Remembering Bernard Rands

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra family joins the music world in mourning the passing of British American composer Bernard Rands, who died in Chicago on March 4, 2026, at the age of 92.

Born in Sheffield in the north of England on March 2, 1934, Rands studied English literature and music in Bangor, Wales. He later concentrated on composition in Darmstadt, Germany, with Pierre Boulez and Bruno Maderna and in Milan, Italy, with Luigi Dallapiccola and Luciano Berio.

In June 1983, his song cycle Canti del sole was given its world premiere with tenor Paul Sperry and the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Zubin Mehta; the work was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1984. Chanticleer’s album Colors of Love — which included selections from Rands’ Canti d’amor as well as Augusta Read Thomas’ The Rub of Love and selections from her Love Songs — won a Grammy Award for Best Small Ensemble Performance in 2000. Rands was honored by the American Academy and Institute of the Arts and Letters; Broadcast Music, Inc.; the Guggenheim Foundation; the National Endowment for the Arts; Meet the Composer; and the Barlow, Fromm and Koussevitsky foundations, among several others.

From 1989 until 1995, Rands was composer-in-residence with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and he also served in the same position for the Aspen and Tanglewood music festivals. He held residencies at Princeton University, the University of Illinois and the University of York, in addition to serving on the faculties at the University of California, San Diego; the Juilliard School; Yale University; Boston University and Harvard University.

“I am very saddened by the loss of Bernard Rands,” wrote Riccardo Muti, the CSO’s music director emeritus for life. “I remember with deep affection and great joy the years he worked with me as composer-in-residence with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the memorable concerts we shared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Chicago and on tour. My deepest condolences to his family, to whom I send my thoughts at this difficult time.”

Rands is survived by his beloved wife, Augusta Read Thomas, who served as the CSO’s Mead Composer-in-Residence from 1997 until 2006. Survivors also include his sons Siôn Philip and Stephen Jon from his first marriage, his second wife Susan and a previous partner Nele, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and his brother John Rands.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus have performed several of Rands’ compositions, on subscription concerts in Orchestra Hall as well as on tour to Europe. A complete list is below.

December 2, 3, 4, and 7, 1993, Orchestra Hall
RANDS Le Tambourin, Suites 1 and 2
Pierre Boulez, conductor

May 8, 9, and 11, 2003, Orchestra Hall
RANDS apókryphos
Angela Denoke, soprano
Chicago Symphony Chorus
Duain Wolfe, director
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
World premiere. Composed in memory of Margaret Hillis, founder and first director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. Commissioned by the Edward F. Schmidt Family Commissioning Fund for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.

March 10, 11, and 12, 2005, Orchestra Hall
RANDS Cello Concerto
Johannes Moser, cello
Pierre Boulez, conductor

May 5, 6, 7, and 10, 2011, Orchestra Hall
RANDS Danza Petrificada
Riccardo Muti, conductor
World premiere. Commissioned for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by the Edward F. Schmidt Family Commissioning Fund and written for Mexico in Chicago 2010, a citywide celebration of the bicentennial of Mexico’s independence and the centennial of the Mexican Revolution.

August 26, 2011, Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg, Austria
August 28, 2011, Kultur- und Kongresszentrum, Lucerne, Switzerland
August 31, 2011, Grand Auditorium, Philharmonie Luxembourg, Luxembourg
September 2, 2011, Salle Pleyel, Paris, France
September 5, 2011, Grosser Musikvereinsaal, Vienna, Austria
RANDS Danza Petrificada
Riccardo Muti, conductor

December 19, 20, and 21, 2013, Orchestra Hall
RANDS . . . where the murmurs die . . .
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor

November 1, 2, and 5, 2019, Orchestra Hall
RANDS DREAM for Orchestra
Riccardo Muti, conductor
World premiere. Commissioned for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra by the Edward F. Schmidt Family Commissioning Fund to celebrate the composer’s 85th birthday.

Compositions by Rands also have been performed on other series at Symphony Center, including:

February 16, 2000, MusicNOW
RANDS Concertino
Amy Mendillo, oboe
Mathieu Dufour, flute
Sean McNeely, clarinet
Mihaela Ionescu, violin
Jenny Gregoire, violin
Clara Takarabe, viola
Katinka Kleijn, cello
Deanne von Rooyen, harp

May 16, 2002, Symphony Center Presents
RANDS Well-a-day!, My dove, and Silently she’s combing from Canti d’amor
Chicago Symphony Singers
Duain Wolfe, conductor

March 19, 2003, MusicNOW
RANDS Well-a-day!, My dove, and Silently she’s combing from Canti d’amor
RANDS My Child from apókryphos
Chicago Symphony Singers
Duain Wolfe, conductor

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