Music for Theater
In 1981, Robert White was commissioned by Jerry Pollock, director of the San Antonio Little Theater, to compose the incidental music to Bernard Pomerance's 1977 play The Elephant Man.
This was the first time an original musical score had been used in the production of the the play. The commission was supported by a grant from the San Anotnio Arts Council.
The score was written for cello and piano. White composed specific melodic themes for each of the eight major parts, which undergo melodic transformation throughout the play.During the performance, White performed the piano part along with cellists Mark Volkov and Ken Ischii.
Listen to a brief exerpt from the 1982 performance of the play at the San Antonio Little Theater. The recording of the entire performance and full score are housed at the Woodson Research Center.
"There's a definite advantage in writing music for dance or for theater. In short, it's the human element. There's an inspiration to be derived from watching and listening to actors or watching ballet dancers in their creative processes."
--Robert (White) Avalon