Tim Risher (born 1957) is an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

composer. Risher received his B.A. in Music at the

University of Central Florida The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public university, public research university with its main campus in unincorporated area, unincorporated Orange County, Florida, United States. It is part of the State University System of Florida. ...

and his M.M. in music composition from

Florida State University Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...

. While living in

Tallahassee Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of and the only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2024, the est ...

, Florida, Risher was a member of the new music ensembles Paragaté and Tallahassee Camerata. Risher's output is typically tonal, with primary influences being

minimal music Minimal music (also called minimalism)"Minimalism in music has been defined as an aesthetic, a style, and a technique, each of which has been a suitable description of the term at certain points in the development of minimal music. However, two ...

, American and Brazilian popular musics, early music, and American

shape note Shape notes are a musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and Sing-along, social singing. The notation became a popular teaching device in American singing schools during the 19th century. Shapes were added to the noteheads in ...

hymnody. Most works feature the use of conventional harmony, with great clarity of individual melodic lines. Risher's works transcend the

superficiality In social psychology, superficiality refers to a lack of depth in relationships, conversation and analysis. The principle of "superficiality versus depth" is said to have pervaded Western culture since at least the time of Plato. Social psychology ...

of much popular music, however, in their frequent use of complex canonic and polyphonic structures and additive rhythms. Risher composes prolifically for ensembles ranging from concert band to Chinese traditional instrumental ensemble. He has also composed works for electronic media and incidental music for theatrical works. His most significant output, however, comprises works for brass instruments (a preference likely shaped by his experience as a trombonist) and for early (

Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

, and

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

) instrument ensembles. Risher's works for early instruments have been commissioned by a number of major ensembles, including Palladian Ensemble, Baroque Northwest, Tintagel, and Trio Dolce. Although his works for early instruments are clearly composed from a twentieth (or twenty-first) century point of reference, Risher's writing for such instruments is surprisingly idiomatic, showing his great familiarity with early instruments and genres. Among Risher's favorite forms for such works are the

ground bass In music, an ostinato (; derived from the Italian word for ''stubborn'', compare English ''obstinate'') is a motif or phrase that persistently repeats in the same musical voice, frequently in the same pitch. Well-known ostinato-based pieces inc ...

and

chaconne A chaconne ( , ; ; ; earlier English: chacony) is a type of musical composition often used as a vehicle for Variation (music), variation on a repeated short harmonic progression, often involving a fairly short repetitive bass-line (ground bass ...

. His music has been released on the Index, PhonoStatic, and Discus record labels and his scores are published b
Wehr's Music House
Risher lived in

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

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between the years of 1995 and 2005, and now lives in

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

. He is a member of the electronic group "Paragaté", and has released a set of CDs on the Camerata label.

Selected works

*1978 - 3 Songs for tenor voice and guitar *c. 1978 - Flute Sonata, flute and piano *c. 1978 - ''Tantamount'', flute and guitar *1981 - ''Stylized Dances'', flute and guitar *1985 - ''Way Beyond the Looking Glass'', piano *1987 - ''Jerusalem'', guitar and cello *1989 - ''My Way Is'', baritone and cello *1990 - ''Broken Motet'', baritone, oboe, English horn, and 2 bassoons *1990 - ''Private Music II'', 2 pianos *1993 - ''Kleine Stücke und große Dinge'', flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, piano, electric bass guitar, and drum set *1995 - ''Elysian'', sheng (Chinese mouth organ), 2 electric guitars, electric bass guitar, 2 pianos, and percussion *1996 - ''Over and Under'', early music quartet (

baroque violin A Baroque violin is a violin set up in the manner of the baroque period of music. The term includes original instruments which have survived unmodified since the Baroque period, as well as later instruments adjusted to the baroque setup, and moder ...

, alto recorder,

baroque guitar The Baroque guitar (–1750) is a string instrument with five Course (music), courses of gut strings and moveable gut frets. The first (highest pitched) course sometimes used only a single string. History The Baroque guitar replaced the lute as ...

, and bass

viola da gamba The viola da gamba (), or viol, or informally gamba, is a bowed and fretted string instrument that is played (i.e. "on the leg"). It is distinct from the later violin family, violin, or ; and it is any one of the earlier viol family of bow (m ...

) *1997 - ''Music from Nowhere'', dizi (Chinese bamboo flute), sheng (Chinese mouth organ) *1997-2018 - ''Sermon'', solo voices, choir (SATB), and organ *2004-05 - ''Preludes and Postludes'', solo piano *2005 - ''Southern Harmony'', wind band *2006 - ''Aviary Corridor'', soprano voice, flute, string quartet, and piano. Poem by Charles Alexander. *2010 - ''The Lord's Prayer'', mixed choir (SATTBB). *2011 - ''Have Mercy, O God (Miserere)'' choir (SATB). *2012 - ''Drei Sätze'', wind ensemble *2012-2021 - ''Fall of Reason'', clarinet in B-flat, violin, viola, electric bass (guitar), and piano.Also in other versions *2019 - ''Fibonacci Poems'', tenor voice and piano. Poetry by Colin Bell. *2021 - ''Evening Service I'', SATB and organ. In English. *2021 - ''Missa L'homme armé'', SATB and organ. In English. Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei.

External links

Small homepage.

Music available at Sheet Music Plus.

Paragaté

Tim Risher on SoundCloud * {{DEFAULTSORT:Risher, Tim 1957 births Living people 20th-century American classical composers 21st-century American classical composers American male classical composers 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians

Selected works

See also

External links