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David Avshalomov (1946-    )

David Avshalomov, composerDavid Avshalomov is a distinguished third-generation classical composer and orchestral conductor, and an accomplished vocalist. He was born in New York City, grew up in Oregon, and has for some time been based in Santa Monica, California. He represents a musical lineage whose story stretches from the Caucasus to Siberia, through China, to the US. He began composing and conducting in high school, and wrote (and conducted) his first compositions for his high school chorus. He earned degrees in music from Harvard and in orchestral conducting from the University of Washington, with further conducting studies at Peabody, Aspen, and Tanglewood. His teachers included Leo Mueller, Jean Morel, Henry Holt, Samuel Krachmalnick, Herbert Blomstedt, Werner Torkanowsky, Seiji Ozawa, and Leonard Bernstein. Avshalomov creates his works in an accessible modern romantic, neo-tonal style that balances a rich lyric gift with a characteristic rhythmic vitality and pungent harmonies. His composition teachers included Charles Jones (at Aspen), John Verrall, Robert Suderberg, and William Bergsma (at University of Washington). He has received commissions from such ensembles as the San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Mission Chamber Orchestra, Odyssea Chorus of Lisbon, Los Angeles Flute Orchestra, LA Clarinet Orchestra, Westwood United Methodist Church (LA), the Anglican Chorale of Southern California, and Camerata Singers of Long beach. His compositions are performed across the U.S., increasingly in Europe, and in Russia. He has earned composition grants from Meet the Composer, the American Music Center, the American Composer’s Forum, and the Durfee Foundation. In Avshalomov’s words, "Melody is the thread of my daily life. I still find new paths through traditional musical forms, and fresh expression based in folk idioms and drawing on old melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic roots."


COMPOSITIONS                                                            David Avshalomov Links     ~ ~ ~     Works by Genre
Chiaroscuro, pitched percussion quartet (1958/63)
U.S. 30 in Idaho, chorus (1961) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
Song for Late Summer, chorus (1962) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
Winter Mood, piano (1964)
Around the Year, 4 seasonal miniatures, woodwind quintet (1965/2002)
Diversion, violin and timpani (1966) ["Terwilliger"]
Brass Rondo, brass quartet (1967)
    - Spring Rondo, band [1971 arr. of brass quintet work "Brass Rondo", 1967]
Siege, orchestra (1967/95/99) [arr. 1969 for band]
Exeunt Omnes, recessional, brass quartet (1968)
Glockenspiel March, novelty, marching band or concert band (1968/97)
Canzona, brass quartet (1970)
Calm, high voice and piano (1971) [text: Minna Coe]
The U.S. Air Force Fugue (unofficial), male chorus (1972) [based on "Off we Go, Into the Wild Blue Yonder"]
Allegro, pitched percussion quartet (1972)
String Quartet (1974/79)
Air, woodwind trio (1975)  -  instrumentation???
Arietta, flute and string orchestra, w/opt. 2nd flute (1979)
Life’s a Dreamboat, band, w/opt. narrator (1970-80) [an "Every Person’s Guide to the Band"]
    - Lifeboat Variations (1970-80)
    - Cornucopia of Rounds (1976-80)
Father The Tree, chorus (1981) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
A Mind of Winter, baritone, harp and string orchestra; or baritone and piano (1985) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
Goodnight Moon, baritone and keyboard (1986)
You Can’t Have It All, baritone and theater ensemble (1986) [text: David Avshalomov]
The Sky’s the Limit, fanfare, [orchestra???] (1987)
Starry Night, processional, [orchestra???] (1987)
Intrada: Le Grand Condé, baroque orchestra (1989) [arr. 2003 for brass]
Drum Role (final variation from "Lifeboat Variations"), non-pitched percussion instruments, 5-8 players (1989)
Variations on a Beethoven Theme, cello (1989)
Let’s Grow an Orchestra, soprano/narrator and orch (1989/90) [a schoolchild’s interactive intro to the orch, w/several variations,
   and arr. short excerpts from standard orchestral repertoire]
    - Orchestra Song, soprano and orchestra (1989) [theme for "Let’s Grow an Orchestra", 1989]
Elegy, string orchestra (1990) [arr. 1992 for viola and piano]
Ouverture: Augustus the Strong, baroque orchestra (1990)
Torn Curtain, suite, viola and piano (1991)
Concerto con Timpani, "Battaglia" (baroque style), timpani, string orchestra and harpsichord (1992)
Principles, secular oratorio, male chorus, solo baritone and concert band (1993-94) [text: Thomas Jefferson]
    [composed under the nom de guerre, "G. F. Salomon"]
Dance, violin and (student) piano (1995)
Kedushah for the High Holy Days, chorus, solo tenor, flute and piano (1997)
Sonata for Violoncello, cello and piano (1997)
The Last Poet’s Farewell, violin (1999)
Sonata for Solo Harp (1999)
Hashkiveinu, contralto/low voice and piano (1999)
Prime Time, Toccata Brillante, band (2000)
Sonata for Flute, flute and piano (2000)
The Last Act, low voice and piano (2000) [text: Louise Bogan]
The Ceremony of Innocence, bass/baritone and piano/orch (2000) [text: Yeats: "The Second Coming"]
Ozymandias, bass/baritone and piano/orch (2000) [text: Shelley]
4 Songs of Life/4 Songs of Death/Tango (encore), bass/baritone & pf/orch (2000) [text: Dickinson] ["Songs of Life/Songs of Death"]
Songs of Innocence and of Experience, chorus (2001-02) [text: William Blake] [cycle of 45 individual settings]
Go Ahead and Rejoice, chorus (2002) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
Sonata Breve for Oboe, oboe and piano (2002)
Two Households, tenor and baritone, w/opt. guitar (2002) [text: Shakespeare: Prologue to Romeo and Juliet]
Pangs of Love, variations on a Rachmaninoff melody, string orchestra (2002-3)
Where You Go, I Will Go (Ruth and Naomi), female chorus (2003)
The Star Spangled Banner [arr. 2004 for barbershop qt or ensemble, TTBB]


WORKS BY GENRE                                                            David Avshalomov Links     ~ top of page ~
Orchestra
Siege, orchestra (1967/95/99) [arr. 1969 for band]
The Sky’s the Limit, fanfare, [orchestra???] (1987)
Starry Night, processional, [orchestra???] (1987)
Intrada: Le Grand Condé, baroque orchestra (1989)
Let’s Grow an Orchestra, soprano/narrator and orch (1989/90) [a schoolchild’s interactive intro to the orch, w/several variations,
    and arr. short excerpts from standard orchestral repertoire] [includes "Orchestra Song", soprano and orchestra, 1989]
Elegy, string orchestra (1990) [arr. 1992 for viola and piano]
Ouverture: Augustus the Strong, baroque orchestra (1990)
Pangs of Love, variations on a Rachmaninoff melody, string orchestra (2002-03)
Diamond Variations, orchestra (2005)
Gems Album No. 1, orchestra (1990-2005)
Gems Album No. 2, orchestra (1990-2009)

Band
Siege, orchestra (1967/1999) [arr. 1969 for band]
Spring Rondo, band [1971 arr. of brass quintet work "Brass Rondo", 1967]
Life’s a Dreamboat, band, w/opt. narrator (1970-80) [an "Every Person’s Guide to the Band"]
    - Lifeboat Variations (1970-80)
    - Cornucopia of Rounds (1976-80)
Glockenspiel March, novelty, marching band or concert band (1968/97)
Prime Time, Toccata Brillante, band (2000)

Soloist(s) w/Orchestra
Arietta, flute and string orchestra, w/opt. 2nd flute (1979)
Concerto con Timpani, "Battaglia" (baroque style), timpani, string orchestra and harpsichord (1992)
    [composed under the nom de guerre, "G. F. Salomon"]
Concertino for Oboe (2002-09)
Trotzky’s Train, piano and string orchestra (2007-09)
    - Romanovs’ Last Ball
    - Memento Mori (Adagio)
    - Trotzky’s Train

Chorus w/Orchestra
Principles, secular oratorio, male chorus, solo baritone and concert band (1993-94) [text: Thomas Jefferson]
The Mixed Blessings, tenor, baritone, chorus and handbell ensemble (2011???) [text: The Beatitudes]

Choral
U.S. 30 in Idaho, chorus (1961) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
Song for Late Summer, chorus (1962) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
The U.S. Air Force Fugue (unofficial), male chorus (1972) [based on "Off we Go, Into the Wild Blue Yonder"]
Father The Tree, chorus (1981) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
Kedushah for the High Holy Days, chorus, solo tenor, flute and piano (1997)
Songs of Innocence and of Experience, chorus (2001-02) [text: William Blake] [cycle of 45 individual settings]
Go Ahead and Rejoice, chorus (2002) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
Where You Go, I Will Go (Ruth and Naomi), female chorus (2003)
The Star Spangled Banner [arr. 2004 for barbershop qt or ensemble, TTBB]
There's a Wind, chorus (20??) [text: Steinbeck]

Chamber
Chiaroscuro, pitched percussion quartet (1958/63)
Around the Year, 4 seasonal miniatures, woodwind quintet (1965/2002)
Diversion, violin and timpani (1966) ["Terwilliger"]
Brass Rondo, brass quartet (1967)
Exeunt Omnes, recessional, brass quartet (1968)
Canzona, brass quartet (1970)
Allegro, pitched percussion quartet (1972)
String Quartet (1974/79)
Air, woodwind trio (1975)  -  instrumentation???
Intrada: Le Grand Condé, baroque orchestra (1989) [arr. 2003 for brass]
Drum Role (final variation from "Lifeboat Variations"), non-pitched percussion instruments, 5-8 players (1989)
Dance, violin and (student) piano (1995)

Instrument and Piano
Elegy, string orchestra (1990) [arr. 1992 for viola and piano]
Torn Curtain, suite, viola and piano (1991)
Sonata for Violoncello, cello and piano (1997)
Sonata for Flute, flute and piano (2000)
Sonata Breve for Oboe, oboe and piano (2002)

Solo Instrument
Variations on a Beethoven Theme, cello (1989)
The Last Poet’s Farewell, violin (1999)
Sonata for Solo Harp (1999)

Piano
Winter Mood, piano (1964)

Vocal
Calm, high voice and piano (1971) [text: Minna Coe]
A Mind of Winter, baritone, harp and string orchestra; or baritone and piano (1985) [text: Doris Avshalomov]
Goodnight Moon, baritone and keyboard (1986)
You Can’t Have It All, baritone and theater ensemble (1986) [text: David Avshalomov]
Orchestra Song, soprano and orchestra (1989) [theme for "Let’s Grow an Orchestra", 1989]
Hashkiveinu, contralto/low voice and piano (1999)
The Last Act, low voice and piano (2000) [text: Louise Bogan]
Two Apocalyptic Songs, bass baritone and piano/orch (2000)
    - The Ceremony of Innocence [text: Yeats: "The Second Coming"]
    - Ozymandias [text: Shelley]
Two Households, tenor and baritone, w/opt. guitar (2002) [text: Shakespeare: Prologue to Romeo and Juliet]
Songs of Life/Songs of Death (9 songs), bass baritone and orchestra (2004) [text: Emily Dickinson]
    - A Narrow Fellow in the Grass
    - The Railway Train
    - Wild Nights
    - Hope is the Thing with Feathers
    - It Was Not Death
    - The Heart Asks Pleasure First
    - I Felt a Funeral in My Brain
    - Tie the Strings to my Life
    - Because I Could Not Stop for Death (Tango/Encore)


AVSHALOMOV  LINKS                                                            Works by Genre      ~ top of page ~

Composer's website   . . .   contact David Avshalomov:  here

David Avshalomov @ American Music Center
David Avshalomov @ ChoralNet
David Avshalomov @ Classical Archives
David Avshalomov @ ClassicsToday
David Avshalomov @ Facebook
David Avshalomov @ InstantEncore
David Avshalomov @ LinkedIn
David Avshalomov @ Mission Chamber Orchestra
David Avshalomov @ Musica Bella
David Avshalomov @ Naxos
David Avshalomov @ OrchestraList

Publisher
David Avshalomov @ Composer's website
David Avshalomov @ Raven Music (composer's own edition)

Streaming Audio
David Avshalomov @ Classical Archives
David Avshalomov @ SoundCloud

Recordings
David Avshalomov @ Amazon.com
David Avshalomov @ ArkivMusic
David Avshalomov @ ClassicsOnline

Video
David Avshalomov @ YouTube
David Avshalomov @ Google Video
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