Laurie Conrad is a pianist and composer living in Ithaca, NY. Her music is performed all over the world by professional performers and ensembles, as well as on radio and television. Some of her honors include: Who’s Who in American Music, The International Who’s Who in Music (Cambridge), Who’s Who
in American Pianists, The International Encyclopedia of Women Composers, The Dictionary of International Biography and Marquis’ Who’s Who in America. For more information on the composer and her music see: http://www.aristopia.com.
Conrad has also been writing A Composer’s Journal, a series of writings about her music and her life as an artist on http://www.buzzle.com.

Conrad was a piano protege of the teacher Josephine Dixon, and by the age of fourteen years old was also playing clarinet professionally in several professional orchestras on Long Island. She has toured both as a pianist and as a composer and given many lecture-concerts on her music and the music of
other composers. A composition student of Karel Husa at Ithaca College (B.A. and M.M. degrees), and a recipient of various grants, Conrad established the Ithaca Contemporary players in 1977. This group, which existed until 1991, was devoted to playing her music and toured the American East Coast.

Music: Short List of Published Works: Song Cycles for soprano, baritone, mezzo voices and piano; Songs of Will (1976) (mezzo); Tonight the Moon (1978) (sop.); Far Lightning (1978) for soprano and cello; Elegies (1994) for mezzo & piano; Song cycles for voice & chamber instruments: Preludes (1982) (mezzo & bar.); The Gates of Dawn (1982) (sop. & bar.); L’Apparition (1983) (sop. & bar.); The Visitor (1982) (bar.voice, flute and cello); Concerto for Clarinet & Orchestra (1984, revised 1994); For unaccompanied solo cello: Pensees (1981); For Two Pianos (1983): Mt. I. Innocence, Mt. II. Des Prieres des Anges (The Prayers of the Angels), Mt. III. La Guerre (The War): dedicated to George King Driscoll & in memory of the Innocent Victims of World War II; For unaccompanied solo violin: Jeux (1986), Aurore (1986); For unaccompanied solo Viola: Fantasie (1991), Le Printemps (1991); Unsung Songs: Unsung Song #1 for piano and chamber strings, Unsung Song #2 for solo piano, Unsung Song #3 for piano and optional baritone voice, in memory of Louise McConnell (1996).

More recent works, unpublished: Visions (2001), nine pieces for harp and flute; Images (2002), cycle for flute, harp and viola (2002); Songs for two voices, string quartet & harp, (2002); Chansons du Monde (revised 2003) dedicated to Peace Among Nations — for full orch., choir and soloists; Elegie (2003) dedicated to all the innocent victims of the Iraqi/U.S. War — one movement for string quintet; String Quintet #2 in three movements, Andante, Allegro & Dance (2004). Contact: www.figarobooks.com.

(Contribution by <figaro@clarityconnect.com>.)