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Rolfe, James (b. 1961, Toronto, Ontario). Canadian composer of stage, chamber, choral, vocal, and piano works that have been performed in the Americas and Europe.
Mr. Rolfe studied composition with John Beckwith at the University of Toronto and with Paul Lansky and Steven Mackey at Princeton University.
His honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship (2000), the K.M. Hunter Music Award (2003), the Louis Applebaum Composers Award (2005), and the Prix Jules-Léger pour la nouvelle musique de chambre (2006). He has received commissions and grants from the Arts Foundation of Greater Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts, CBC Radio, the Laidlaw Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, opera.ca, and the Toronto Arts Council. His music has been featured at numerous festivals, including the ISCM World New Music Festival (1997, Seoul).
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: rolfejam@gmail.com
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE: Beatrice Chancy (opera, libretto by George Elliott Clarke), 2 sopranos, mezzo-soprano, 2 baritones, bass, piano, percussion, string quartet, double bass, 1998; Charlotte (opera, libretto by Jeremy Podeswa), 2004; Rosa (chamber opera), 2004; Orpheus and Eurydice (masque), 2004; Elijah's Kite (opera for children), 2006; Swoon (opera), 2006
ORCHESTRAL: Ears, Nose and Throat, orchestra (8 winds, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, 2 percussion, strings), 1993; Mechanical Danny and How He Saved the Children (text by Dennis Lee), speaker, orchestra (8 winds, 7 brass, timpani, percussion, strings), 2000
CHAMBER MUSIC: Railway Street, bass clarinet, ensemble (violin, cello, double bass, piano, percussion), 1991; Global Bifurcation and Chaos, contrabassoon, violin, cello, piano, accordion, 1992; James' Theorem, clarinet, 3 saxophones, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, electric guitar, violin, cello, bass guitar, piano, drumkit, percussion, 1992; Accordion Motel, accordion, 1992; Before After, piccolo, clarinet (+ bass clarinet), French horn, 1993; Violin Motel, violin, 1993; Viola Motel, viola, 1993; Cello Motel, cello, 1993; Dissolution, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 1994; Devilled Swan, violin, double bass, piano, percussion, 1995; Revenge! Revenge!! Revenge!!!, clarinet, cello, piano, percussion, 1995; Tombeau, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, cello, double bass, piano, 1995; Scroll, flute, English horn, harpsichord, 1996; Squeeze, alto flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, 1997; Bouquet, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 1998; Tunnel, string quartet, 1998; Drop, violin, piano, 1998; And Then Grace, violin, viola, cello, 2000; The Connection (player also speaks text by Daniil Kharms [English translation]), bass marimba, amplification ad libitum, 2001; Worry, violin, ensemble (8 celli), 2001; Juggle, 8 winds, 2003; Freddy's Dead, violin, cello, piano, 2003; raW, piccolo, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, drumkit, 2003
CHORAL: Déploration (to John Cage) (after Déploration sur la mort de Johannes Ockeghem by Josquin des Prez), 2 countertenors, 2 tenors, bass, 1992; Fire (text by André Alexis), 4 female voices, 1999; Three Songs (text by E. Pauline Johnson), 4 female voices, 1999; Come lovely and soothing death (text by Walt Whitman), 8 mixed voices, 2000; O that you would kiss me (text from the Song of Solomon), 2 mixed choruses (8 voices each), 2001; Under the Sun (text from the Book of Ecclesiastes, edited by the composer), 8 mixed choruses (around hall), 2002; Four Anthems for Four Seasons (text from the Song of Solomon), 10 mixed voices, 2003
VOCAL: Four Songs on Poems by Walt Whitman, bass-baritone/bass, piano, 1990; Fêtes de la Faim (text by Arthur Rimbaud), any voice, flute (+ alto flute), clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1991; Phrases (text by Arthur Rimbaud), soprano, clarinet, piano, 1991; Plainte (text by the composer, after Sappho), soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 1993; Simon and Garfunkel and the Prophets of Rage, any voice, piano, percussion, 1993; Six Songs (text by Walt Whitman), soprano, string quartet, 2000; Dust, soprano, cello, 2002; Illuminations, soprano, piano, 2003; Beloved, soprano, piano, tape, 2006
PIANO: Idiot Sorrow, 1990; Discontinuous Probability Field Nos. 1–4, 1993; Discontinuous Probability Field No. 5, 1993; Thin Air, 1995; Lilacs, 1999
DIDACTIC MUSIC: Songs and Rounds, 4 soprano recorders, orchestra (8 winds, 7 brass, percussion, strings), 2001 (also version for 4 soprano recorders, piano, 2001; each of its three movements may be performed separately: Two Rounds; Deux chansons québécoises; Finale)
(Last updated on August 4, 2008)
