Clark Suprynowicz

Composer

Clark Suprynowicz is a San Francisco Bay Area composer. Following residencies with the Berkeley Symphony and with the Berkeley Opera, Clark has had three large works premiered post 9/11: The opera Caliban Dreams (with librettist Amanda Moody, featuring John Duykers and Laura Bohn) in a Berkeley Opera production; Tectonic, a commission from the Mill Valley Philharmonic, featuring readings by poet Jane Hirshfield; and Machine, with writer / director Mark Streshinsky, which premiered at the Crucible in Oakland, January 2012. New Dramatists hosted a workshop of “Before Midnight” in October of 2012 in NYC, a music-theater piece about the Black Panther Party commissioned by the Oakland East Bay Symphony.

Clark has written extensively for the stage. Of his opera Chrysalis, written with librettist John O’Keefe, the San Francisco Classical Voice wrote: “Chrysalis is an important event, signaling the arrival of a new, fresh, authentic voice.” Joshua Kosman opined, in his San Francisco Chronicle review, “When Suprynowicz goes all out with lyrical, melodic writing, the effect is ravishing” (Mr. Suprynowicz reports he had a a T-Shirt made shortly after this review appeared, which reads “Suprynowicz — the effect is ravishing!”)

Other recent events include a performance of Clark’s string quartet “Elegance and Superstition” at the Hell Hot Festival in Hong Kong, in a program with works by the Hear Here Composers Collective and composer Tan Dun. Clark spent many years in the trenches as a jazz musician before decamping to compose full-time. He has worked as a bassist with John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Max Roach, and with Tom Waits. His teachers include Dave Holland, Gary Peacock, Elinor Armer, David Conte, and Ken Durling. The composer would like to thank Maestro Michael Morgan, the Oakland Symphony Board, and the esteemed musicians of the Oakland Symphony for this opportunity to realize this music with care, rehearsal, and at full power.