David Froom

Froom was born in 1951 in California. After playing rock music in a band with guitarist Gary Pihl and his brother Mitchell Froom, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. As a graduate student, he studied under William Kraft, Humphrey Searle and Robert Linn (composer) at the University of Southern California, earning a Master of Music Composition degree in 1978. In 1984, he earned a D.M.A. degree in composition from Columbia University, where he studied with Mario Davidovsky and Chou Wen-chung. He had a Fulbright grant for study at Cambridge University, where he studied with Alexander Goehr,[10] and fellowships to the Tanglewood Music Festival, the Wellesley Composers Conference, and MacDowell Colony.

Froom wrote music for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and orchestra, with and without voice. His music has been performed extensively throughout the United States by major orchestras, ensembles, and soloists, including, among many others, the Louisville, Seattle, Utah, League/ISCM, and Chesapeake Symphony Orchestras, the United States Marine and Navy Bands, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the 21st Century Consort, Boston Musica Viva, the New York New Music Ensemble, the Haydn Trio Eisenstadt, and the Aurelia Saxophone Quartet. His music has been heard in performance in England, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Holland, Cyprus, China, Australia, and New Zealand.[10]

His music has been described as “intensely dramatic yet deeply formal,”[11] “intellectually engaging, explosive with imagination and with a satisfying visceral power,”[12] balancing “diatonic pastoralism with acerbic angularity, Stravinskian rhythmic urgency with lyrical counterpoint.”[13] Among his most critically acclaimed works are “Circling,”[14] Sonata for Solo Violin,[15] 2nd Piano Trio,[16] and Amichai Songs.[17] Among his most frequently performed music is his saxophone music, which includes a saxophone quartet, “Flying High” for solo alto saxophone, and “Arirang Variations” for alto saxophone, bassoon, and piano. All of his works, are published by the American Composers Alliance.[9]

Froom's work has, since 1991, appeared regularly on the concerts of the 21st Century Consort, the new music ensemble-in-residence at the Smithsonian Institution. They have premiered and recorded many of his works.[18]

Froom was married to pianist Eliza Garth. They share two daughters, Rosalie and Ana.[19]

Froom's awards include the following:[9]

• Shepherd Distinguished Composer of the Year (Music Teachers National Association)[20]
• Academy Award, American Academy of Arts and Letters
• Fromm Foundation at Harvard Commission
• Barlow Foundation at Brigham Young University Commission
• Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship
• Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award (five times)
• Koussevitzky Foundation Commission from the Library of Congress
• National Endowment for the Arts Composition Fellowship
• Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards First Prize
• Composition Fellow to the Composers Conference at Wellesley
• Fulbright-Hays Program Grant for study at Cambridge University (England)
• Charles Ives Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters

Groom's notable works include:[9]

• “David Froom” by Perry Goldstein, in The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd ed., 2013
• “Trusting the Connections” by Alexandra Gardner, Spotlight Profile in New Music Box, April 18, 2012[33]
• “A stylistic analysis of three flute pieces by David Froom: Circling for flute and clarinet, To Dance to the Whistling Wind for solo flute, and Lightscapes for flute and piano” by Candice Behrmann, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, DMA dissertation, 2010[34]
• “Flute and Clarinet Together” by Joanna Cowan White in Flute Talk, September 2009[35]
• “David Froom: MTNA/Shepherd Distinguished Composer 2006” by Ann Rivers Witherspoon in American Music Teacher, June–July, 2007[36]
• “David Froom” by Perry Goldstein, in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., 2001

• David Froom, “The Emerging Generation,” keynote article in Contemporary Music Review, Volume 10, Part 1.[37]
• David Froom, “Looking Back, Looking Forward,” and “Composed in Southern Maryland,” River Gazette, volume 10, no. 3, Fall 2010[38]
• David Froom, “Classical Music to Unite a Community” New Music Box, July 20, 2011[39]

• Official website
• Profile at the American Composers Alliance