* En anglais uniquement
Gerard Pape was born in Brooklyn, NY, in 1955. He graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University in 1976, while simultaneously beginning private composition lessons with David Winkler. He obtained a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 1982 from the University of Michigan while attending private composition lessons with George Cacioppo and
William Albright.
Pape studied electronic music with George Wilson in the analog and digital studios of the University of Michigan.
Pape has composed more than 50 works for orchestra, chamber music, and electronic compositions for instruments, voice, and/or tape. His music has been performed in numerous festivals in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria, Greece, Romania, Sweden, Australia, Mexico, Hong Kong, and Japan, and was presented in the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC) in Tokyo in 1993 and in Hong Kong in 1996.
He has been granted ASCAP standard awards each year from 1992 through 2002. Among his most important compositions is the work Feu Toujours Vivant for large orchestra and four sampler keyboards, commissioned by the electronic ensemble
Art Zoyd and the National Orchestra of Lille, conducted by
Jean-Claude Casadesus. After its world premiere in Lille, the work was replayed twice more, including in Paris.
Pape has written numerous musical and psychoanalytic articles. A book of his literary works, including short stories, plays, and poetry, was published by Sinewave Studios in 1984. More recently, he has published articles on musical complexity, and on the music of
Luigi Nono (published in Contemporary Music Review). He has written and lectured extensively on the subject of "Composing in the Continuum." He published an article, "
Iannis Xenakis and the Real of Musical Composition," in the Computer Music Journal.
His discography consists of a monographic disc released in 1992 by Mode, including works played by the
Arditti Quartet, the
Prism Orchestra of New York, and
William Albright. In September 1998, Mode released a second disc of
Pape's work, performed by
Arditti Quartet,
Ensemble 2E2M, Ensemble Vox Nova, saxophonist Daniel Kientzy, singer
Nicholas Isherwood, Janet Pape, and flutist Cécile Daroux. Mode released a double-CD anthology called CCMIX Paris: Xenakis/UPIC/Continuum that contains
Pape's Le Fleuve du Desir III for string quartet and tape, as played by the
Arditti Quartet. A third monographic CD on the label Edition Modern is due out in early 2003.
Pape is working on an operatic project based on Antonin Artaud's play The Cenci, which involves a collaboration with actor/director Michel de Maulne and his theater, Maison de la Poésie, located in Paris.
In collaboration with composer/computer programmer Sinan Bokesoy, he has developed a new computer music program called "Stochos," with which he composed the tape work Clouds. Among other recent works, he has composed The Ecstasy of St. Theresa (Hommage to Bernini) for nine singers and live electronics, commissioned by the Donaueschingen Festival was premiered in October 2002, as well as Le Fleuve du Desir IV for violin and tape, premiered by
Irvine Arditti, and La Naissance du Son for cello, premiered by
Rohan de Saram, both commissioned by the Cinema Texas "Eye and Ear" festival and performed in monographic concert that included his three quartets played by the
Arditti Quartet in September 2002.
Pape has directed Les Ateliers UPIC, renamed CCMIX in 2000 (Center for the Composition of Music
Iannis Xenakis), since 1991. This organization is a computer music center located in Paris that is funded by the French Ministry of Culture.