Peter
Schickele is a composer, musician, and author who began his musical journey at
a young age, composing and conducting four orchestral works and many chamber
pieces and songs all before he finished his schooling! He then went on to study
with Roy Harris, Darius Milhaud, and Vincent Persichetti at the Juilliard
School of Music. Known for his works for orchestra, chorus, chamber groups, and
movies and television, Schickele has received commissions from top ensembles
including the National Symphony, the Minnesota Opera, and the Saint Louis
Symphony. Perhaps you’ve heard his score to Where
the Wild Things Are (2009)?
A fan
of James Thurber’s drawings, Peter Schickele was commissioned to write a piece
to help commemorate the 100th anniversary of Thurber’s birth. Have
you heard Thurber’s Dogs? This fun
work finds inspiration in six of Thurber’s dog sketches. Listen to one of the
movements, “Dog Asleep” and view Thurber’s sketch here.
