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On July 23, 2023 Gloria Wilson Swisher, a cofounder and a former Vice President of Ars Nova Press passed away. To honor her legacy, the Gloria Wilson-Swisher Music Preservation Endowment has been established. With the help of her husband, Donald Swisher, the endowment will ensure Gloria's legacy and further Ars Nova's mission of preserving, protecting, and promoting compositions of Twentieth and Twenty-first century composers. Please visit our Heritage Projects page if you would like to learn more. |
Gloria Wilson Swisher was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1935. She held music degrees from the University of Washington, Mills College, and the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Her composition teachers were John Verrall, Darius Milhaud, Bernard Rogers, and Howard Hanson. She was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
Swisher's compositions include works for solo instruments, solo voices and small ensembles, as well as concerti and compositions for band, wind ensemble, orchestra, and chorus, both accompanied and a cappella. She also wrote two musicals and three operas, as well as settings of the Service of Holy Communion and choir anthems for church services.
Her music is strongly tonal in its overall harmonic language, with clear rhythmic organization and contrapuntal lines. Many of her compositions were written on commission, and she worked closely with the soloists and/or conductors to ensure that the resulting music was performable as well as challenging. Swisher's compositions have been published by C. F. Peters, Carl Fischer, Hinshaw and others. She taught at Washington State University, Pacific Lutheran University, Shoreline Community College, and most recently at the University of Washington. For many years Swisher performed regularly as a duo pianist with Nancy Matesky. Swisher is a founding member of Ars Nova Press, Inc.
Swisher's compositions include works for solo instruments, solo voices and small ensembles, as well as concerti and compositions for band, wind ensemble, orchestra, and chorus, both accompanied and a cappella. She also wrote two musicals and three operas, as well as settings of the Service of Holy Communion and choir anthems for church services.
Her music is strongly tonal in its overall harmonic language, with clear rhythmic organization and contrapuntal lines. Many of her compositions were written on commission, and she worked closely with the soloists and/or conductors to ensure that the resulting music was performable as well as challenging. Swisher's compositions have been published by C. F. Peters, Carl Fischer, Hinshaw and others. She taught at Washington State University, Pacific Lutheran University, Shoreline Community College, and most recently at the University of Washington. For many years Swisher performed regularly as a duo pianist with Nancy Matesky. Swisher is a founding member of Ars Nova Press, Inc.