Leilehua Lanzilotti, in full Anne Victoria Leilehua Lanzilotti, bynames Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti and Anne Lanzilotti, (born November 5, 1983, Philadelphia, PA), is a Kanaka Maoli composer, sound artist, and scholar of contemporary classical music.
Early life and education
Lanzilotti grew up in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. She began her violin studies with Hiroko Primrose, renowned pedagogue and protégé of Shinichi Suzuki. In addition to western classical music, Lanzilotti studied Hawaiian language, culture, and dance at Hālau Hula O Maiki. Lanzilotti attended Punahou School and Beijing Normal University Middle School No. 2 (School Year Abroad), and then continued her education at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, Yale School of Music, and Manhattan School of Music. She was a fellowship violist in both the New World Symphony and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin.
Professional life
As a performer, Lanzilotti is known for her collaborations with living composers such as Dai Fujikura, Ted Hearne, Andrew Norman, Caroline Shaw, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Jagoda Szmytka, Scott Wollschleger, and Nina C. Young. Lanzilotti premiered Dai Fujikura's Viola Concerto, Wayfinder, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre during the 2022 Born Creative Festival.
In addition to her work as a soloist, she has performed as a guest with Alarm Will Sound, Ensemble Éschappé, Ensemble Interface, Ensemble Signal, International Contemporary Ensemble, and with bands such as DeVotchKa, and She & Him. Lanzilotti performed in the Björk Vulnicura Live tour in New York City, and appears on the album of the same name.
As an Andrew Norman scholar, Lanzilotti has written for Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, London Symphony Orchestra, and has spoken at conferences internationally on Norman's use of architecture and visual art as musical inspiration. Her doctoral dissertation is also on the topic of music and architecture in Norman's string trio, The Companion Guide to Rome. Lanzilotti is the creator of Shaken Not Stuttered, a free online resource demonstrating extended techniques for strings.
In her role as Curator of Music at The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), she invited artists such as Ethan Heard & Heartbeat Opera, Sarah Hennies, Ken Ueno, and in 2020–21 season commissioned Maria Chavez, Lesley Flanigan, Bora Yoon, Pamela Z, Caroline Shaw and Vanessa Goodman, King Britt and Saul Williams, Miya Masaoka, and Mary Kouyoumdjian and Alarm Will Sound.
Lanzilotti has been on the faculty at New York University, University of Northern Colorado, Casalmaggiore International Music Festival, Point CounterPoint and Wintergreen Performing Arts. Lanzilotti was co-founder and artistic consultant for Kalikolehua – El Sistema Hawaiʻi. She is currently on the faculty teaching composition and viola at UH Mānoa.
Music
Lanzilotti's compositions are characterized by the frequent use of field recordings and extended techniques. She creates soundscapes that invite the audience to engage with sound and listen carefully to the subtleties of resonance. “Lanzilotti’s score brings us together across the world in remembrance, through the commitment of shared sonic gestures.” (Cities & Health) The 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Music committee noted that her work "distinctly combines experimental string textures and episodes of melting lyricism."
Lanzilotti has been commissioned by The Noguchi Museum several times to write musical works. [Switch~ Ensemble] received a MAP Fund grant for the development and performance of her new work hānau ka ua. Lanzilotti has also been commissioned by groups such as Roomful of Teeth, Merian Ensemble, and Argus Quartet. She was a 2021 McKnight Visiting Composer.
Her album in manus tuas (New Focus Recordings, 2019), was featured in Bandcamp's The Best Contemporary Classical Albums of 2019 and The Boston Globe Top 10 Classical Albums of 2019. Other albums including Lanzilotti's music are her debut EP Wanderweg and experimental LP The Akari Sessions.
In 2022 Lanzilotti's work with eyes the color of time, commissioned by The String Orchestra of Brooklyn and premiered at Tenri Cultural Institute in New York City, was selected as a Pulitzer Prize Finalist in Music.