Biography

Tim Lake - An American Concerto For 5-String Banjo And Orchestra
Release Date: 1993

Tim Lake earned a Doctorate in Music Composition (D.M.A.) from the University of Kentucky in 1991 with the completion of "An American Concerto For 5-String Banjo & Orchestra" serving as his Doctoral thesis. He wrote and arranged all of the music for all of the instruments of the orchestra including the 5-String Banjo that he played on this recording.

As winner of Kentucky’s prestigious Al Smith Fellowship for music composition and twice recognized by ASCAP’s Standard Awards panel, this concerto, entitled An American Concerto For 5-String Banjo And Orchestra was composed by Tim Lake and released as a LIVE recording on Padraig Records. The premiere took place on April 27, 1993, by Tim Lake and the Atlanta-Emory Orchestra under the direction of Jere Flint at Glenn Memorial Auditorium in Atlanta Georgia.

The concerto is a three movement work of original themes with stylistic influences spanning the complete history of music. It is a semi-programmatic work which depicts an immigrant’s voyage to America. This piece is undoubtedly the first of its kind and should be a must for any serious collector of music. Other original compositions offered in this package are unique solo piano works and an oboe/bassoon duet entitled "When I First Met Miyuki." The potential of the 5-string banjo is further explored with Tim’s arrangement of Beethoven’s classic Für Elise.

An American Concerto For 5-String Banjo & Orchestra

1. Movement I – Allegro-March-Andante-Moderato-Allegro-March 7:06

2. Movement II – Adagio, “Nothing Is Everything”/”America” 11:28

3. Movement III – Lento, “Lento For Winds And Banjo”-Presto Scherzando, “Connemara”-Andante, “The Banjo Waltz”-Vivace, Finale 8:33

4. Bozo The Drunk 0:46

5. Halloween 1:05

6. Street Noise 1:55

7. Extremities (Hendrix Plays The Classics) 1:02

8. What To Do (Earthquake 1990) 1:02

9. When I First Met Miyuki 5:38

10. Beethoven On The Banjo: Für Elise 4:20

11. Clouds For Alice 2:24

All compositions were written by Tim Lake with the exception of the banjo arrangement of "Fur Elise" that was written by Ludwig van Beethoven. All compositions and arrangements published by Padraig Publishing, ASCAP. All Rights Reserved.

Reviews

An American Concerto For 5-String Banjo And Orchestra – “Meet Tim Lake; composer, performer and obvious banjo enthusiast of the highest order. The banjo as a harmonious and lilting symphonic instrument paints images with melody and rhythm. Tim’s fine orchestrations are performed by the Atlanta-Emory Orchestra…something to truly challenge your listening ear.”
–Don Dawson, Acoustic Musician, September 1997


An American Concerto for 5-String Banjo And Orchestra – “One of the most ambitious and most eclectic works ever written for banjo. The work is a banjoistic meltdown that draws from fiddle tunes, jazz, American and European folk, and blues even though the final result is definitely classical.Tim Lake could take his place among the great banjoists of any style. ”
— Paul-Emile Comeau, Dirty Linen Magazine – February/March 1995


“Kentucky banjo virtuoso, Tim Lake, has ventured into the classical music arena with his original American Concerto for 5-String Banjo and Orchestra. Lake’s previous experiments with Vivaldi, Bach, and Beethoven for banjo led Lake to the April 1993 debut with the Atlanta-Emory Orchestra.”
–John McCutcheon, International Musician – February 1995


An American Concerto for 5-String Banjo And Orchestra – “Lake has composed what might be the first concerto for five string banjo and symphony orchestra.”
–Derrick Henry, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution – April 27, 1993


An American Concerto for 5-String Banjo And Orchestra -Tim Lake “proves doubters wrong with work for banjo, orchestra.”
–Walter Tunis, Lexington Herald-Leader – May 16, 1993


An American Concerto for 5-String Banjo And Orchestra – “Accomplished banjo player Tim Lake has charted new territory with his concerto.”
–Donna Arnold & George Merritt, The Sonneck Society For American Music Bulletin-Summer 1994


An American Concerto for 5-String Banjo And Orchestra – “Impressive new work performed by the Atlanta-Emory Orchestra with Lake as soloist.”
–Kevin Nance, Lexington Herald-Leader – May 8, 1994


About the Artist – Tim Lake

Tim Lake is a singer-songwriter, composer, performer, and teacher who was born in Manhattan, New York and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. Playing banjo and guitar, Tim has been a professional musician for over 40 years, has released eleven albums of original songs, and has performed internationally and across the United States with his group “The Little Big Band.”

Tim received a doctorate in music in 1991 from the University of Kentucky. In 1993, he performed and recorded the world premiere of his doctoral work, “An American Concerto For 5-String Banjo And Orchestra,” with the Atlanta-Emory Orchestra in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1995, his concerto was awarded Kentucky’s prestigious Al Smith Fellowship for music composition and he has also received recognition as a composer from ASCAP’s Standard and Popular Awards panel from 1994 through 2017.

Rounder Records released Tim’s first recording entitled “Same Old Roadside Inn” and in 1993, Tim started his own company, Padraig Records LLC, which has since released seven compact disc/cassette recordings. His recording efforts are very diverse in scope but easily fall within an ‘eclectic folk’ and Americana category in that they are unique banjo related efforts. “Jazz With Bluegrass And Blues” has as its major focus the singer-songwriter and banjo player attributes of his music while the “banjo concerto” and selections such as his banjo arrangement of Beethoven’s “Für Elise” should intrigue classical aficionados as well. The Padraig Records/ Audio Park release entitled “Live In Tokyo, Japan” features two duets with Japanese traditional musicians on shakuhachi and shamisen while “Kentucky Home” is a two CD set that is Tim’s first recording to feature primarily traditional music. He has received acclaim from respected music critics such as Nat Hentoff, Paul E. Comeau, and John Lupton.

Tim’s trio plays an eclectic mix of American music presented in an original show on banjo, guitar, bass, fiddle, and mandolin. The recording “Jazz With Bluegrass And Blues” best demonstrates his live show. A typical performance will take the listener through original songs with thought provoking lyric content, to Classical music on the banjo, to Jazz, and finally, to Bluegrass and Blues.

As a banjo artist, songwriter, and composer of the highest order, Tim Lake has performed his brand of American music with Kentucky style in international music festivals and concerts all over the world, including Tokyo, Osaka, and Yokosuka, Japan; Ambato and Quito, Ecuador; Bø, and Oslo, Norway; Graz, Austria; and Wexford, Ireland. His form of American music, boundless and refreshing, will always be welcomed by world audiences.

Education
D.M.A., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 1991.
Major: Music composition.

M.M., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 1988.
Major: Music composition.

B.A., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 1987.
Major: History.

B.A., University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, 1983
Major: Music.

Contact Information:

Tim Lake
Padraig Records, LLC
P. O. Box 31
Wilmore, KY 40390
Phone/Fax: 859-858-0118/cell 859-797-6505
web site: www.TimLake.com
email: TimLakePAD@aol.com