John Musto

John Musto (born 1954) is an American composer and pianist. As a composer, he is active in opera, orchestral and chamber music, song, vocal ensemble, and solo piano works. As a pianist, he performs frequently as a soloist, alone and with orchestra, as a chamber musician, and with singers.

Career Born in 1954 in Brooklyn, New York, Musto studied at the Manhattan School of Music. After graduation from the conservatory with a reputation as a pianist, his compositions began to draw increasing attention and frequent performances. His long association with such institutions as the New York Festival of Song, the Wolf Trap Opera Company, the Caramoor Festival, Copland House, the Miller Theatre at Columbia University, and the Moab Festival have given him stable bases of operation and numerous commissions.

He served as composer-in-residence at Caramoor for the 2005-2006 season.

In 1986, he began to build a catalogue of published compositions at Peermusic Classical, which continues to grow steadily.

Personal In 1984 John Musto married the soprano Amy Burton, a member of the New York City and Metropolitan Opera companies. He often appears with her as pianist in recital, cabaret and on recordings. Their son Joshua was born in 1994.

Worklist

Orchestra

Overture to Pope Joan (1998) full orchestra Passacaglia (2003) large orchestra Sinfonietta (2015) chamber orchestra

Piano and orchestra

Piano Concerto 1 (2005) piano solo with full orchestra; premiered at Caramoor with the composer at the piano Bastianello (2008) comic opera in one act with a libretto by Mark Campbell The Inspector (2011), comic opera with a libretto by Mark Campbell based on Gogol

Chamber music

Piano Trio (1998) violin, violoncello and piano Divertimento (1999) flute, clarinet, viola, violoncello, piano and percussion Clarinet Sextet (2001) clarinet, string quartet and piano Sonata for Violoncello and Piano (2019) Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (2020) Quintet for Piano and String Quartet (2022) Sonata for Violin and Piano (2023) Piano solo

Five Concert Rags (1991-8) Improvisation and Fugue (2008)

Two pianos

Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story" (arr. 1998) Passacaglia (arr. 2009)

Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue (St. Anne) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to The Magic Flute

Vocal chamber music

The Old Gray Couple (1994) soprano, baritone with piano four-hands The Book of Uncommon Prayer (2001) SATB with piano River Songs (2002) baritone, violoncello and piano Another Place (2016) Soprano and String Quartet

Choral

Starsong (1997) SATB, harp and two horns Five Motets (2001) a capella mixed chorus Ah, May the Red Rose Live Alway (2016) [arrangement SATB] ...a silence that speaks (2017) a capella mixed chorus

Voice and piano

Two by Frost (1986) Canzonettas (1984) Enough Rope (1985) Shadow of the Blues (1986) Recuerdo (1988) Quiet Songs (1990) Dove Sta Amore (1996) Penelope (2000) Viva Sweet Love (2005) The Brief Light (2010) Scottish Songs (2013) Another Place (2016) Be Music, Night (2017)

Single songs Triolet (1987) Lament (1988) Heartbeats (1992) Flamenco (2000) I Stop Writing the Poem (2001) Old Photograph (2001) San Jose Symphony Reception (2001) Words To Be Spoken (2001) Nude at the Piano (2003) Summer Stars (2012) Sarah's Song (2012) Nightsong (2018)