One of the last students of legendary teacher Nadia Boulanger, David Conte has been Professor of Composition and Conductor of the Conservatory Chorus at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music since 1985, and Composer-in-Residence for the San Francisco theater company Thick Description since 1990.  He is the composer of over seventy published works, including five operas, a musical, works for chorus, solo voice, orchestra, chamber music, organ, piano, guitar, and harp. With composer Todd Boekelheide, Conte co-wrote the film score for the documentary Ballets Russes, shown at the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals in 2005, (now available on DVD) and composed the music for the PBS documentary, Orozco: Man of Fire in 2006, shown on the American Masters Series in the fall of 2007.

NPR interview: David Conte and John Stirling Walker on Majora Carter's "The Promised Land"
discuss "The Homecoming: In Memoriam Martin Luther King"

or visit www.thepromisedland.org for more info

pause music "Fantasy for Orchestra"

The Ives String Quartet plays David Conte's String Quartet No. 2, fifth movement

Upcoming Highlights
(click news for complete listing)

Wed., February 15th, 2012; 8PM
World premiere:  "I Dream A World" for Chorus and String Orchestra
Commissioned for the centennial of the city of Shaker Heights, OH
Shaker Heights High School Chorus and Orchestra
Robert Schneider and Donna Jelen, music directors

Friday, April 20th, 2012; 8PM
World Premiere: "O Setting Sun" for a cappella chorus
Madison Chamber Choir;  Anthony Cao, conductor
First United Methodist Church; 203 Wisconsin Ave; Madison WI
http://www.madisonchamberchoir.com/

Sat, Sun, Mon, April 27th, 28th, 29th, 2012
World Premiere:  "Songs of Love and War" for TTBB Chorus and Piano four-hands
Golden Gate Men's Chorus; Joseph Piazza, conductor
http://www.ggmc.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=categoriesdetailed&Itemid=54

Sun, May 27th, 2012
World Premiere:  "Facing West" for a cappella chorus
Commissioned for the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge
International Orange Chorale; Zane Fiala, conductor
http://www.iocsf.org/

 

New Publications

all works published by E. C. Schirmer Music Company

Ubi Caritas #7426 (SATB) $1.95

Christmas Intrada #7418 (SATB, TTBB, SSAA, organ or/organ with brass/perc.) $2.80

A Bell #7730 (SATB Chorus and Organ) (audio - 3:37) $1.95
Harvard University Choir, Edward Elwyn, conductor; Christian Lane, organist

The Homecoming #7348 (SATB Chorus; Chanticleer commission) $2.25

I Love the Lord #7370 (SATB Chorus, Organ) $1.95

Blessing #7347 (SATB Chorus, Keyboard) $1.55

Irish Blessing #7038 (SATB a cappella) $1.50

Three Mystical Hymns
1. By Night While Others Soundly Slept #6878 (SATB a cappella)
2. Infinity #6879 (SATB a cappella)
3. In Heaven Sounding Up #6880 (SATB; organ)

Two Hymns in Honor the the Blessed Sacrament #6598 (SATB a cappella) $2.15
1. O Salutaris hostia
2. Tantum Ergo 

Nunc Dimittis #6045 (in English; SATB; organ) $2.05

New CD

"I positively reviewed Conte's opera 'Firebird Motel' in a previous issue...
here is a different side of the composer, the liturgical side...
Conte's expertise in choral writing is underscored by his 'Two Hymns'...
his restrained "Ave Maria" is a beautiful piece of writing...
his work is all the more effective for its simplicity."
Colin Clarke, Fanfare Magazine

Music for Chorus and Organ
Christ Church Schola Cantorum
Stephen Kennedy, Conductor; David Higgs, Organ
Arsis Recordings, 2008
(click to listen to excerpts)
O Salutaris hostia (2:41)
The Snow Lay On the Ground (3:45)