John Mackey (born October 1, 1973) is an American composer of contemporary classical music, with an emphasis on music for wind band, as well as orchestra. For several years, he focused on music for modern dance and ballet.
Biography
John Mackey was born in New Philadelphia, Ohio and grew up in Westerville, Ohio, where he attended Westerville South High School. Though musicians themselves, Mackey's parents did not provide him with music lessons, and he never formally studied an instrument. His grandfather, however, taught him to read music and introduced him to digital music notation. Through experimentation with programs intended for entertainment rather than education, Mackey began to compose his own music.[1] He wrote his first piece, Lacrimosa, at age 11, after being inspired by the film Amadeus. As a young composer, he took some lessons from one of his mother's friends, who had a Ph.D. in music.[2]
Mackey received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1995 from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with Donald Erb. He then studied with John Corigliano at Juilliard, receiving a Master of Music degree in 1997.[3][4] Mackey has stated his support for these institutions' policies of not requiring composers to perform an instrumental audition, as many composers, like himself, do not play an instrument. On this subject, Mackey has said, "There are obviously ways to compose music without playing a formal instrument."[1]
Mackey lived in New York City from 1995 to 2005, where he collaborated frequently with choreographers such as David Parsons, Robert Battle, and Igal Perry.[5] Mackey moved to Los Angeles in 2005. In April 2008, he announced on his blog his intention to move to Austin, Texas, explaining that much of his income is a result of commissions and other appearances in the Texas area.[6] Then in March 2011, Mackey posted a blog to announce his move to Cambridge, Massachusetts in order for his wife to attend graduate school.[7] In 2019, he moved with his wife to San Francisco, California, where he currently resides.
Concert band
Mackey's first professional work was writing for dance companies. However, after attending the College Band Directors National Association conference in Minneapolis, he received a commission to reorchestrate his 2003 orchestral work "Redline Tango" for concert band. After reluctantly accepting, he completed the concert band version in 2005, and it became a great success.[2] Today, Mackey is world-renowned as a concert band composer, and most of his works from the past decade have been for concert band.[8] He regularly receives commissions from high school bands, college bands, and professional wind ensembles in the United States and Asia.[5]
Night on Fire – adaptable (2021), minimum 4-parts (SATB) plus one percussionist
Choir
Alleluia (1992), for 5-part choir (S1, S2, A, T, B)
The Rumor of a Secret King (2017), for SATB choir; text by A. E. Jaques
Cradle Song (2021), for SATB choir; text by A. E. Jaques
Chamber ensemble
Elegy and Fantasie (1989, 1991), for violin and piano
Tango (1991), for viola and two pianos
Mom Song (1991), for flute, guitar, cello, and harpsichord
Piano Trio in Two Movements (1992), for violin, cello, and piano
The Other Side (1994), for double bass or cello and piano
Mood Indigo (1996), for piano and drum set
Strange Humors (1998), for string quartet and djembe
Damn (1998), for amplified clarinet and four percussionists
Voices and Echoes (1999), for string quartet
Rush Hour (1999, revised 2000), for clarinet, electric string quartet, and drum set
Breakdown Tango (2000), for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
Juba (2003), for electric string quartet and percussion
Wrong-Mountain Stomp (2004), for violin, viola, and cello
Mass (2004), for percussion ensemble
Strange Humors (2008),[note 5] for saxophone quartet and djembe
Sultana (2009), for saxophone and piano
Strange Humors (2012),[note 5] for clarinet quartet and djembe
Unquiet Spirits (2012), for saxophone quartet
Hymn to a Blue Hour (2012),[note 2] for trombone ensemble
Songs from the End of the World (2015),[note 11] for vocal soprano and mixed chamber ensemble;[note 12] text by A. E. Jaques; a piano reduction is available as of 2017.
Hymn to a Blue Hour (2021),[note 2] for minimum 16-part ensemble[note 13]
^ abcTranscription of concert band version. Transcription by the composer.
^Transcription of chamber ensemble version. Transcription by the composer.
^Transcription of orchestra version. Transcription by the composer.
^ abcTranscription of string quartet version. Transcription by the composer.
^Transcription of saxophone quartet version. Transcription by the composer.
^An adaptation of "The attentions of souls", the third movement of Mackey's "Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band".
^An adaptation of "Immortal Thread, So Weak", the second movement of Mackey's "Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band".
^Transcription of choir version. Transcription by the composer.
^An adaptation of "Hubris", the first movement of Mackey's "Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band".
^Third movement, "At Sea", is a transcription of "Immortal Thread, So Weak", the second movement of Mackey's "Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band". Transcription by the composer.
^Flute, Alto Flute, Oboe, English Horn, 2 Clarinets in Bb, 2 Bass Clarinets, Contrabass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, Double Bass, Harp, Piano, 3 percussionists (marimba, vibraphone, bass drum, and suspended cymbal)
