Sonata No. 2
Piccolo and Piano
Following the widespread popularity of his first piccolo sonata, Gary Schocker has given piccoloists Sonata No. 2, also premiered at the NFA’s annual convention by Zart Dombourian-Eby. Bringing a poetically evocative set of titles to the A-B-A sonata movement structure, with hints of military band flavor in the finale, Schocker offers the movements In My Head, In My Heart, and In My Uniform. For advanced performers. Dur.: 10'30"
Sonata No. 8
Flute and Piano
The new Sonata No. 8 is a celebration in four movements, each descriptively named (I. Jigsaw; II. Caffeinated; III. Float Out; IV. Scatter). The interplay between flute and piano is joyous and reinforces the idea that a good performance should be fun! For advanced performers.
Christmas in Minor Keys
Flute and Piano
Schocker has chosen three familiar Christmas melodies, all in minor keys, and has arranged them for flute and piano in concert setting. Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light joins the more familiar Coventry Carol and Fum, Fum, Fum in this mini-collection from Falls House Press. The arrangements are approachable, and will serve equally well in church and secular venues. For intermediate to advanced performers.
Such Sweet Sorrow
Flute and Piano
An inescapable melody and approachable writing brings the best of Schocker to intermediate performers in Such Sweet Sorrow. A short and beautiful new work for recital programming.
“When a performer masters his instrument to the point it becomes an extension of his own voice, you know you are in the presence of a master. And if that performer also feels the call to create new music, the result is frequently entrancing. Chopin mastered the piano in such a way. Gary Schocker masters the flute with similar passion and skill.” --Anna Vorhes for the South Dakota Symphony
Gary Schocker is a world-renowned flutist as well as an award-winning composer with over 100 compositions in publication, primarily with Theodore Presser. He has published more pieces for the flute than any other living composer. His engagements have included performances with the New York Philharmonic (under Michael Tilson Thomas), the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony, the West German Sinfonia and an extended tour with I Solisti Italiani as well as solo recitals in New York, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, and elsewhere. Schocker has collaborated with many artists on stage, including Pinchas Zuckerman, Michael Tilson Thomas, Earl Wild, Jessye Norman, Julius Baker, James Levine, James Galway, Bruno Canino, Oscar Shumsky, Eduardo Fernandez, Jean-Philippe Collard, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He concertizes in duo with guitarist Jason Vieaux.
Among the artists who have played his compositions, James Galway gave the American premiere of Green Places with the New Jersey Symphony. Schocker’s earlier association with that orchestra came when he replaced, for several concerts, an ailing Jean-Pierre Rampal, on a mere two hours’ notice. Winner of the 1985 Young Concert Artists Auditions, Schocker is also First Prize winner of the National Flute Association, the New York Flute Club and the East-West Artists Competitions. Internationally, he has toured and taught in Japan, Colombia, Panama, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Germany, France and Italy.
Gary Schocker’s recordings include “Flute Forest,” released by Azica Records, featuring his composition as the title track, along with other solo flute selections. Azica also produced “Arioso,” a collection of baroque music for flute and guitar, recorded with internationally acclaimed guitarist Jason Vieaux. The Mozart Flute Quartets with the Chester String Quartet is on the Chesky Records label, which has also released a Gary Schocker solo CD of Bach, Handel and Telemann. His latest recordings on Jonathan Digital include a CD of all-Schocker compositions, Airborne; and Regrets and Resolutions, featuring his works as well as standard works from the French School. Dream Travels, on Azica Records, features Schocker with guitarist Jason Vieaux. The title track is Schocker’s composition written for the duo. Schocker’s musicals, Far From the Madding Crowd and The Awakening, written with lyricist Barbara Campbell, can be heard on Original Cast Records. His music can also be heard on the Sazas, Troy, Koch, MHS, SNE, Elysium, Gionata and Flying Frog labels.
Mr. Schocker’s date of birth is October 18, 1959. He lives in New York City and Easton, Pennsylvania.
The Works of Gary Schocker
Published by Theodore Presser Company, except where indicated (FHP) for Falls House Press or greyed out. For others, see below.
Flute & Piano
Sunrise, Sunset
by Jerry Bock
Airborne
for Flute and Piano
Dances and Daydreams
for Flute and Piano
Hannah's Glade
for Flute and Piano
Click a linked title to see a page or for more information.
Airborne (also available for Flute & String Orchestra)
Syrinx Collage
(a piano accompaniment to the Debussy flute solo) (FHP)
1P-GS4
$12.00
Three Pieces (Custom Print ed.) (includes Berceuse
and Nocturne No.1 and Nocturne No. 2
410-41309
$15.95
Tango
Publishers
CVR = Classical Vocal Reprints FHP = Falls House Press (now distributed by Presser)
Lud = Ludwig
TDE = T. D. Ellis
Tus = Tuscany Music (through Presser)
Theodore Presser Company publications listed in BOLD. Falls House Press titles are available through www.presser.com and at music stores everywhere.
ARIOSO
A collection of baroque masterpieces, artfully arranged for flute and guitar by Schocker and Schocker/Vieaux. (Azica)
GARY SCHOCKER, FLUTIST
Featuring works for the flute by Telemann, Handel, and J. S. Bach. The composers were not only three masters of the Baroque period, but also some of the most prolific composers of all time. (Chesky CD046)
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: THE FLUTE QUARTETS
Gary Schocker’s artistry shines in this recording with the Chester String Quartet. Also includes the Quartet for Oboe and Strings. Schocker, who has a special fondness for the second movement of this quartet, has transcribed the virtuosic oboe part for flute and composed a short cadenza as well. (Chesky CD128)
as composer/performer:
AIRBORNE
A CD representing both a fine composer and a brilliant flutist. Hear why the Washington Post wrote “Schocker dazzled as few artists can... [he] is one of the best - period.” The CD, entirely of Schocker compositions, features his own performances on solo flute, as well as with guest artists, and one discovers why the scores to his compositions sell so rapidly through Theodore Presser (his publisher). (Jonathan Digital Recordings)
Selections by Gary Schocker: Musique Francaise, Vocalise, Airborne, Green Places, In Memoriam, Solosuite, Soliloquy, Three Dances for Two Flutes, and Sleep Song
FLUTE FOREST Flute Forest showcases Schocker’s unparalleled technique and his fine artistry in musical interpretation, while demonstrating varied repertoire throughout the history of the instrument.
Selections by Gary Schocker: Flute Forest, Etudes No. VII, No. VIII, No. X from 10 Etudes for Flute, Short Stories, Blip Blip Blip. (Azica)
DREAM TRAVELS
Rave reviews from critics and audiences have encouraged Gary Schocker and guitar virtuoso Jason Vieaux to make their first duo recording. Selections include standard flute and guitar works, Schocker’s new composition Dream Travels, and their own arrangements of Latin music. (Azica)
REGRETS & RESOLUTIONS
Gary Schocker´s first CD, re-issued on the JDR label, is what one might call a performance history of the modern flute. Tracks range from a work by Boehm, literally the inventor of the modern flute, to Kuhlau, through works of Taffanel and Gaubert, who together wrote the “bible of flute studies.”
The disc ends with Gary´s composition Regrets and Resolutions, extending the long line of works by composer/flutist performers -- Boehm, Kuhlau, Gaubert and Taffanel among them - into later 20th-century techniques and a jazz influenced style.
Selections by Gary Schocker: Sicilienne and Scherzo, Regrets and Resolutions (jonathan digital recordings)
