Barbara Kolb

Barbara Kolb (February 10, 1938 – October 21, 2024) was an American composer and educator, the first woman to win the Rome Prize in musical composition. Her music features sound masses of colorful textures, impressionistic sounds and atonal vocabulary, with influences from literary and visual arts. She taught at the Third Street Music School Settlement, Rhode Island College and Eastman School of Music.

Life and music Kolb was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 10, 1938 (many sources erroneously state her birth year as 1939). As her father was the music director of WTIC there, she was exposed to music early, meeting musicians. She went to jazz clubs with her parents. At the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood, she studied composition with Lukas Foss and Gunther Schuller. Following her graduation, Kolb relocated to Vienna, Austria, from 1966 to 1967 with a Fulbright Fellowship grant. Kolb's composition Soundings was premiered by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in 1972. It was performed in a revised version for orchestra in 1975, played by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Pierre Boulez, with the orchestra positioned in three groups on the stage.

From 1979 to 1982, Kolb served as the artistic director of contemporary music at the Third Street Music School Settlement, where she presented the "Music New to New York" concert series, a series that featured composers from outside New York City. She received the 1987 Kennedy Center Friedheim Award for it, and it became performed at major venues Amsterdam, Helsinki, Vienna, Montreal and Tokyo.

Kolb composed All in Good Time on a commission from New York Philharmonic for its 150th anniversary in 1993.

Compositions Kolb's music was sometimes inspired by literary and visual arts. It features sound masses, often in vertical structures through simultaneous rhythmic or melodic units (motifs or figures). Kolb's musical style can be identified by her use of colorful textures, impressionistic touch, and atonal vocabulary.

Three Medieval Chants for saxophone quartet, 2005–2018 Aubade for mandolin orchestra, 2003 The Web Spinner for chamber orchestra, 2003 Antoine's Tango for piano, 2001 Introduction and Allegro for wind band, 2001 Virgo Mater Creatrix (Virgin Mother Creatrix) for a cappella choir , 1998 New York Moonglow, ballet, for ensemble, 1995 Sidebars for bassoon and piano, 1995/96 Turnabout in one movement, for flute and piano, 1994 In Memory of David Huntley for string quartet, 1994 All in Good Time for orchestra, 1993 Cloudspin (Cumulus) for organ, 1991, rev. 2007 Voyants for piano and chamber orchestra, 1991 Monticello Trio in two movements, for piano trio, 1991 Extremes for flute and cello, 1988/89 The Enchanted Loom in three untitled movements, for orchestra, 1988/89 Broken Slurs for guitar, 1988 Yet That Things Go Round for chamber orchestra, 1987 Umbrian Colors for guitar and violin, 1986 Time... And Again for oboe, string quartet and computer-generated sounds, 1985 Cavatina for violin or viola solo, 1983, rev. 1985 Millefoglie for ensemble and tape, 1984/85 Cantico for electronics, 1982 Related Characters for clarinet (or trumpet, or saxophone, or viola) and piano, 1982 The Point that Divides the Wind for organ, four percussionists, and three male voices, 1982 Three Lullabies for guitar, 1980 Chromatic Fantasy for narrator and six instruments, 1979 Grisaille for orchestra, 1978/79 Homage to Keith Jarrett and Gary Burton for flute and vibraphone, 1976 Appello for piano, 1976 Songs Before an Adieu for soprano, flute/alto flute, and guitar, 1976–79 Looking for Claudio for guitar and pre-recorded tape, 1975 Spring River Flowers Moon Night for two pianos and pre-recorded tape, 1974/75 Soundings for orchestra, 1971/72, rev. 1975, 1978 Soundings for chamber ensemble and pre-recorded tape, 1971/72 Solitaire for piano and pre-recorded tape, 1971 Toccata for harpsichord and pre-recorded tape, 1971 Trobar Clos for chamber ensemble, 1970 Crosswinds for wind ensemble and percussion, 1969 Rebuttal for two clarinets, 1965

Early works not in the Boosey & Hawkes catalogue include: Barbara Kolb: Soundings and Other Works (1990). Ensemble intercontemporain conducted by Arthur Tamayo; Igor Kipnis, harpsichord; Jay Gottlieb, piano, etc.; includes Kolb's Soundings (1971–72), Toccata (1971), Appello (1976), Looking for Claudio (1975), and Spring River Flowers Moon Night (1974–75) (Composers Recordings Inc. CD 576).

Other albums Related Characters – featuring Bill Perconti, James March, and Iowa Brass Quintet – includes Kolb's Related Characters for alto saxophone and piano (1982) (Centaur). American Orchestra Works – featuring the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra conducted by Carlos Kalmar – includes Kolb's All in Good Time (1993) (Cedille).