Thomas DeLio

DeLio's works are published by Editore Semar (Europe), Silent Editions (United States) and Sonic Art Editions (United States) and are recorded on such labels as Wergo, 3D Classics, Neuma, Centaur, Capstone, and Spectrum. He has published over thirty scholarly papers in such journals and periodicals as Perspectives of New Music, Journal of Music Theory, Indiana Theory Review, In Theory Only, Interface, Contemporary Music Review, Artforum, Computer Music Journal, Revue d’Esthetique, and Percussive Notes.

“Composing a Sound: Giacinto Scelsi’s L’âme ailée / L’âme ouverte for Violin Solo (forthcoming)

"The Marvelous Illusion: Morton Feldman’s The Viola in My Life (1),” (London: The Contemporary Music Review, Vol. 23, No. 6, 2013), pp. 589–638.

“Dis-moi, Daphénéo: Erik Satie’s Path to Modernism,” (The College Music Symposium, Vol. 51, 2011), http://symposium.music.org/.

- space / image / word / sound, a DVD of eight of composi-tions in 5.0 surround sound including Song: Foxrock near Dublin, computer music; et avant / image, flute, percussion ensemble; ...zwischen den Worten, computer music; qu’un espace / sépare, soprano, percussion ensemble; amounts. to., computer music; “sam”, computer music and video; “aengus”, computer music (Neuma 450-201).

“Introduction: Music/Text,” (The Contemporary Music Re-view, Vol. 34, Nos. 5-6, 2016), pp. 367–372.

2015 inents (seven electroacoustic compositions); various durations.

2014 sound / shivering / silence II (percussion quartet); ca. 12’.

Xenakis and Feldman are influences in the general sense that they each tap into very personal and unique sensibilities; in this sense they should be role models for all composers. Also, for these composers, sound is the source of the compositional process. Sound, in all its richness and complexity, is the essence of that process for both – not system of method or gesture, as is the case for so many composers. This is true for me as well. First and foremost I think about sound when I start a piece.

Another area where the influences of Cage and Feldman are strongly felt is in DeLio's extensive use of silence as a compositional device. On the surface, in fact, DeLio's music bears a strong resemblance to the music of Cage and Feldman, both of whom made extensive use of sparse textures and were not afraid to use silence as a key part of their compositions. Upon further examination, however, one finds that the function of silence in music varies significantly among the three composers. Feldman, for example used silence to separate sounds and give them space to fade into silence. DeLio notes, “Feldman once said that one of the most beautiful things a sound does is decay. He could have added that in order for this decay to be felt, it must be attached to silence.” Cage, on the other hand, used silence as a compositional tool for incorporating unintentional, atmospheric sounds into the context of a musical composition. DeLio explains, “Cage, of course, is the real source of all consideration of silence in music. But even his approach to silence is not like mine – though I deeply admire his work. For Cage silence is the space in which all unintended sounds come into play.” DeLio's use of silence is different in that it is used to isolate sounds and events. He explains:

Silence is like a location for the experience of sound. For me it defines a place with respect to sound. My silence frames sound, isolates it, and creates an opportunity to hear sound both as an object – an entity unto itself divorced from its role as a mere unit of linguistic baggage – as well as part of a process of evolution. This is different from Cage or Feldman.

2013 sound / shivering /silence (percussion solo); ca. 9’.

2012 ...that light... (sop., fl., Bb cl., C tpt., vln., vcl, perc. (1 player).); ca. 6’

2011 Quatre Petites Mélodies (1920), Erik Satie (orchestrated by Thomas DeLio); 3'.

DeLio has also written books, including one analyzing the work of Morton Feldman (The Music of Morton Feldman) and another offering analysis of several “open form” works (Circumscribing the Open Universe). His book "The Amores of John Cage" was published by Pendragon Press (as part of the College Music Society series Sourcebooks in American Music) in 2010. A book about DeLio's work entitled Thomas DeLio: Composer and Scholar edited by Dr. Thomas Licata (Professor, Hartwick College) appeared in summer of 2007 from the Mellen Press. This book contains essays by Wesley Fuller (Professor Emeritus, Clark University), Agostino Di Scipio (Professor, University of Naples, Italy), Christopher Shultis (Regents Professor, University of New Mexico), Hermann Sabbe (Professor of Musicology, Ghent University, Belgium), Morris Palter (University of California, San Diego), Steven Johnson (Professor, Brigham Young University), Robert Morris (Professor, Eastman School of Music), Tracy Wiggins (University of North Carolina at Pembroke), Linda Dusman, Thomas Goldstein (Professors, University of Maryland, Baltimore County) and Michael Boyd (Chatham University) .

2010 "sam", opera/installation for tape (4 channels) and video (3 screens), text by

2009 Five Pieces for Piano (piano solo): ca. 4’.

2008 ylm, n (XX-XXV) (ob., 3 Bb cl./1 doubling bass cl., soprano sax., alto sax., vln., vla.); ca. 3’.

- Selected Compositions of Thomas DeLio, a CD accompanying the book Essays on the Music and Theoretical Writ-ings of Thomas DeLio, Contemporary American Composer, The Edwin Mellen Press (2008): ce, lf, computer music; between, flute and percussion ensemble; Pine, Bamboo, Plum, computer music; Though, piano solo;“because the… , computer music; as though, percussion solo; z,rb , computer music; as though, again, chamber ensemble; Zilahn, computer music; think on parch, computer music; Belle-Isle, computer music; …zwischen den Worten, computer music; XXIII-XXVII (2007), computer music. “en l’espace de…”, soprano and orchestra (ERMMedia, ERM-5999); part of the Masterworks of the New Era series.

“The Open Universe, Revisited,” Thomas DeLio: Compos-er and Scholar (The Edwin Mellen Press, 2007), pp. 223–230.

2007 Transpaent Wave VII (saxophone solo); ca. 1 ¾’.

“Introduction,” Mind Models (second edition), Roger Reynolds. (New York: Routledge, 2005), pp. vii-xiv.

- Thomas DeLio: Selected Compositions 1991-2013, include-ing Belle-Isle I-IV, computer music; transients / images, percussion, piano; ...transients, computer music; Though, piano solo; XXXIII – XXVII, computer music; as though, percussion solo; as though / of, computer music; between, flute, piano, 3 percussionists; z,rb, computer music; Center, solo voice; Center / s, computer music; Than, orchestra; ,c,el,f, computer music; that light, solo soprano; Song: “aengus”, computer music; Zilahn, computer music (Neu-ma 450-108).

- Analytical Studies of the Music of Ashley, Cage, Carter, Dallapiccola, Feldman, Lucier, Reich, Satie, Schoenberg, Wolff, and Xenakis, Collected Essays Volume I (1980-2000), Patricia Burt, ed.; The Edwin Mellen Press ISBN 9781495505928

- Thomas DeLio: Selected Compositions II 1972-2015, including inents (two versions), computer music; anti-paysage, flute, piano, percussion; anti-paysage II, computer music; - en / l’espace de..., soprano and orchestra; x,e, inc,e, m,nce, and n,c, computer music; Text and Serenade, piano solos; not, piano, percussion; and, A Draft of Shadows, soprano and percussion ensemble (Neuma 450-116).

Thomas DeLio (born January 7, 1951) is an American experimental music composer, music theorist and author. He is currently Professor of Music in theory and composition at the University of Maryland in College Park.