations.
He is also active in other positions. He sang as a chorister with the King's College School Chapel Choir from 1966-69 and the Dalhousie Chorale in 1974-75. He worked with the ensemble Murphy's Law from 1975-78, initially as an artist, then as a chorus member and lastly as a performer. He also served as an interim director of the Experimental Sound Studio in 1979.
He established his basement studio Life Force Productions in Halifax in 1980.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: john@musiccentre.ca
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE: Waiting for Dinner (incidental music), 1978, revised 1994
ORCHESTRAL: Untitled, string orchestra, 1992; Episodes for Orchestra, 2003; Introduction and Autumn Prelude, 2004 (expanded version of Autumn Prelude); Sinfonia d'espoir, large orchestra, 2005
CHAMBER MUSIC: Elegy, flute, French horn, double bass, piano, 1973; Drunk Jam, The Third Take, 2 synthesizers, 1975; Journeys without Direction, synthesizer, percussion, tape, 1976, revised 1990; Rievaulx, 2 trumpets (1st + vibraphone), electric guitar, double bass, piano (+ synthesizer), 2 percussion, 1977-78; Witness to the Holocaust, synthesizer, 1980; Untitled, ensemble, tape, 1985; Untitled, synthesizer, tape, 1986; A3W-1, oboe, bassoon, piano, 1987; Pastoral Sequence No. 1, synthesizer, 1987; A Hearing in Our Time, synthesizer, tape, 1988; Fire Flux, synthesizer, 1990; 4W-1, oboe, bassoon, violin, piano, 1991-93 (also version for flute, bassoon, violin, 1993); Autumn Prelude (formerly Advent Prelude), bassoon, violin, harmonium, 1996 (also expanded version as Introduction and Autumn Prelude); Andante in C minor, oboe, bassoon, violin, viola, organ, 2002 (version of piano work); Le Vernissage, flute ad libitum, oboe, bassoon, 2 French horns, distorted electric guitar, violin, viola, cello, organ, MIDI-keyboard, 2002; Three Old Friends, any 3 players, 2002; Promenade, flute, violin, viola, cello, piano, 2004; Steps to the Setting Sun, flute, clarinet, MIDI-keyboard, string quartet, double bass, 2005; Clarinet Quintet, clarinet, string quartet, 2005
VOCAL: Little Cantata for Christmas Eve (text from the Book of Luke), mezzo-soprano, baritone, bassoon, violin, harmonium, 1995
PIANO: Improvisation on the 5'9" Baldwin, 1977; Improvisations, 1981; Hauskonzert, piano (+ synthesizer), 1983; The Big Slow C Major Improvisation with Sostenuto Trick, 1983; Improvisations for David Nos. 1-2, 1984; The Big B-flat Improvisation, 1984; Consolation, 1985; This Subsequent Time, 1986; Benediction, 1986; This Immediate Time, 1986; Benediction Variations, 1987; Improvisation for Chris and Diane, 1990; Fantasie, Minuet and Trio, 1997; Andante in C minor, 1998-99 (also version for oboe, bassoon, violin, viola, organ); Three Late-Night Improvisations on the Steinway A-3, 1999; Morning Improvisation on the Steinway A-3, 1999; The 29 March 1999 Piano Piece, 1999; The 10 April 2000 Piano Piece, 2000
ORGAN: Lenten Prelude, 1997
ELECTROACOUSTIC: Exercises on the Modes, Continued, tape, 1974; The First CDKU Jingle, tape, 1979; The Nova Scotia Tattoo Synthesizer Piece, tape, 1979; D3W-1, tape, 1981; Igor's 99th, tape, 1981; Belinda's O, tape, 1981; Sergeant Bluepetal's Dream, tape, 1981; Tea Time, tape, 1981; By Appointment to Her Majesty, Blended in Scotland, tape, 1981; Glory Be!, tape, 1981; Afterthought, tape, 1981; Coda, tape, 1981; D3W-2, tape, 1982; Music for Art Galleries No. 1, tape, 1979-83 (each of its four sections may be performed separately: Dinner Music One, 1979; Lamentation, 1981; Reflection, 1981; 23:41.1, 1983); Venezia, tape, 1984; No Radio, tape, 1984; The D minor Harpsichord Construction, tape, 1984; Music for Art Galleries, Volume 1.1, tape, 1984 (one section may be performed separately: Embers); Peregrine, tape, 1985; Preconsolation, tape, 1987; Der Abschied, tape, 1987; Music for Art Galleries No. 2, tape, 1991; Music for Art Galleries No. 3, tape, 1996; Music for Art Galleries No. 4, tape, 1996; Music for Art Galleries No. 5, tape, 1997
FILM SCORES (DIRECTOR): Perspectives, 1980 (Floyd Gillis); Time Lines, 1981 (Floyd Gillis); Atomic Dragons, 1981 (James MacSwain); Flower, 1985 (James MacSwain)
DISCOGRAPHY
Glory Be!; D3W-1; Belinda's O; Sergeant Bluepetal's Dream; Witness to the Holocaust; Tea Time; By Appointment to Her Majesty, Blended in Scotland; Igor's 99th (excerpt); Recent Works/8 PM (excerpt); Rievaulx; 2 concert excerpts. John S. Gray, piano, synthesizer; ensemble (CSM: 001, 1981) (cassette)
Lamentation; Afterthought; Reflection; Dinner Music One; Coda. (CSM: 002, 1986) (cassette)
Venezia; 23:41.1; Improvisation for David No. 1; Hauskonzert. John S. Gray, piano, synthesizer (CSM: 003, 1986) (cassette)
Improvisation on the 5'9" Baldwin; Journeys without Direction; Drunk Jam, The Third Take. John S. Gray, piano, synthesizer; percussion (CSM: 005, 2000) (cassette)
Three Late-Night Improvisations on the Steinway A-3; Morning Improvisation on the Steinway A-3; Andante in C minor (original version); The 29 March 1999 Piece; The 10 April 2000 Piece. John S. Gray, piano (CSM: 006, 2000) (cassette)
9 improvisations. John S. Gray, piano (CSM: 007, 2002)
(Last updated on May 5, 2006)
