Roger Briggs, PhD

About

Ph.D.: Eastman School of Music in Composition (1978)
M.M.: Eastman School of Music in Composition (1976)
B.M.: University of Memphis in Piano Performance (1974)
B.M.: University of Memphis in Composition (1974)

Roger Briggs (Composer/Conductor/Pianist) served on the faculty of Western Washington University from 1989-2016. During that time, he coordinated the Composition Program, directed the WWU Orchestra, founded and conducted the Contemporary Chamber Players, and taught lower and upper-division Theory Classes. In addition, he served as the Artistic Director of the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra (now the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra) for 16 years and two years earlier as Associate Conductor. He also composed the music for the iconic video game Civilization III.

During his tenure at WWU, Briggs brought innovative and progressive programming to students, including works by Joseph Schwantner, George Crumb, Peter Maxwell Davies, Unsuk Chin, John Adams, Steve Reich, Joan Tower, Sophia Gubaidulina, and Terry Riley. Student groups, including works for choir and orchestra, premiered several of his compositions. He was a dedicated promoter of students' works and performers' interests in New Music. While at WWU, he also conducted several operas, including the national award-winning performance of Midsummer Night's Dream by Benjamin Britten, George Floyd's Susannah, and Mozart's Magic Flute. Briggs received both the University's Excellence in Teaching and Outstanding Scholarship Awards.

National and state-wide recognition included the Bellingham Mayor's Fine Arts Award and the Washington State Composer of the Year awards. The League of American Orchestras honored the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra with its national award for progressive programming. His dedication to his students' successful education and the promotion of musical excellence and contemporary music continues today.

Other national and international awards for his compositions include the American Academy of Arts and Letters, National Endowment for the Arts, Alienor National Competition, Dartington U.K. Award,
Dreyfus/MacDowell Award, National Sawdust Award, De Bach au Jazz Award, ACO Single Minded Award, Illinois State University Fine Arts Award, New York State Council for the Arts, Indiana Arts Council Grant, Logan Seminar Award, Washington State Arts Commission.

Performance venues for his works include Carnegie Recital Hall (N.Y.), Severance Hall (Cleveland), Smetana Hall (Prague), Dvorak Hall (Prague), Symphony Space (N.Y.), Benaroya Hall (Seattle), Chicago Cultural Arts Center, Cooper Union (N.Y.), Dartington Hall (U.K.), Glinka Hall (St. Petersburg).

His conducting credentials include recordings with the London Symphony Orchestra in Abbey Road Studio, the Prague Symphony, and the Czech Radio Orchestra. Twelve CD recordings of Briggs's music are available.

For more information on Roger Briggs and his works, go to rogerbriggs.com.