David Avshalomov (1946- )
A
classical composer and orchestral conductor based in Santa Monica,
David Avshalomov is also an accomplished solo bass vocalist. As a
composer, he writes in an accessible modern neo-tonal style that
balances a lyric gift with a characteristic rhythmic vitality. His
influences include the great 20th-century European and American tonal
composers (plus his father and paternal grandfather, Aaron
Avshalomoff). He has composed music for a wide variety of forces from
solo instruments to full orchestra, band, and choir, in forms ranging
in scale from songs and incidental pieces to full-length oratorio.
Recently he has been writing much vocal music, with an increasing
number of regional commissions, and serving as resident composer with
several Los Angeles area choruses. Avshalomov's music has
been performed professionally across the US and in Europe and Russia,
and has been recorded on the Albany and Naxos labels. Has sung
professionally as a chorister and soloist for 45 years. He earned his
B.A in Music at Harvard and a D.M.A. in conducting and composition from
the University of Washington, studied at Aspen and Tanglewood, has been
music director of a number of US orchestras and choruses including
several in the LA area, has guest conducted widely here and toured in
Europe and the Far East, and recorded orchestral music by his
grandfather Aaron Avshalomoff in Moscow. His conducting work
garnered listings in Who's Who in Music and Who's Who in the West. 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 (2002-3)
Band
Siege, orchestra (1967/95/99) [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"]
Chorus w/Orchestra
Principles, secular oratorio, male chorus, solo baritone and concert band (1993-94) [text: Thomas Jefferson]
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]
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]
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"]
Two Households, tenor and baritone, w/opt. guitar (2002) [text: Shakespeare: Prologue to Romeo and Juliet]
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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