Composer of the Day!

Today’s Composer of the Day is Avner Dorman.

(b. 1975)

Israeli composer Avner Dorman is also a physicist! More to the point, however, he graduated with a doctorate from Julliard, where he studied with John Corigliano.

Alongside the usual smattering of awards, he’s been performed by prominent people and ensembles, too.

Allan Kozinn is a qualified voice to describe Avner’s music:

Mr. Dorman [...] writes in an eclectic, essentially neo-Romantic style that combines striking melodies, free dissonance and occasional effects (tapping on the instruments for example) to create picturesque textures.

To back that up, you should check out his fantastic and strikingly comprehensive website, where you can listen to a lot of his music. (clicks over, listens) Allan is right! See?

Allan also writes of Dorman’s Second String Quartet (which you can listen to):

The outer movements of his String Quartet No. 2, "Mirage" (2004), evoke the Israeli desert, with a "Prayer for the Innocents" as the haunting slow movement between them. The score's most arresting moments are in its finale, "Ruchot," in which hard-driven counterpoint and rapid bowing, offset by calmer moments, describe the changeable desert winds.

You hear that aspiring composers? Hard-driven counterpoint + rapid bowing + calmer moments = arresting description of the changeable desert winds.

Humorously, Avner’s bio (pdf) relates the good news that his

...two percussion concerti are quickly becoming staples of the repertoire.

Again, you can listen to the more recent concerto, Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!, at his website. It’s lovely. Perhaps his bio isn't that far off the mark, after all.

Also, Alfred Schnittke is one of his friends on MySpace.

You should listen to his music!

PS: I don’t know who to credit for the photo.

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Edit: Empiricus (6-24-08)

I am pleased to announce that Avner's non-U.S. press agent sent an email to inform me that the photo was taken by Dan Zeltzer; also, to give me a PDF of his upcoming performances (there are a lot, 'cause his stuff's becoming a staple of the repertoire). If you want a list for yourself, go to Avner's website, go to "Contact," then contact.
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