Douglas J. Cuomo

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Douglas J. Cuomo (born February 13, 1958) is an American composer of

music for television
.

Biography

Born in Tucson, Arizona, raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and Amherst, Massachusetts, Douglas J. Cuomo began playing the trumpet in grade school and switched to guitar at the age of 12. While still in high school he studied with jazz musicians Max Roach and Archie Shepp at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.[1]

He began his professional musical career at the age of 18, touring the country with a Las Vegas show band. He alternated years of college with years on the road as a guitarist, studying jazz, world music and ethnomusicology at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Miami (Coral Gables) with a degree in jazz performance.[1][2]

Cuomo's first work to garner significant public notice was Atomic Opera, which was performed at the

Tony Award-winning Anna Christie.[4]

In television, Cuomo has scored over 120 episodes for

PBS
).

Cuomo's collaborators have included the string quartet

Mark Stewart
and Dave Fuzinski and many others.

In 2008 Cuomo composed Arjuna’s Dilemma, a 70-minute opera-oratorio incorporating an Indian vocalist, a classically trained tenor, a four-member female chorus, a tabla player, an improvising tenor saxophonist, and a ten-piece chamber ensemble.[6] Arjuna’s Dilemma has been produced by the Music-Theatre Group, and was performed at BAM's Next Wave Festival.[7] The New York Times described Arjuna's Dilemma as "an opera with an appealing and unabashedly eclectic score."[8] A recording of Arjuna’s Dilemma, performed by artists including Indian singer Amit Chatterjee, members of Anonymous 4 and the Philip Glass Ensemble, tenor Tony Boutté, Badal Roy, Ethel, pianist Kathleen Supové, and bassist Robert Black of the Bang on a Can All Stars, was released on Innova Recordings.[9]

In addition to Arjuna’s Dilemma, his concert works include a

Warner Music; and Fortune for The Young People's Chorus under the direction of Francisco Nunez. Cuomo composed Only Breath for cello and electronics, commissioned by Maya Beiser for an evening-length program titled Provenance, performed at the Arts & Ideas Festival, the Ravinia Festival, and Carnegie Hall. Other works include A Winter's Journey, a setting of Wilhelm Müller's text for Schubert's Winterreise song cycle, scored for mezzo-soprano, trumpet, cello, and electronics.[10]
In 2010, his work, Black Diamond Express Train to Hell, a double concerto for sampler, cellist Maya Beiser, and orchestra premiered at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall with the American Composers Orchestra.

In 2013, Cuomo's opera, Doubt, based on the John Patrick Shanley play and movie, was premiered at Minnesota Opera. The libretto was written by Mr. Shanley and the cast included Denyce Graves, Christine Brewer, Matthew Worth, and Adriana Zabala. Associated Press called the opera "a success," citing the "gripping"[11] theater experience and the "clearly talented" Cuomo's "ear for subtle dissonance" and "inventive orchestrations."

The Pittsburgh Opera mounted the world premiere of his monodrama for tenor, Savage Winter (originally titled Ashes and Snow), in 2018, with Eric Ferring as the protagonist and Jonathan Moore directing.[12]

Awards

Cuomo has received fellowships and grants from the

MacDowell Colony, and the Hermitage Artist Retreat, and has received three BMI Film & TV Awards. His theme for Sex and the City was chosen by TV Guide as one of the top 50 television themes of all time.[13]

Douglas J. Cuomo's compositions are published by Schott Music.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b [1] Archived October 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Douglas J. Cuomo World Premiere at Carnegie Hall | News Releases | Frost | University of Miami". Miami.edu. 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  3. ^ "Theater in Review - New York Times". The New York Times. 1991-10-30. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  4. ^ The Broadway League. "The official source for Broadway Information". IBDB. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  5. ^ "Douglas J. Cuomo Biography ((?)-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  6. ^ "Composer Douglas Cuomo And His Musical 'Dilemma'". NPR. 2008-11-08. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  7. ^ "BAMezine | Questions for Douglas J. Cuomo (Arjuna's Dilemma)". Bam.org. Archived from the original on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  8. ^ Tommasini, Anthony (2008-11-07). "Music Review - 'Arjuna's Dilemma' - In Douglas J. Cuomo's Opera at BAM Harvey Theater, a Warrior Prince Wrestles With Destiny". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  9. ^ [2] Archived December 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ a b "Douglas J. Cuomo - Profile". Schott Music. 1958-02-13. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  11. ^ "Review: New Opera's Success is Beyond 'Doubt'". 27 January 2013.
  12. ^ Kenny, Mark (February 14, 2018). "Pittsburgh Opera presents world premiere of 'Ashes and Snow'". Trib Live. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  13. ^ "TV Guide: 50 All-Time Favorite TV Themes: Alan Ari Lazar, Chris Seefried, Richard Kosinski: Music". Amazon. Retrieved 2012-02-11.

External links

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