ALLEN KRANTZ

ALLEN KRANTZ received his B.M. from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied guitar with Michael Lorimer. He attended Stanford University for his M.A. in Early Music Performance Practice. Krantz has received acclaim as a composer, solo guitarist, and chamber musician. His performances throughout the United States have included appearances at Carnegie Hall, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and the Phillips Collection in Washington, with his diverse programs often featuring original compositions. Recent premieres have included a Sonata for Cello and Guitar, a Trio for Flute, Clarinet and Guitar, a Guitar Quintet, a book of Guitar Etudes and "Marilyn Cycle", a setting of Marilyn Monroe's poetry commissioned by the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association. "Passacaglia" for trombone, guitar, and piano, was premiered by Joseph Alessi of the New York Philharmonic; "American Document" was commissioned by the Martha Graham Dance Company and premiered at the Joyce Theater in NYC. Other commissions include "A Musical Walk", a children's piece for the Philadelphia Orchestra, and "Under One Roof" in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. "An American Town" commissioned by the Village Bach Festival in Michigan was also presented at the Moscow Autumn festival and in Australia. Jason Vieaux performed Krantz's guitar concerto "Innocence and Experience" at the Darwin International Guitar Festival in Australia and with Orchestra 2001 in Philadelphia. "anyone lived in a pretty how town", commissioned by Gretna Music, has been performed by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit in Saratoga and Philadelphia. Krantz's arrangement of Copland's Appalachian Spring sketches were presented at the Library of Congress with the Martha Graham Company. Mr. Krantz heads the classical guitar program and teaches chamber music at Temple University in Philadelphia. He also serves on the Artistic Committee for the Gretna Music festival