Froom wrote music for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and orchestra, with and without voice. His music has been performed extensively throughout the United States by major orchestras, ensembles, and soloists, including, among many others, the Louisville, Seattle, Utah, League/ISCM, and Chesapeake Symphony Orchestras, the United States Marine and Navy Bands, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the 21st Century Consort, Boston Musica Viva, the New York New Music Ensemble, the Haydn Trio Eisenstadt, and the Aurelia Saxophone Quartet. His music has been heard in performance in England, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Holland, Cyprus, China, Australia, and New Zealand.[10]
His music has been described as “intensely dramatic yet deeply formal,”[11] “intellectually engaging, explosive with imagination and with a satisfying visceral power,”[12] balancing “diatonic pastoralism with acerbic angularity, Stravinskian rhythmic urgency with lyrical counterpoint.”[13] Among his most critically acclaimed works are “Circling,”[14] Sonata for Solo Violin,[15] 2nd Piano Trio,[16] and Amichai Songs.[17] Among his most frequently performed music is his saxophone music, which includes a saxophone quartet, “Flying High” for solo alto saxophone, and “Arirang Variations” for alto saxophone, bassoon, and piano. All of his works, are published by the American Composers Alliance.[9]
Froom's work has, since 1991, appeared regularly on the concerts of the 21st Century Consort, the new music ensemble-in-residence at the Smithsonian Institution. They have premiered and recorded many of his works.[18]
Personal life
Froom was married to pianist Eliza Garth. They share two daughters, Rosalie and Ana.[19]
‘’Shades of Red’’ for solo violin, or viola, or cello
Sonata for solo violin
‘’Flying High’’ for solo alto saxophone
Piano Suite
‘’To Dance to the Whistling Wind’’ for solo flute
Sonata for piano
‘’Elegy’’ for viola solo
Vocal music
‘’Amichai Songs’’ for baritone with orchestra
‘’Two Yeats Songs’’ for soprano and violin
‘’Colors passing through us’’ (poetry, Marge Piercy) for mez sop, cl, vc, pno
‘’Three Love Songs’’ (poetry, Sue Standing) for mezzo-soprano and piano
‘’Amichai Songs’’ for bar with fl, cl, hn, pno, vn, va, vc
‘’Emerson Songs’’ for sop with fl, ob, cl, bn, pno, vn, va, vc
Choral
‘’Warm are the still and lucky miles’’ for SATB (poem, Auden)
Recordings
Quartet for Piano and Strings, Down to a Sunless Sea, Piano Sonata (Centaur Records CRC 2103).[21]
Serenade for trumpet and strings, Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony with Jeff Silberschlag, trumpet (Naxos 8.559719).[22]
Chamber Concerto (New York New Music Ensemble), String Quartet (Ciompi String Quartet), Quintet for Oboe, Strings and Piano (Twentieth Century Consort), Piano Suite (Eliza Garth). To Dance to the Whistling Wind (Jayn Rosenfeld) (Arabesque Recordings Z6710)[23]
“Kick Off!” for brass septet (Sonora Recordings SO22591CD)[24]
Saxophone Quartet, West Point Saxophone Quartet (Altissimo Recordings 75442259912)[26]
Saxophone Quartet, Aurelia Quartet (New Dynamic Records 700261228655)[27]
Saxophone Quartet, Quatour Nota Bene (Fidelio Recordings AD001)[28]
Piano Trio #2: “Grenzen,” Haydn Trio Eisenstadt (Capriccio Records CAP71095)[29]
Arirang Variations, Kenneth Tse, Benjamin Coehlo, Alan Huckleberry (Crystal Records CD358)[30]
Amichai Songs, Fantasy Dances, Circling, Emerson Songs, Clarinet Trio, 21st Century Consort (Bridge Records 9240)[31]
Sonata for Violin Solo, Curtis Macomber (Navonna Records NV5830)[32]
Bibliography
“David Froom” by Perry Goldstein, in The New Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd ed., 2013
“Trusting the Connections” by Alexandra Gardner, Spotlight Profile in New Music Box, April 18, 2012[33]
“A stylistic analysis of three flute pieces by David Froom: Circling for flute and clarinet, To Dance to the Whistling Wind for solo flute, and Lightscapes for flute and piano” by Candice Behrmann, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, DMA dissertation, 2010[34]
“Flute and Clarinet Together” by Joanna Cowan White in Flute Talk, September 2009[35]
“David Froom: MTNA/Shepherd Distinguished Composer 2006” by Ann Rivers Witherspoon in American Music Teacher, June–July, 2007[36]
“David Froom” by Perry Goldstein, in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., 2001
Articles written
David Froom, “The Emerging Generation,” keynote article in Contemporary Music Review, Volume 10, Part 1.[37]
David Froom, “Looking Back, Looking Forward,” and “Composed in Southern Maryland,” River Gazette, volume 10, no. 3, Fall 2010[38]
David Froom, “Classical Music to Unite a Community” New Music Box, July 20, 2011[39]
