Biography
A Singular Vision.
A Distinctly American Experience.
A Unique Voice in Modern Music.
Leslie Savoy Burrs has been acclaimed as an award-winning performer, composer and educator. Mr. Burrs was commissioned by NewCourtland Elder Services to write the opera TRANSITIONS: SUNG STORIES. An excerpted live performance of this opera was presented at the 2012 national OPERA America Conference in Philadelphia, PA. In addition Mr. Burrs was invited by OPERA America to be a guest panelist for their Creative Aging seminar presented at the conference. This session demonstrated the unique model Mr. Burrs established to address an effective approach that combines opera, the humanities and community engagement while
contributing a new work to the American opera repertoire. A documentary film created by ONI was also presented at the seminar. The documentary highlights Mr. Burrs’ methodology for engaging senior citizens in residential settings through interactive music workshops.
In 2008 Leslie Burrs collaborated with the international award winning author, poet, and sculptor Barbara Chase Riboud to create the opera Portrait Of A Nude Woman As Cleopatra based on Ms. Riboud’s award winning book of poetry of the same name. This work premiered June 2008 with a subsequent CD recording release on iTunes by Opera North, Inc. Presents, August 2012. Mr. Burrs has many commissions to his credit, two of which resulted in a new American opera titled Vanqui for Opera/Columbus with a grant from the Lila Wallace Readers Digest Foundation and The Geron Fantasy for Orchestra for the Charleston Symphony with a grant award from Meet the Composer. He has appeared as guest soloist and composer with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore, Atlanta, Louisville, New Jersey and Richmond Symphonies Orchestras. He is the recipient of the 2007 and 2004 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship Grant. In 2002, Mr. Burrs was the first composer ever to receive the National Opera Association’s coveted Legacy Award for his American opera, Vanqui. Mr. Burrs has served as artist-in-residence at major universities, colleges and arts councils throughout the United States. As an administrator Mr. Burrs has had success coordinating, fund raising and producing concert events and nonprofit organization cultural activities over the course of twenty-five years.
A Distinctly American Experience.
A Unique Voice in Modern Music.
Leslie Savoy Burrs has been acclaimed as an award-winning performer, composer and educator. Mr. Burrs was commissioned by NewCourtland Elder Services to write the opera TRANSITIONS: SUNG STORIES. An excerpted live performance of this opera was presented at the 2012 national OPERA America Conference in Philadelphia, PA. In addition Mr. Burrs was invited by OPERA America to be a guest panelist for their Creative Aging seminar presented at the conference. This session demonstrated the unique model Mr. Burrs established to address an effective approach that combines opera, the humanities and community engagement while
contributing a new work to the American opera repertoire. A documentary film created by ONI was also presented at the seminar. The documentary highlights Mr. Burrs’ methodology for engaging senior citizens in residential settings through interactive music workshops.
In 2008 Leslie Burrs collaborated with the international award winning author, poet, and sculptor Barbara Chase Riboud to create the opera Portrait Of A Nude Woman As Cleopatra based on Ms. Riboud’s award winning book of poetry of the same name. This work premiered June 2008 with a subsequent CD recording release on iTunes by Opera North, Inc. Presents, August 2012. Mr. Burrs has many commissions to his credit, two of which resulted in a new American opera titled Vanqui for Opera/Columbus with a grant from the Lila Wallace Readers Digest Foundation and The Geron Fantasy for Orchestra for the Charleston Symphony with a grant award from Meet the Composer. He has appeared as guest soloist and composer with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore, Atlanta, Louisville, New Jersey and Richmond Symphonies Orchestras. He is the recipient of the 2007 and 2004 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship Grant. In 2002, Mr. Burrs was the first composer ever to receive the National Opera Association’s coveted Legacy Award for his American opera, Vanqui. Mr. Burrs has served as artist-in-residence at major universities, colleges and arts councils throughout the United States. As an administrator Mr. Burrs has had success coordinating, fund raising and producing concert events and nonprofit organization cultural activities over the course of twenty-five years.
COMMISSIONS AND AWARDS
• 2009 Commissioned by NewCourtland Elder Services to write the opera TRANSITIONS: (SUNG STORIES), based on the life experiences of residents of NewCourtland Elder Services - premiered in Philadelphia, PA December 2009.
• 2008 Commissioned by Opera North, Inc. to write the opera Egypt’s Nights, based on the award winning book of poetry; Portrait Of A Nude Woman As Cleopatra by Barbara Chase-Riboud-premiered in Philadelphia, PA June 2008.
• 2007 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship Grant
• 2005 Philadelphia Music Project Award for Opera North's production of VANQUI.
• Recipient of the 2004 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship Grant.
• Recipient of the 2002 Legacy Award from the National Opera Association for composing the opera VANQUI. The first composer to receive this award.
• Commissioned by Denison University in 2001 to compose a three movement work for orchestra and gospel choir entitled DECLARATIONS OF JOY. This work premiered at Denison University December 2001.
• Awarded the 5-County Arts Fund Grant from the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance for the 2001-02 season.
• Commissioned by the contemporary music ensemble Relache to compose VOYEURISTIC ABSURDITIES (FROM MINGUS TO DIALLO). This work premiered in Philadelphia March 2001.
• Commissioned by OPERA/COLUMBUS to compose the award winning two-act opera VANQUI. VANQUI premiered in Columbus, Ohio October 1999.
• 1998 Artist-In-Residence for the Marin Symphony Orchestra, CA.
• Featured Guest Composer and Performer at the Sorbonne University, Paris, France for the International African American Music and Europe Conference.
• 1996 Composer-In-Residence at the Lancaster Festival, Ohio.
• Commissioned by CHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA to compose a three movement symphonic work entitled, THE GERON FANTASY FOR ORCHESTRA (grant awarded by Meet the Composer, Inc.).
• Commissioned by MAX ROACH to compose a work for string quartet for the UPTOWN STRING QUARTET (SONG FOR WINNIE recorded on Philips Records)
• 2009 Commissioned by NewCourtland Elder Services to write the opera TRANSITIONS: (SUNG STORIES), based on the life experiences of residents of NewCourtland Elder Services - premiered in Philadelphia, PA December 2009.
• 2008 Commissioned by Opera North, Inc. to write the opera Egypt’s Nights, based on the award winning book of poetry; Portrait Of A Nude Woman As Cleopatra by Barbara Chase-Riboud-premiered in Philadelphia, PA June 2008.
• 2007 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship Grant
• 2005 Philadelphia Music Project Award for Opera North's production of VANQUI.
• Recipient of the 2004 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship Grant.
• Recipient of the 2002 Legacy Award from the National Opera Association for composing the opera VANQUI. The first composer to receive this award.
• Commissioned by Denison University in 2001 to compose a three movement work for orchestra and gospel choir entitled DECLARATIONS OF JOY. This work premiered at Denison University December 2001.
• Awarded the 5-County Arts Fund Grant from the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance for the 2001-02 season.
• Commissioned by the contemporary music ensemble Relache to compose VOYEURISTIC ABSURDITIES (FROM MINGUS TO DIALLO). This work premiered in Philadelphia March 2001.
• Commissioned by OPERA/COLUMBUS to compose the award winning two-act opera VANQUI. VANQUI premiered in Columbus, Ohio October 1999.
• 1998 Artist-In-Residence for the Marin Symphony Orchestra, CA.
• Featured Guest Composer and Performer at the Sorbonne University, Paris, France for the International African American Music and Europe Conference.
• 1996 Composer-In-Residence at the Lancaster Festival, Ohio.
• Commissioned by CHARLESTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA to compose a three movement symphonic work entitled, THE GERON FANTASY FOR ORCHESTRA (grant awarded by Meet the Composer, Inc.).
• Commissioned by MAX ROACH to compose a work for string quartet for the UPTOWN STRING QUARTET (SONG FOR WINNIE recorded on Philips Records)
LESLIE SAVOY BURRS
• GUEST COMPOSER AND SOLOIST: Opera America Conference, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Baltimore, Louisville, New Jersey, Richmond, Charleston, Syracuse, Saginaw Symphony Orchestras, Southeast Symphony of Alaska, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Duke Ellington Band, Grover Washington Jr., Moers Jazz Festival in Germany and West German Radio.
• GUEST ARTIST AT VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES performing Burrs' works: Ohio State, Virginia Commonwealth, Capital, Howard, Temple, Drexel, Norfolk State, St. Lawrence, Henderson State Universities, Haverford College, University of Miami, Wooster College, Elizabethtown College, Bryn Mawr College.
• ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMS/LECTURES: University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, Wharton School of the University of P A., Alfred University, Buffalo State College, Fulton County School District, GA, Baltimore School District, Cuyahoga Community College, OH, Westark Community College, AR, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, Syracuse University, University of New Hampshire, East Carolina University, Emory University, Philadelphia Orchestra Education Department, York City School District, the Arts Councils of PA., Richmond, Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami and Ketchikan, AK.
• PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVMENTS: Featured in BLACK CLASSICAL MUSICIANS IN PHILADELPHIA a book of “oral histories covering four generations” by Elaine Mack Published by Writing Our World Press 2009 and BLACK AMERICAN MUSIC: PAST AND PRESENT, a prominent two-volume book on the history of Black American music by Hildred Roach, published by Robert E. Krieger Publishing Co. Meet the Composer Music Advisory Panel, PA Council on the Arts, Music Advisory Panel, Executive Director of Opera North, Inc.
• GUEST COMPOSER AND SOLOIST: Opera America Conference, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Baltimore, Louisville, New Jersey, Richmond, Charleston, Syracuse, Saginaw Symphony Orchestras, Southeast Symphony of Alaska, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Duke Ellington Band, Grover Washington Jr., Moers Jazz Festival in Germany and West German Radio.
• GUEST ARTIST AT VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES performing Burrs' works: Ohio State, Virginia Commonwealth, Capital, Howard, Temple, Drexel, Norfolk State, St. Lawrence, Henderson State Universities, Haverford College, University of Miami, Wooster College, Elizabethtown College, Bryn Mawr College.
• ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMS/LECTURES: University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, Wharton School of the University of P A., Alfred University, Buffalo State College, Fulton County School District, GA, Baltimore School District, Cuyahoga Community College, OH, Westark Community College, AR, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, Syracuse University, University of New Hampshire, East Carolina University, Emory University, Philadelphia Orchestra Education Department, York City School District, the Arts Councils of PA., Richmond, Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami and Ketchikan, AK.
• PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVMENTS: Featured in BLACK CLASSICAL MUSICIANS IN PHILADELPHIA a book of “oral histories covering four generations” by Elaine Mack Published by Writing Our World Press 2009 and BLACK AMERICAN MUSIC: PAST AND PRESENT, a prominent two-volume book on the history of Black American music by Hildred Roach, published by Robert E. Krieger Publishing Co. Meet the Composer Music Advisory Panel, PA Council on the Arts, Music Advisory Panel, Executive Director of Opera North, Inc.