Sixta, Jozef

Sixta, Jozef, Slovak composer and teacher; b. Jičín, May 12, 1940. He was a student of Očenaš at the Cons. (1955–60) and of Moyzes at the Academy of Music and Drama (1960–64) in Bratislava, and later worked with Messiaen and Jolivet in Paris (1971). After teaching at the Cons. (1964–76), he taught at the Academy of Music and Drama in Bratislava. In 1987 and 1990 he won the Ján Levoslav Bella prize. In his works, Sixta has utilized serialism and aleatory with judicious handling of harmonic, chordal, and melodic writing.

Works

ORCH.: Suite for Strings (1960); 3 Compositions for Small Orch. (1963); 2 syms. (1964, 1989); Asynchronicity (1968); Punctum contra punctum (1971); 4 Orchestral Pieces (1979). CHAMBER : Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Piano (1961); 2 string quartets (1965, 1983); Variations for 13 Instruments (1967); Nonet for 4 Strings and 5 Winds (1970); Quartet for 4 Flutes (1972); Recitative for Violin (1974); Octet for 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, and 2 Bassoons (1977); Trio for 2 Oboes and English Horn (1980); Trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (1981); Music for 4 Players for Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, and Harpsichord (1988); Trio for Clarinets (1992); Music for Flute, Oboe, Marimba, Vibraphone, and Synthesizer (1994). Piano : Phantasia (1962); Solo (1973); Sonata (1985); Concertante Étude (1986; also for Harpsichord).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire