William Bergsma

about

William Laurence Bergsma (April 1, 1921–March 18, 1994) was an American composer. After studying piano with his mother, a former opera singer, and then the viola, Bergsma moved on to study composition; his most significant teachers were Howard Hanson and Bernard Rogers. Bergsma attended Stanford University for two years (1938-40) before moving on to the Eastman School of Music, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees. In 1946 he accepted a position at Juilliard, where he remained until 1963, eventually holding such positions as chair of composition and from 1961-63, associate dean. In 1963 he moved on to the University of Washington, heading the music school until 1971, remaining a professor from then on after stepping down from the administrative post. In 1966 Bergsma founded the Contemporary Group at the University of Washington, which is an organization of composers and musicians who stage performances of new musical works and educate students and the public about contemporary music; the group remains active to this day. He is the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Students of Bergsma include composers Philip Glass, Karl Korte, and Robert Parris. Bergsma's music is noted for its lyrical, contrapuntal qualities. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Bergsma rejected serialism in favor of a more conservative style, though one distinctly rooted in the

top songs

albums

Bergsma: The Voice of Coelacanth & Other Works

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Howard Hanson Conducts Barber, Piston, Griffes, McCauley, Kennan, Bergsma, Eastman-Rochester Orchestra

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As Water Ascends to a Cloud

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The Contemporary Composer in the USA

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Songs by 20th Century American Composers

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American Music Festival

Howard Hanson Conducts American Masterworks

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American Masterworks: Howard Hanson Conducts

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Bergsma: Paul Bunyan Suite

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Music of Luening, Ussachevsky & Bergsma

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Sessions,Bergsma & Smith: Orchestral Works

Howard Hanson conducts American Masterworks (5 CDs)

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