“…a vivid impression of the turbulent, watery imagery... a swirling, rich-textured microtonal work.” - The New York Times
"A flawless gem... superlative film scores of rare beauty and consummate aesthetic discretion." - Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
“…an atmosphere that amplifies the wonder, beauty and melancholy of the film's story and imagery. .. richly varied in orchestration and mood” - All Media Guide
William Susman belongs to the generation of American composers that came of age in the late twentieth century, received traditional academic training while remaining thoroughly engaged with popular music (in his case, jazz), and who went on to establish careers for themselves outside the academic establishment.
Susman’s music is notable for his integration of a variety of influences, including the Western classical tradition, Afro-Cuban music, free jazz, and a variety of non-Western folk traditions. Rhythm plays a strong role in his music through musical devices such as the Afro-Cuban Montuño, Medieval Hocket and Isorhythm. Susman has written orchestral and chamber music for concert performance, as well as jazz and film scores. The Chicago native was trained in both classical and jazz piano.
His orchestral and chamber music has been widely performed, and his music has been played by soloists such as Joan Jeanrenaud, formerly of the Kronos Quartet, and Joseph Gramley of the Silk Road Ensemble. He has been especially active in the area of film scoring, focusing particularly on documentary films. -- Stephen Eddins / All Music Guide
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