Marc Mellits


Marc Mellits is an American composer and musician.
Mellits was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He studied at the Eastman School of Music from 1984 to 1988, at the Yale School of Music from 1989 to 1991, at Cornell University from 1991 to 1996, and at Tanglewood in the summer of 1997. His composition instructors include Joseph Schwantner, Samuel Adler, Martin Bresnick, Bernard Rands, Christopher Rouse, Roberto Sierra, Jacob Druckman, Poul Ruders, and Steven Stucky.
Mellits's music has been performed throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. His music is influenced by minimalist and rock music, and has been identified with the postminimalist stylistic trend. He often composes for electric guitar and other amplified instruments.
Mellits received a 2004 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award. Mellits's commissions include pieces for the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Assad Duo, Kronos Quartet, and the Meridian Arts Ensemble. His music has also been arranged by guitarist Dominic Frasca and the experimental music group Electric Kompany.
Mellits is a founding member of Common Sense Composers' Collective, which focuses on new and alternative ways of collaborating with performance ensembles. Mellits is the artistic director and keyboard player in his ensemble, the Mellits Consort.
As of 2011, Marc Mellits lives in Chicago, Illinois with his wife and two daughters, and teaches composition at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Works

Orchestral

Piano Concerto Fanfare O Aro, for chamber orchestraConcerto for Piccolo & Orchestra Fruit Loops, for amplified chamber orchestraPhase, Inc., for amplified chamber orchestraBrick 3 Machines Concerto for String Quartet & String Orchestra: Tapas Paranoid Cheese, for solo violin and string orchestra

Band

Zoot Suit Riot Haiku, for band orchestra and chorusSeason's Songs, for band and chorus
  • ''Quad''

Chamber

Piano Quartet Duo for Alto Flute & Cello String Quartet No. 1 Whales Save Us, for clarinet and tromboneInsect Heads, for soprano and celloDark Age Machinery, for large chamber ensembleHooley Fooley, for violin and celloMusic for 22 Strings Bucket, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and pianoAggravated Assault, for two amplified pianos11 Pieces Flute & Piano Trio, for flute, clarinet, and celloPolysorbate 60, for flute, clarinet, oboe, trumpet, trombone, tuba, piano, violin, bass, and percussionMerge Left, for two flutes and celloSpam, for flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, and piano11 Miniatures, for baroque flute, baroque oboe, baroque violin, viola d'gamba, baroque cello, and harpsichordLarge Man Looms, for voice and pianoSpank Me, for two synthesizersFruity Pebbles, for piano trioSpin, for violin and pianoTroica, for flute, guitar, and marimba Edible Vinyl, for two amplified guitars and amplified violin8 Etudes for 2 Guitars 5 Machines, for amplified bass clarinet/soprano saxophone, electric guitar, amplified cello, amplified bass, amplified marimba, and amplified piano2 Pieces for Flute & Guitar Paranoid Cheese, for violin and two marimbasCanonada, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and drum setParanoid Cheese Project, twelve pieces for amplified violin, amplified cello, amplified marimba, electric guitar, and synthesizer
  • * Broken Glass
  • * Dreadlocked
  • * Lefty's Elegy
  • * Machine III
  • * Machine IV
  • * Machine V
  • * Mara's Lullaby
  • * Zrenden Rodejan, Marija!
  • * The Misadventures of Soup
  • * Opening
  • * paranoid cheese
  • * TroicaGroove Canon, for brass quintet and percussion quintetM/W, for piano four hands, cello, and three actorsDisciples of Gouda, for piano, cello, marimba, and percussionPlatter of Discontent, for flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, marimba, pianoString Quartet No. 2: Revolution Tight Sweater, for cello, marimba, and pianoGonzalo Speaks, for baritone voice, flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, marimba, and piano5 Quiet Machines, for cello, piano, and marimbaFarfalle Cotte, for two ocarinas 240 Weeks, for two flutes, two clarinets/bass clarinets, violin, cello, piano, and two percussionDesperate Miniature Humans, for oboe and pianoNo Strings Attached, for auchincloss piano Nina's Lullaby, for flute, clarinet, and bassoonTapas, for violin, viola, and cello Shredded Paranoid Cheese, for violin, cello, marimba, and vibraphonePrime, for bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, two percussion, and pianoBlack, for two bass clarinets Red, for two marimbasTom, for violin and cello, or two guitarsPostcards of Dreadlock, for piano four handsTight Sweater Remix, for marimba and pianoSmoke, for saxophone, guitar, marimba, and drum setOctet, for string octet or saxophone octetRadu, for cello quartet or solo cello and bass clarinet with three cellos and one bass clarinetElectric Sheep, for piano and LEMURBotsString Quartet No. 4: Prometheus, Zombie In A Penguin Suit, for cello, piano, and marimba

Solo

Intervals, for solo cello10 Colors for Piano Road Trip, for solo organBlue, for solo electro-acoustic guitar5 Chanukah Etudes for the Frascas, for solo electro-acoustic guitarJaana, for solo amplified violinParking Violation, for solo oboeAgu, for solo pianoZubrowka, for solo violinRobotic Etudes, for LEMUR GuitarBotStick, for solo snare drumBook of Ruth, for solo cello or solo violaFrost, for solo tenor saxophone

Discography

  • 1997 Common Sense Composers' Collective: Polysorbate 60
  • 2002 Shock of the Old, Common Sense Composers' Collective & American Baroque: 11 Miiniatures for Baroque Ensemble
  • 2005 Deviations, Dominic Frasca: Dometude, Lefty's Elegy, Metaclopramide, Dark Age Machinery
  • 2006 String Quartet No. 2, Duke Quartet: String Quartet No. 2
  • 2006 Tight Sweater, Real Quiet plays the music of Marc Mellits: Tight Sweater, Agu, Fruity Pebbles, Disciples of Gouda
  • 2007 Dirty Little Secret, Andrew Russo: Etude No. 1: Medieval Induction
  • 2007 TIC, Common Sense Composers' Collective & New Millennium Ensemble: Spam
  • 2007 Paranoid Cheese, The Mellits Consort: Opening, Broken Glass, paranoid cheese, The Misadventures of Soup, Lefty's Elegy, Machine IV, Srećan Rođendan, Marija!, Troica, Dreadlocked, Machine III, Machine V
  • 2008 Melville's Dozen, Nicola Melville: Etude No. 2: Defensive Chili
  • 2008 Mix Tape, Andrew Russo: Spank Me, Curried Kaftka
  • 2009 Serendipity, Society for New Music: Platter of Discontent
  • 2009 American Journey, Roger McVey: Agu
  • 2010 Convergence, Strike: Tight Sweater Remix
  • 2010 Black, Sqwonk: Black
  • 2017 Quatuor Debussy: '' ''