(b. 1953, Toronto, Ontario).
Canadian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and electroacoustic works that have been performed in Europe and North America.
Mr. Kucharzyk initially studied with John Beckwith and John Weinzweig at the University of Toronto. He then studied with Earle Brown, Jacob Druckman and Morton Subotnick at Yale University, where he received his MMus. He also studied computer music with John Chowning and Leland Smith at Stanford University.
His music has been performed in Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Greece, the UK, and the USA.
He is also active in other positions. He founded the label Artifact Music in 1985. He served as artistic director and later as conductor of the ensemble Arraymusic in Toronto. As a performer, he is active with Peter Hannan in the electronic duo PHH!K.
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
Personal History (stage work in 3 acts, text by Patrick Kennedy), actor, mixed chorus, 8 dancers, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), double bass (+ bass guitar), piano/synthesizer, theremin, percussion, fixed media, live electronics, slide projections (by Robert Mulder), 1983–85 (its three acts may be performed separately as stage works: Popular Science, 1983; Pushing Buttons, 1984; First Generation, 1985)
Venus Ascending (dance music, choreography by Karen Jamieson), MIDI-keyboard (+ sampler), 1995 (also shorter concert version as Venus, 2 MIDI-keyboards [both + sampler])
ORCHESTRAL:
Walk the Line, percussion, string orchestra, 1982
Chromatics, small orchestra, 1986
Collisions, 1986
Second Generation, sampler, gamelan, 1987
Figure in a Landscape, violin, orchestra, 1991
Noli me tangere, 1991
Prosthetic, Part 1 (concerto), MIDI-keyboard, orchestra, 1995
Satu suara, gamelan, 1996
Some Assembly Required, symphonic band, 1998
Prosthetic, Part 3 (concerto), MIDI-keyboard, large orchestra, 1998
Overture (after Monteverdi), orchestra (around hall), 2000
Entrance (after Satie), 2000
Music for an Atrium, small orchestra (8 winds, 6 brass), 2000
Companion Work to 'Overture', 2000
Corral (for Michael J. Baker), violin, brass band, 2000
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Lacroceande, violin, piano, 1975
Eyemusic, oboe, piano, 2 percussion, 1977
Phase Variations, 2 marimbas, 2 percussion, 1977, revised 1979
Soledad, cello, 1978
The Walls (Have Ears), flute, trombone, viola, cello, percussion, 1978
The Whole, the Parts, flute/alto flute, bassoon/trombone, violin, viola, cello, percussion, drone ad libitum, 1979
One for the Underdog, tenor saxophone, trumpet, double bass, piano, drum kit, 1981
Co-opposition, amplified ensemble (alto saxophone, trumpet, viola, cello, double bass, piano [+ electronic organ], 2 percussion), 1982
Imagination (Yes), trombone, fixed media, 1982
Impulse, guitar, 1983
Seventh Wind, accordion, 1983, revised 1985
Quartet: for Missing Persons, clarinet, cello, piano/organ/synthesizer, percussion, 1984 (also expanded version as Quintet: for Missing Persons, clarinet, viola, double bass, synthesizer, percussion, 1985)
Beating, percussion (+ synthesizers, sampler), fixed media, 1986
Off the Floor, trumpet, 2 synthesizers, 2 percussion, 1987
Attactics, 4 saxophones, 2 synthesizers, 2 percussion, 1988
Us and Them, bass clarinet, trumpet, bass guitar (+ double bass), MIDI-keyboard, 2 percussion, live electronics, 1990
Song in Five Colours, 4 percussion, 1990
All Thumbs, bass clarinet (+ clarinet), trumpet, double bass, piano, 2 percussion, 1991 (version of work for piano)
Rose, Baroque flute, harpsichord, 1992 (also versions for flute, piano, 1992; recorder, synthesizer, live electronics, 1992)
Third Generation, 8 percussion, 1992
Amnesia, flute (+ alto flute), clarinet (+ bass clarinet), violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 1993
Chrome Chaser, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), 3 saxophones, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, electric guitar, violin, cello, double bass, piano, drum kit, percussion, 1993
Gemini Variations, 2 MIDI-keyboards, 1993 (collaboration with Peter Hannan)
heard, MIDI-keyboard, percussion, any 4 players, 1994
Room, clarinet, trumpet, violin, double bass, 2 percussion, 1994
Nomad, string quartet, 1996
Music of Veena, veena (plucked instrument from South Asia), mridangam (double-headed drum from southern India), ensemble (clarinet, cello, piano), 1996
Prosthetic, Part 2, MIDI-keyboard, sampler, 1997
Venus, 2 MIDI-keyboards (both + sampler), 1997 (shorter concert version of Venus Ascending)
Dexter Sinister, theremin (+ sampler), sampler, 1999
Intervals 1–4, clarinet, trumpet, violin, double bass, piano, 2 percussion, 1999 (section of Chemin de Ronde, a collaboration with Michael J. Baker, composers from GRAME, Linda Catlin Smith; may be performed separately)
Flock, spatial ensemble (clarinet, trumpet, violin, double bass, piano, 2 percussion), 2001
CHORAL:
Mis-o-nay-ism, mixed chorus, percussion, 1979–81
Aquapella, 3 female voices, fixed media, water, 1992
supercoolrainbowspecial, children's chorus, piano, 2002
VOCAL:
A Letter to Walt (text by Walt Whitman), soprano, flute (+ voice), clarinet (+ voice), violin (+ voice), viola (+ voice), cello (+ voice), prepared piano, percussion (+ voice), 1980
Terror and Erebus (oratorio, text by Gwendolyn MacEwen), baritone, flute, 2 clarinets, French horn, harp, 5 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass, MIDI-keyboard, percussion, 1997
PIANO:
Non coupable, prepared piano, fixed media, 1983
Seven Ways, 2 pianos, 1990
All Thumbs, 1991 (also version for bass clarinet [+ clarinet], trumpet, double bass, piano, 2 percussion)
Valsø, 1993
Also Heard, 6 pianos, 1998
ELECTROACOUSTIC:
Yes, fixed media, 1979
Play Dot Sam, computer, 1981
Targeting, fixed media (4 tracks), 1981
Art of Mix, fixed media (8 tracks), 1985
Hybrid Intersection, live electronics, 1997 (collaboration with Peter Hannan)
Music for Fireworks, live electronics, 1998 (collaboration with Peter Hannan)