Shooting
in the American Southwest(Photo by Eric Smith)
Mr. Westwater's initial performance piece, set to Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 7, Sinfonia Antarctica, was premiered by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in 1973, and was made possible with the cooperation and support of the National Science Foundation and the National Geographic Society.
Mr.
Westwater's second piece, Wilderness Suite, was premiered at the Kennedy Center
for the Performing Arts by the National Symphony Orchestra.
Subsequent works were premiered by The Cleveland Orchestra,
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the symphony orchestras
of Pittsburgh, Saint Louis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, New Orleans
and Honolulu.
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra under Raymond Leppard, Music
Director Emeritus, commissioned James Westwater to create three
pieces of nature photochoreography set to Haydn's Symphonies
Number 6, 7 and 8. The works premiered with
the Orchestra as part of the ISO's Spring Festival at the Hilbert
Circle Theatre in Indianapolis.
Twice a National Endowment for the Arts Resident Artist, James
Westwater has photographed in Alaska with the Institute of Polar
Studies and in Antarctica as the National Science Foundation's
Artist-in-the-Antarctic. His artistic credentials include an
award winning front cover for Saturday Review magazine
and the publication of a highly acclaimed book of photography.
Mr. Westwater is a past fellow of The Explorers Club and a recipient
of the Antarctic Medal. His work has been performed before audiences
of the National Academy of Science and the World Congress of
Local Government.
Mr. Westwater's formal education encompasses a variety of interests.
He earned his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University with studies
in philosophy, art history, educational development, cinema
and multimedia. He now resides in Utah, close to the
mountains, deserts and canyon country he loves.
You can learn more about the photochoreography of James Westwater
by visiting the web site, WestwaterArts.com.
