Donald Scott Stinson

Lecturer

Phone:
(305) 284-2161 x7607
Locator Code:
7610

 
About

About Me

Quote

“Teaching music for me is all about the transference of one’s own legacy of inherited knowledge from the truly great musical masters of the past -- the John Eatons, Joseph Gingolds, and Janos Starkers whose teachings about music -- and life -- I am conscious and mindful of every day.”

Biography

Scott Stinson is a lecturer of music at the Frost School Of Music. An innovative musician and composer, he recently staged the large ensemble premiere of Agopolis Metropolis, part of a special consortium of works for wind ensemble and chorus by four composers, including Orlando Garcia, Sydney Guillaume and Steve Danyew that was organized by conductor Brenton Alston at Florida International University in October 2016. His two previous works for winds, Cog (2011) and Rage Against the Machine (2014), were both premiered by the FROST Wind Ensemble under conductors Thomas Sleeper and Gary Green.

Iksander, a composition for multi-percussion, will be premiered in May 2017 at McGill University in Montreal, Canada by percussionist Peter White. Other current compositional projects include a concerto for piano and orchestra, as well as an operatic work based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

At age 24, Professor Stinson was given an early performance of his opera Tutankhamen by the Indiana University opera studio. That in turn led to further compositional exploration of microtonal and extended instrumental techniques. In addition, his interests in research have focused on Arabic influences on Western musical culture, as well as the effects of modern electronic media and devices on the human brain and cognition.

When not teaching composition, orchestration, counterpoint and other theory courses at the FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC, he spends as much time as possible playing chess, board games and puzzles, as well as reading historical biographies, especially those of English monarchs. He is especially proud that two of his recent composition students -- Steve Danyew (2006) and Paul Mortilla -- were B.M.I. award winners in 2016.

A graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Professor Stinson studied composition with microtonalist opera composer and electronic music pioneer John Eaton. His other influences include such notable contemporary composers as Thomas Ades, Mathias Pintscher, Sofia Gubaidulina and Kaija Saariaho.

Career

Honors & Acknowledgements

Professional Experience


Career Highlights

  • At age 24, received a performance of his opera Tutankhamen by the Indiana University opera studio
  • Selected for performance at College Music Society 2013 International conference in      
  • Buenos Aires, Argentina (Matchpoint: A Matrimonial duo for violin and cello) 
  • Selected for performance at College Music Society 2009 International conference in      
  • Dubrovnik, Croatia (Miso No Koro, for 3 flutes tuned in microtones)
  • Staged the large ensemble premiere of Agopolis Metropolis, part of a special consortium of works for wind ensemble and chorus by four composers that was organized by conductor Brenton Alston at Florida International University
  • Two previous works for winds, Cog (2011) and Rage Against the Machine (2014), were both premiered by the FROST Wind Ensemble
  • Iksander, a composition for multi-percussion, will be premiered in May 2017 at McGill University in Montreal, Canada by percussionist Peter White

Honors, Awards & Competitions

  • Two composition students were (have been) B.M.I. award winners; Steven Danyew in 2006 and Paul Mortilla in 2016

Compositions

  • Iksander: solo multi-percussion (2017)
  • Lamentations of Ophelia: chamber orchestra (2017)
  • Funky Monks: 2 Bass-clarinets (2017)
  • Agopolis Metropolis: Wind Ensemble (2016)
  • Ukrainian Carol: Brass quintet (2016)
  • Rage Against The Machine: Wind Ensemble (2014)
  • Hey ho, nobody home:Trombone choir (2014 rev.)
  • Thor: solo multi –percussion (2013)
  • Matchpoint: for violin and cello (2008)
  • Throb: 8 percussionists (2007)
  • Miso No Koro: 3 flutes tuned in microtones (2006)