Carolyn Steinberg, composer, writes music for classical instruments that's informed by both her deep classical/modernist training and her hands-on experiences in Latin and Latin Jazz music. The combination creates a unique blend, where tonality plays a role as important as impluse, rhythm, texture, and timbre. It's an emancipation of the consonance.
Carolyn earned her doctoral degree in composition from The Juilliard School (’89) and master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music (’80). Originally from San Antonio, Texas, she studied music composition in Italy with Luciano Berio and Franco Donatoni, and in Germany with Brian Ferneyhough.
After living in Italy and Germany 1980 - '87, Carolyn returned to New York City where she composed and performed Latin music on flute. She has produced six CDs, including one devoted to her chamber music compositions “Songs, Dances, Duos” and three of which are of La Banda Ramirez, with Chacho Ramirez and their Latin jazz quintet, La Banda Ramirez, in which she plays flute and arranges. Winner of a Performance Plus grant from Chamber Music America (2023), Craolyn and La Banda Ramirez performed at Paris Blues Harlem twice monthly for 7 years, and in trio format at Victor’s Café in Manhattan. See also www.metrotang.com
A Life in Music
Subtly Unrelenting
Carolyn Steinberg’s compositions for classical instruments have been performed in concerts and festivals worldwide, including Tanglewood and New York City; Freiburg, Darmstadt, and Donaueschingen, Germany; Milan and Siena, Italy; Moscow, Tokyo, and Monterrey, Mexico. Works have been commissioned by the Fromm Foundation, Southwest German Radio Orchestra, and numerous chamber ensembles such as Emerald Trio, Duo Navona, Composers Concordance, Dorian Wind Quintet, and soprano Ljiljana Winkler. The 1990 recipient of the Goddard Lieberson Award of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, Ms. Steinberg studied composition in the U.S. with Bernard Rands and Ludmila Ulehla, and in Europe with Luciano Berio, Franco Donatoni and Brian Ferneyhough. She holds degrees in music composition from The Juilliard School (Doctor of Musical Arts) and Manhattan School of Music (Master of Music), and the University of North Texas (Bachelor’s Degree in music theory).
From 2003 to 2011, Carolyn was Artistic Director of the Delaware Valley Chamber Orchestra, presenting an annual concert of new music in Narrowsburg, New York. With the organization's mission of providing performance opportunities to local composers and performers, Carolyn built programs that combined professional ensembles (Dorian Wind Quintet, Sweet Plantain String Quartet, Duo Navona, others) playing separately and together with local musicians, and premiering works by both professional and semi-professional composers. Featured composers included Lee Hoiby, Ricky Ian Gordon, David Tcimpidis, Thermon Barker, and Sergio Garcia-Maruz.
As a flutist, Carolyn's repertoire ranges from Bach to Debussy to Latin jazz with La Banda Ramirez. In 2023, Carolyn won a Performance Plus grant from Chamber Music America, resulting in the album "Lizzie's Lounge," with coaching and participation of Hector Martignon. As with two prior CDs "A Family Ting," "Cuban Butterflies," all are available online. Carolyn also played flute in performances of La Perichole, Cosi Fan Tutte, and Norma with Delaware Valley Opera, 2007 - 2010.
From 1982 to 1987, Carolyn lived in Freiburg, Germany. Her composition "Fluchtpunkte" ("Vanishing Points") was premiered in the Donaueschingen Festival in 1987. She also taught eartraining at the Musikhochschule Freiburg and studied conducting with Francis Travis (1983 - '85).
From 1980 to '82, Carolyn lived in Italy, studying with Luciano Berio and with Franco Donatoni. She lived with Cathy Berberian in Milan, assisting Cathy at home and playing guitar in Cathy's "American" program in concerts in Italy, France, and Switzerland.
LA BANDA RAMIREZ - Since 2013, Carolyn and husband Chacho Ramirez co-lead their Latin jazz quintet in New York City and beyond, playing their arrangements of music by Bill Jacobs, Eddie Palmieri, Don Grolnick, Ray Barretto, José Luís Cortés, Humberto Ramirez, and originals by Chacho Ramirez, Carolyn Steinberg, and Lennie Azzarello. Performing in concerts, clubs, community events, private parties, galas and fundraisers, LBR also held residencies, performing twice monthly for 7 years at Paris Blues in Harlem, and at Victor's Café, in Midtown Manhattan (3 nights weekly for 3 months).
Carolyn has produced six CDs, three of which are of La Banda Ramirez. Winner of a Performance Plus grant from Chamber Music America (2023), creating the album "Lizzie's Lounge." available for purchase here:
