Burt J. Levy

Burt Levy was born August 5, 1936 in Brooklyn, New York. Early attempts at composition led to harmony and counterpoint lessons when he was twelve. He attended Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, the University of Oregon, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned the doctor of musical arts (composition) degree in 1972. At the later institution he was a theory teaching assistant, ran an ear training institute, and also functioned as an assistant recording engineer for the School of Music. His teachers have included Kenneth Gaburo, Herbert Brün, Salvatore Martirano, Lejaren Hiller (electronic music) and Ben Johnston. He has taught music theory, composition and electronic music at several universities since 1967. His positions have included stints at Western Illinois Univ., Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, SUNY-Albany, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Levy's music has been performed throughout this country, in Europe and Latin America. His style is often intensely linear. Orbs With Flute (1965,1966) is well known as an early example of extended techniques for the flute. As a performer (keyboards) Levy has been involved in many different improvisational ensembles in addition to frequent appearances as a conductor in the various locales where he has resided.

Awards include a research grant from the State University of New York Research Foundation for work on a computer program, with an experienced programmer, that assists the composer in developing musical ideas and two grants for commissioned works from the Wisconsin Arts Board during the 1980s, one of which was a joint award with visual artist Jill Sebastian for After Rhyme, a multi-media performance piece. This work received additional funding from the Milwaukee Federation of Artists. A video tape documenting this collaboration by Milwaukee video artist Dennis Darmak was also supported by these grants.

Levy has lectured on various aspects of contemporary music in diverse public forums and conferences, and has had several reports published in Perspectives of New Music and the Percussionist. His 1968 dissertation was published in a revised format by Lejaren Hiller in the book Musical Grammars and Computer Analysis. With his wife, Laurdella Foulkes-Levy, he is co-author of Journeys Through the Life and Music of Nancy Van de Vate, published by Scarecrow Press in March 2005.