The Music of David Culross

DAVID CULROSS has had a wide and varied background in music. His early studies included both piano and violin. He received his baccalaureate degree from Olivet Nazarene University. This was followed by his Master of Arts from Illinois State University, where he was elected to Kappa Delta Pi. He continued his studies in composition in the doctoral program at Michigan State University, under Venezuelan composer Ricardo Lorenz.

Mr. Culross has been involved in music education for more than twenty years. He has taught in both public schools and higher education, most recently at Cornerstone University as professor of composition and orchestration. He has been a guest clinician and lecturer across the U.S. and as far away as Slovakia and India.

Mr. Culross began his professional writing career in the field of sacred choral literature. His first published work was in 1972. As a staff writer and editor for Singspiration Music Publishers, he released numerous titles for both adult and children's choirs and orchestra. One of his children's music dramas, Vinegar Boy, was a finalist in the prestigious Dove Awards of the Gospel Music Association. His publications can be found in catalogs of numerous publishers of church music.

In recent years Mr. Culross has turned his writing toward the symphonic arena, including both original compositions and arrangements. He is presently a composer/arranger with with the Grammy-nominated Grand Rapids Symphony (Grand Rapids, MI), where his commissions have included One of Us, and Presidential Portrait, both honoring the late President Gerald R. Ford; Astor Piazzola's Histoire du Tango, premiered by flutist Christopher Kantner (also accepted for performance by internationally acclaimed flutist Luis Julio Toro); and numerous arrangements for both the Classical and Pops Series of the orchestra. In the 2009-2010 season, his arrangements have also been performed by the Detroit Symphony, Lansing Symphony, Flint Symphony, and orchestras in Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Texas and Hawaii, as well as being broadcast on Michigan Public Television. His works have been conducted by Maestros John Varineau, David Lockington, Thomas Wilkins, Enrique Diemecke, and Timothy Muffit, among others.

Mr. Culross had conducted orchestras in both live concerts and recording settings, including the City of Prague Philharmonic, The Peoria (IL) Symphony, and recording orchestras with musicians from the Chicago Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Indianapolis Symphony, and Nashville Symphony, with concertmasters Carl Gorodetzky, Arnie Roth, and Petr Matajek. He will be appearing this season as guest conductor of the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Arad, Romania. He and his wife, Sharon, have two adult sons and five grandchildren.


Original Compositions

ONE OF US

A Tribute To Gerald R Ford
By: David Culross
Description: A tribute to Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of The United States, for narrator and orchestra. Now available in plenty of time for the 100th anniversary of his birth on July 14th. 2013 and the commissioning of the new aircraft carrier named for him in 2015, it is both stirring and touching in its telling of the history of the man who became President during a crisis in our history.
Comments: Commissioned and premiered by The Grand Rapids Symphony.
Instrumentation:3 (3rd dbl Picc)/2+EHn/2+BCl/2 - 4/3/3/1 - Timp, 3 Perc - Harp, Piano, Strings and Narrator.
Duration:8 minutes
Rental Fee:$250 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each).

CHRISTMAS FANTASIA

arranged by David Culross
Description: "He Is Born, The Divine Christ Child," "Patapan," and "Masters In This Hall" take on a new life in this very modern-sounding medley with a definite "Renaissance" twist. Fun for orchestra and audience alike!
Instrumentation:3[1d recorder, 3d picc]/2/2+BCl/2 - 4/3/3/1 - Timpani, 3 percussion, harp, piano-keyboard, and strings.
Duration:4:45
Rental Fee:$260/+$130/+65 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each).
Notes: A CD quality download of this work from the album "Christmas - Old & New" is available at CDBaby, iTunes, and Amazon.com.

FANFARE & CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

arranged by David Culross
Description: After an opening fanfare for brass, which can be performed with antiphonal placement in the balconies we are given new treatments of "Sing We Now Of Christmas," and "Angels We Have Heard On High" for the strings, winds and percussion before the brass rejoin (on stage) for the finale on "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing!"
Instrumentation:3(3d picc)/2/2+ B Cl/2 - 3/3/3/1 - Timpani, 3 percussion, harp, piano-keyboard, and strings.
Duration:4:15
Rental Fee:$240/+$120/+$60 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each).
Notes: This work was commissioned and premiered by the Grand Rapids Symphony in 2010.

REEL KOOL

Arr.: David Culross
Description: Be it a Celtic, Scottish, or American Country theme, this medley of "Reel Saint-Joseph" and "Reel Saint-Antoine" for 2 violins and orchestra will have toes tapping and hands clapping. Add Irish or clog dancers too if you wish... just have fun with this one!
Comments: New for 2011
Instrumentation:2-2-2-2/4-3-3-1/timp +3 perc and strings with 2 solo violins.
Duration:Approximately 3:05
Rental Fee:$180/+$90/+$45 - ($1st perf/+$2nd perf/+$3rd perf or more each).

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