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Kyle Saulnier
In his primary voice as composer of the Awakening Orchestra, Saulnier has composed two symphonies (2010’s this is not the answer. and 2016’s i can see my country from here.), a violin concerto (2014’s to call her to a higher plain.), as well as scores of single-movement compositions, arrangements, and orchestrations. The orchestra’s 2014 debut was called “as rare an achievement as Carla Bley’s Escalator Over the Hill” (All About Jazz), and “a unique and masterful work.” (Cadence Magazine)
Not limited to the jazz and avant-garde realms, Saulnier has composed and arranged for the Metropole Orchestra, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Young the Giant, Francesca Blanchard, Alexei Murdoch, National Geographic Television, the BET Awards, and scores of other varied artists and groups. His catalog includes works for symphony orchestra, studio orchestra, big band, string quartet, brass ensemble, solo piano, and countless combinations of mixed jazz and chamber ensembles.
Gear
shiny horns. sweet basses. cheap pencils.
Tags
Acceleration Due To Gravity: Jonesville
by Pierre Giroux
Bassist, composer and arranger Moppa Elliott's uniquely-titled nonet Acceleration Due To Gravity presents Jonesville a gravity- defying jazz odyssey. It pays a captivating homage to influential bassist Sam Jones by weaving a sonic tapestry which transcends the boundaries of conventional jazz. In this brief seven-track, twenty-one-minute outing, four compositions are by Elliott, with the remainder being Sam Jones' originals. The members of the octet who participated in this unusual musical excursion are trumpeter Bobby Spellman, trombonist Dave Taylor, alto saxophonist ...
read moreMoppa Elliott's Acceleration Due To Gravity: Jonesville
by Mike Jurkovic
Whatever 'script renegade bassist/composer Moppa Elliot takes on a daily basis, he should be made to share with the rest of the world. Whatever that tonic, whatever that pill, whatever that gumbo scented elixir is, let us have it now. Elliot may not want to open up his private stash to the public, but he sure knows how to let it fly in the music he and his nonet--Acceleration Due to Gravity--put forth on the rightly raucous and ...
read moreThe Awakening Orchestra: Volume II: To Call Her to a Higher Plan
by Angelo Leonardi
Tra gli orchestratori e bandleader emersi di recente Kyle Saulnier è uno dei più interessanti. Il suo esordio con l'Awakening Orchestra nel doppio This Is Not the Answer (Innova 2014) ha rappresentato una sorprendente rivelazione per padronanza di scrittura e spregiudicata sintesi di elementi diversi, inclusi il free e il rock. Con un taglio espressivo un po' diverso, il successivo Atticus Live! (Biophilia 2016) ha confermato la versatilità del leader nel coniugare altri mondi musicali (ovvero le musiche ...
read more"Saulnier is a composer and arranger certainly deserving of considerable attention... Astounding movements release the potential power of the orchestra to claim the listener’s attention through dynamic contrasts, engaging themes and superlative individual contributions... each of them is the successful result of Saulnier’s painstaking attention, passionate commitment and talent deserving of much more attention... While it’s tempting to compare Saulnier’s style of flowing long lines and broad sonic spectrums to Gil Evans’s—certainly not a four-beats-to-the-measure percussive big band feel—Saulnier has developed his own orchestral approach. And certainly Saulnier’s works are more message-driven than Evans’s..." - Bill Donaldson, Cadence Magazine, Vol.41 No.3
Primary Instrument
Composer / conductor
Location
Burlington
Credentials/Background
TEACHING POSITIONS: Middlebury College (2021 - pres.) Northern Vermont University (2020-pres.) | Quinnipiac University (2011-pres.) | New England Conservatory (2016-2017) | Bergen Community College (2009-2011)... Available for private composition/theory study at all levels, in-person (post-pandemic) or remote.
Clinic/Workshop Information
Active and available for clinics and masterclasses, specializing in contemporary composition and ensemble direction, with an emphasis in large, cross-genre ensemble work
Photos
Music
Kyle Saulnier
Location: Burlington
Instrument: Composer / conductor
