Vache Sharafyan
Vache Sharafyan (Armenian: Վաչե Շարաֆյան), (born February 11, 1966 in Yerevan, Armenia) is a composer from Armenia. Sharafyan is author of opera “King Abgar” 2010 (producer Vigen Chaldranyan, libretto Gurgen Khanjyan, Artashes Aram), ballet "Another Moon" (2013), author of a number of symphonic, chamber, vocal, choral compositions that were commissioned/performed widely by many nowadays leading musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Yuri Bashmet, Boston Modern Orchestra Project and Gil Rose, Hilliard Ensemble, to mention a very few.
Sharafyan’s compositions were performed in the most prestigious venues in Armenia, USA (including Carnegie Hall -Stern, Weill & Zankel auditoriums, Chicago Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall in Boston, Benaroya Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Arts), Italy, Israel, Russia (including Moscow Conservatory Grand Hall - philharmonic season opening with thepremiere of Sharafyan's "Surgite Gloriae" Viola Concerto with duduk, boy-soprano, baritone... performed by Yuri Bashmet and Moscow Soloists... ), France (Theatre du Chatelet), Canada, Ukraine, Georgia, Germany (including Cologne and Berlin philharmonic halls), Austria, Belgium, Holland (including Muziekgebouw, Consertgebouw), Thailand, Lebanon, Hungary, Switzerland, Spain, Taiwan, Japan, Scotland, Ireland, England (including Royal Albert Hall), Iceland, Latvia, Greece, Cyprus and Sweden.
Publishers: G. SCHIRMER, Editions-BIM (Switzerland). CDs released on “Traditional Crossroads” New York, “Albany Records” New York, “BIS Records” Sweden, " LCMS" Ireland, "Blue Griffin" USA. Guest professor at UCLA in 2011. Civitella Ranieri Fellow 2005, Bogliasco Arts Center Fellow 2013. He graduated with distinction from the Composition Department of Yerevan State Musical Conservatory in 1990. In 1992, he received post-graduate education in composition as part of the class of Professor Edvard Mirzoyan.
Career
In 1992-96 as a Professor of music theory and sacred music Sharafyan worked in Jerusalem Theological Armenian Seminary (Israel). Authored a Book of Chants for Holy Sepulchre Church, Jerusalem.
As an official composer for the Silk Road Project since 2001 , Vache Sharafyan's compositions “The Morning Scent of the Acacia’s Song” for duduk and string quartet (as well as version for duduk, soprano and string orchestra) and ”The Sun, the Wine and the Wind of Time” for duduk, violin, cello and piano were performed by cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble in Cologne Philharmonic hall, Brussels Philharmonic hall, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, in USA: Carnegie (Stern) Hall, Carnegie (Zankel) Hall, Berkeley, Stanford Universities, Seattle Benaroya Hall, Washington National Mall, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hall, in Rome, Florence- Theatre Pergola, Milan- Giuseppe Verdi hall.
Sharafyan is author of a number of chambers, symphonic, choral, vocal compositions. His 2007 world premiers included Viola concerto ”Surgite Gloriae” with duduk, descant, baritone and orchestra performed by Yuri Bashmet and “Moscow Soloists” at Elba Isola Festival and Moscow Conservatory Grand Hall philharmonics season opening , “My Lofty Moon” for 5 eastern and 8 western instruments with Atlas Ensemble (cond. Ed Spanjaard) at Amsterdam Muziekgebouw , “11 arrangements & transcriptions by Komitas” with G. Dabaghyan and NCOA at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, “Quintetto quasi Concerto per pianoforte e archi” with violinist Movses Pogossian and LA Symphony principals at Zipper hall in Los Angeles, “On wings of hymnal” no 3, 4 for two cellos (with singing parts) with Suren Bagratuni and Ling-Yi Ou Yang in Taipei. Sharafyans’ 2008 premiers include “Sinfonia 2 un poco Concertante” commissioned by Boston Modern Orchestra Project, cond. Gil Rose (May 23, 2008, Jordan Hall, Boston), as well as premiere of the Concerto for Cello and Strings with Suren Bagratuni and NCOA.
Among Sharafyan’s participated festivals in 2005-2011 are: in January 2005 Budapest Mini Festival; in March 2005 in Transcaucacian Festival of Modern Music in Georgia; Mansfield Symphony concert at Renaissance Theatre with premiering of Tenor Saxophone Concerto played by maestro James Houlik and cond. Robert Franz, in July 2005 in Baroque festival in Yerevan; in September–October 2005 in MATA Festival in New York; In October 2005 in Festival “Perspectives XXI” in Armenia; in November 2005 in Festival Culturescapes in Switzerland; in February 2006 Icebreaker three: the Caucasus festival in Seattle (US); in March, 2006 in Contempo Music Series in Chicago; in March 2006 “Dilijan Chamber Music Concert Series” in Zipper Hall in Los Angeles; in May, 2006 in “Hommage a Bartok” concert series dedicated to Bartok’s 125th anniversary in Budapest; in June 2006 in Caucasian Chamber Orchestra festival in Tbilisi, Georgia; June 2006 in Maverick Hall chamber music series in Woodstock, USA; in December 2006 in Estovest festival in Turin, Italy, in January 2007 in Atlas ensemble festival in Amsterdam Muziekgebouw ("world premiere of "My Lofty Moon" for 5 eastern and 8 western instruments with Atlas Ensemble, cond. Ed Spanjaard), in 2008 at Dilijan music series in Los Angeles, Boston Modern Orchestra Project with the World premiere of Sinfonia 2 un poco Concertante conducted by Gil Rose, at Return festival in Yerevan, in 2009 at Homecoming festival in Moscow, PHAROS festival in Cyprus, National Gallery festival in Yerevan, Perspectives XXI festival, in 2010 Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana concerts in Palermo, 2011 - Jacaranda Music on the Edge festival in Santa Monica (USA), 4020 festival in Austria, Podium festival in Eslingen, Germany, Dilijan Chamber Music Series in Los Angeles with the World premiere of "Have Mercy on me , O God" for tenor and string quartet commissioned by Soli Deo Gloria...
Sharafyan’s compositions were performed in Armenia, Israel, France, USA, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Holland, England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Lebanon, Thailand, Hungary, Austria, Taiwan, Mexico, Switzerland, Greece, Sweden, Japan, Portugal, Poland and Iceland.
Sharafyan has been a prize winner in the 1986 All-Union Composers' Competition in Moscow .
Sharafyan has been a BMI Composer since 2002. Publishers: G.Schirmer, Editions BIM CDs on Albany records (New York)- Trio 2 "dream of dreams", "blooming sounds", Traditional crossroads (New York "sun, wine wind of time", Two Devotions, Arrangements and transcriptions", BIS records(Sweden) - Suite for cello and orchestra, Crane for cello, duduk, piano, LouthCMS (Ireland) 2 hymns sang by HILLIARD Ensemble. Nominated to "Civitella Ranieri Fellowship" in 2006, Italy. Guest professor at UCLA in 2011.
List of compositions
Opera
1`. "KING ABGAR", 15 soloists, mix choir, symphony orchestra; 2 acts, 7 scenes; dur. 2 hours. (2010)
Ballet
1. "The Another Moon" /ballet of sacred gestures/ for orchestra /1,2,1,1, 4,2 timpani, percussion-4, harp, piano, strings, dur. 60 min. (2013) (scenario is about George Gurdjieff)
Orchestra
1. Sinfonia 2 un poco Concertante for symphony orchestra with duduk (pre-recorded or life) 2007; commissioned by the Boston Modern Orchestra (BMOP), cond. Gil Rose; dur 25 min.
2. Poem for string orchestra, 1987, /9 violins, 3 altos,2 Cellos,1 C-basso/ 15,20min.
3. Symphony for full symphony orchestra/1990/, 17,30min.
4. "Khostovank" for chamber orchestra/1991/ /Flute, Oboe, Horn F, Percussion/1/, Piano, Violins 9, Violas 3, V-cellos 3, C-basso 1. 14min.
5. Concerto for string orchestra/1992/ 9violins,3 altos,3 cellos, c-basso. 12,30min.
6. Concerto-grosso for orchestra /2 Pianos,4 violins,2 violas,2 v-cellos,C-basso / /2002/16min.
Soloist(s) with orchestra
1. "Concertoserenata" for violin and string orchestra/1998/ 19min. dedicated to Movses Pogossian
2. Concerto-sonata for alto saxophone, piano and string orchestra./2000/16 min.
3. «The Morning Scent of the Acacia's Song» /orchestral version/ for duduk, voce/soprano/ & string orchestra. 2003. Publisher G.SCHIRMER, 17 min.
4. Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Full Symphony Orchestra. /dedicated to James Houlik/ 2003. 18‘ min.
5. Concerto no. 1 for Cello and Orchestra (chamber and symphony orchestra versions), dedicated to Suren Bagratuni, 2004, 23’min.
6. “Surgite Gloriae” Viola Concerto with duduk, descant, baritone, Fr. horn, and strings; dedicated to Yuri Bashmet; dur. 20 min. 2005
7. “CON-COR-D-ANCE” concerto for violin and chamber orchestra (flute, oboe, Fr. Horn 1,2 trumpet Bb, harp, percussion, strings), dur. 28 min. 2008
8. “Luminous Silhouette of a Song” for clarinet (or solo Viola) & orchestra (flute 1,2, Oboe 1,2, Fr. Horn 1,2, Trumpet, harp, percussion-2, strings) dur. 11 min. 2008 (commissioned by CDMC France, publisher Editions BIM)
9. “Luminous Silhouette of a Song” for clarinet & orchestra (version with ensemble of winds: flute 2, oboe, clarinet 2, bass clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, horn 2, trumpet 2, trombone, euphonium, tuba, percussion 2). 2008 (commissioned by CDMC France, publisher Editions BIM)
10. Suite for viola and orchestra (oboe, strings) dedicated to Yuri Bashmet
11. Suite for cello and orchestra, recorded on BIS records (Sweden), Alexander Chaushian and APO, cond. Eduard Topchjan
12. Concerto no.2 for Cello & Orchestra(clarinet, bass clarinet, percussion, piano, harp, strings), dedicated to S. Bagratuni, 2013, 27 min.
13. Violin and Duduk with string orchestra 22 min., 2013, commissioned by Maria Safariants
Chamber
1. Heralding Dawn music for 15 instruments /1990/ /Flute, Oboe, Clarinet in Bb, Fagot, Horn in F, Trumpet Bb, Trombone,Percussion/2/,Piano,Violin1,Violin2, Viola, V-cello, C-basso/ 11min.
2. Five songs for soprano and piano by Metsarents/1993/ 15,20min.
3. String quartet/1997/ 19,20min.
4. Sonata No1 for violin and piano/1997/ 11,30min.
5. Sonata No2 for violin and piano/1998/, to Movses Pogossian 12 min.
6. "The sun, the wine and the wind of time" for doodouk, violin, violoncello and piano./1998/ 16,5min.
7. "To Autumnal Leaves and to Stars" for alto saxophone, violin, violoncello, percussion and piano./1999/ 8min./later included in "The Four Seasons"/
8. "Two Devotions" for Tar, Kemancha, Dhol, Tam-Tam, Piano and string quartet./1999/ 25min.
9. "The Eclipse" for alto saxophone, violin and piano./1999/ 14,10min.
10. Trio N1 for violin, violoncello and piano. /2000/ commissioned for Pittsburgh Trio 15,10min.
11. Sonata for alto saxophone and piano/2000/ 15,30min. /commissioned by John Sampen/
12. "The Morning Scent of the Acacia's Song" for doodouk and string quartet./commissioned for Yo-Yo Ma's the Silk Road Project Inc./2001/ 16min. Publisher - G. Schirmer
13. "By Kouchak" for voce, flute, clarinet and piano./2001/ 6min.
14. "The Four Seasons" for twelve musicians/4 soloists/ and reader /2001/./commissioned by PNME (Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, cond.Kevin Noe) Flute, alto saxophone, percussion/3/, piano, soprano, violin 1,violin 2, viola, violoncello, c-basso, reader. 35' min
15. "Ascending Kemancha" for doudook/zurna/,V-cello,Piano. /2002/15min/Dedicated to Yo-Yo Ma/.
16. "Ancient Anthem" for Soprano and Violin /2002/, to Tony Arnold and Movses Pogossian, 7'min.
17. Piano Trio N2 «The Dream of Dreams» [for violin, cello and piano] 2003. 14 min. /commissioned by Baird trio/ premiered in Carnegie Hall on April 9, 2003.
18. ”Adumbrations of the Peacock” for Piano Quartet/Violin, Viola, V-cello & Piano/ / 2003/. ~14min/ Written for the “Apple Hill Chamber Music Players”/.
19. “Voices of the invisible blue butterflies” for piano, 2004, 7’ min.
20. OFFERTORIUM for solo clarinet, flute, trumpet, percussion, piano, violin, cello, c-bass 10 min. (written for Hammage a Bartok concert series in Budapest) 2006,
21. CANTICUM GRATIOSUM for baritone, flute, clarinet, trumpet, percussion, piano, violin, cello, c-bass 12 min. 2005
22. Blooming Sounds for solo violin 2005, 10 min, to Movses Pogossian, (commissioned by AGBU)
23. Another tale for solo piano; 3 min. 2007
24. Luminous Silhouette of a song for clarinet with orchestra /reduction version for clarinet with piano/ (commissioned by CDMC France, publisher Editions BIM, Switzerland) 2008
25. “Vi-O- La” no. 1 for solo viola (3 movements), ded. to Maxim Novikov, 10 min. 2008
26. “Vi-O-La” no. 2 for solo viola (3 movements), ded. to Maxim Novikov, 14 min. 2009
27. "Light-Drop Peals" for soprano & viola by poetry of Basho 20 min. commissioned by Maxim Novikov 2009, clarinet-viola version premiered by Andy Miles and Max Novikov in Berlin in 2012 and recorded in 2013.
28. Golden Apricot for kyamancha and violin (written for Golden Apricot Film Festival opening ceremony 2009
29. "Verses" 1,2,3 for violin and percussion; 16 min. 2009
30. "Night-garden music" for violin and cello; to Movses Pogossian and Rohan de Saram, recorded in Cyprus, 10 min. 2010
31. Esquisses Noctalgiques for wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, Fr. horn) and duduk/zurna 2010, 23min. commissioned by Winds Instruments Academy of Marseille, France; Quintette a Vent de Marseille premiered in 2012 in Venelles and Aix-en Provence.
32. "Once in a Beautiful Meadow" for ensemble Zerafin (Amsterdam), 15min., 2011, based on a fable from Kalila and Dimna
33. "Path towards this moment" for viola and organ, to Maxim Novikov and Jevgenia Lisitsina, (premiered in Riga Dome) 7 min. 2012.
34. Serenade with a Dandelion for 2 violins, written for the inauguration of Dilijan Chamber Music Series in Los Angeles, dedicated to Varty Manuelian and Movses Pogossian, premiered in Zipper Hall, 2005.
35. "Between the dream and awakening" for saxophone and cello; 8 min. 2012; for Suren Bagratuni and James Forger,
36. Sonata- Fantasy for Viola and Piano 20 min. to M. Novikov, 2010
37. PARTITA for violin and piano (5 movements, 17 min.); dedicated to Anne Akiko Meyers, 2012
38. CONTINUATIONS four movements for piano trio (14 min), for SIMA Trio (NY). 2012
39. 4 Arrangements of Komitas pieces for piano trio, 2012
40. Madrigale for alto saxophone, 8 minutes /2013/; commissioned by James Umble
41. "Gem-Rose" for soprano, cello and pre-recorded track, to Marta Bagratuni; /7 min./ 2013
42. "Eyes color of the sea" for soprano and cello /7 min/ 2013
43. TRIO # 3 "Moon-rise over the Jerusalem" for piano, violin & cello (2013); 19 min., commissioned by Trio Atanassov
44. "Paintings to be drawn" Trio for saxophone, cello & piano 2014, 9min
45. "Cello-breath" for solo cello, dedicated to Suren Bagratuni, 2013, 7 min.
46. "Inner dance" for guitar, accordion, piano, violin, c-bass, 2014, 8 min, commissioned by Fugata Quintet
47. "Two Translations" for flute, oboe/Eng. horn, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, piano, 2014, 19 min. commissioned by Festival delle Nazioni, Italy
48. "Drawing in air" for solo flute, 2014, 7 min.
49. "Goat-rite" for piano, cycle of 12 movements, 58 min. (written for pantomime theater, director J. Dadasyan) 2014
50. " To meet..." for solo lute, dedicated to Bernhard Hofstoetter, 8 min. 2014
51. "Cello-dance" (dancing cello) for solo cello, dedicated to Mario Brunello, 9min. 2014.
52. Divertissement for string quintet (2 violins, viola, cello, c-bass), commissioned by Dilijan chamber music series , 26 min. 2014
53. "Dialogues with Komitas" - flute, clarinet, duduk/zurna, percussion, guitar, soprano, violin, cello. (includes arrangements of Komitas dances, songs, sacred music, as well as original compositions of Sharafyan), dur.50 min. commissioned/recorded for Deutsche Gramophone , 2014
54. "Measurements of Infinity" 8 movements cycle for violin and piano (upon reading of E. Hilsenraths' "The story of the last thought"), 35 min. commissioned by KU Leuven, 2015
Choir with instruments
1. "Ter vor i mej lerinn" for mix choir a capella by Mashtots /1996/5,15min.
2. ”Tsov Kentsaghuis” / ”the sea of our life troubling me”/ by sharakan of St.Mesrop Mashtots /5th century/ For Counter-Tenor, Tenor, Baritone, Bass and three duduks / 2003/ ~5min.
3. SNOW CANTATA for mix choir (+organ in 2 movements); 40 min. 2011
4. Waterfall music for mix choir (with optional viola part) 2011, 7 min.
Choir with orchestra
1. CANTICUM DOLOROSUM et CANTICUM PACIFICUM for soprano, mix choir and orchestra (D trumpet, percussion, piano, strings) 23 min.
2. LACRYMOSA for cello, descant, soprano and symphony orchestra 12 min.
3. Cantata "ANDASTAN" (Blessing of the 4 corners of the world) for children choir and symphony orchestra (also version with ensemble 9 performers -clarinet, duduk, percussion 2, piano, string quartet), texts - Kyrie eleison (Ter voghormea), Komitas "to the Crucified, Daniel Varuzhan "Andastan". 17 min. commissioned by "Best musicians of the World" France. 2015
4. Cantata "Everlasting life" for choir and quintet (string quartet, piano) 2015...
References
The New York Times, MUSIC REVIEW "Sounds in Keeping With New Galleries" By STEVE SMITH Published: December 19, 2011 about Metropolitan Museum Artists in Concert (Colin Jacobsen, Nicholas Cords, Edward Arron, Andrew Armstrong) concert at Metropolitan Museum of Art on December 17
And all of the string players confidently handled unconventional intonation in Mr. Sharafyan’s “Adumbrations of the Peacock,” a stark, mysterious and ultimately majestic concatenation of broken-bell piano chords, tremulous melodies and quivering textures.
theSTRAD Magazine
May 2012; by JOANNE TALBOT about Suite for cello and orchestra and Crane for cello, duduk, piano released on BIS Records.
...use of harmonic clusters colors Vache Sharafyan's Suite, which with its ingenious allusions to the harmonic patterns and dance forms of the Baroque travels through a kaleidoscope of iridescent timbres... Equally enthralling is Sharafyan's arrangement of Komitas's Krunk (Crane) for duduk, piano and cello. As in the Suite, tonally conventional elements co-exist with the oscillating pitches and clusters of Sharafyan's harmonic language to magical effect.
Chicago Tribune (12,18,02) wrote about The Silk Road Ensemble at Chicago Orchestra Hall: "...But the most wonderful piece on the program was "The Sun, the Wine, and the Wind of Time" (1998) by the Armenian composer Vache Sharafyan. The score derived much of its ineffable sadness from the duduk, an oboe-like instrument whose quivery, throaty sounds were framed by piano (Joel Fan), violin (Colin Jacobsen) and cello (Ma). The seamless evolution of moods and textures—from soft, somber lines made up of pained intervals, to more violent outbursts, back to mournful lines—made it entirely absorbing to the ear and mind..."
The New York Times / May 9, 2002, Thursday MUSIC REVIEW:" At a Cultural Crossroads, Yo-Yo Ma Becomes a Spice Trader; By ALLAN KOZINN ..."And the Shostakovich, on Tuesday, seemed to flow naturally from the world of the work performed just before it -- The Sun, the Wine and the Wind of Time by Vache Sharafyan, from Armenia -- although it quickly established itself on Shostakovich's own terms"...
Pittsburgh Post Gazette (8 May 2002) wrote: …The evening's gem, though, was the Sharafyan. Without overtly referencing Vivaldi, this "Four Seasons" uses the calendar year as a metaphor for a circle of life...
Pittsburgh Live By Mark Kanny / TRIBUNE-REVIEW CLASSICAL MUSIC CRITIC / Monday, August 5, 2002 Vache Sharafyan’s "The Four Seasons" was the significant world premiere, including Armenian poetry as a prelude to each of the four movements… Sharafyan’s language includes remarkable solo writing … The composer is not afraid of dissonance, and the furious intensity he achieves serves clear narrative intent, including real satisfaction.
David Harrington (Kronos Quartet) wrote: “I find him (Sharafyan) to be a fascinating and expressive composer whose music unites the ancient with the new and mysterious inner worlds with boldly tangible elements...”
SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOCE / April 30, 2002, Robert Commanday, Senior Editor The issue with a cross-cultural composition is one of criteria. By what standard and in what aesthetic is the work to be perceived? It must be the product of a real and gifted composer, strong enough a composition to establish its own measure, as Takemitsu’s pieces are. To an extent, Vache Sharafyan’s The Sun, the Wine, and the Wind of Time (from Armenia, 1998) created its own time and space. The western tradition was reflected in its overall song-form structure and writing for piano, violin and cello.
THE BOSTON GLOBE, by Matthew Guerrieri Globe Correspondent / May 27, 2008. By contrast, Vache Sharafyan's "Sinfonia No. 2 un poco concertante," a BMOP commission and world premiere, takes that essence as its starting point. Melodies erupt into dense, slow-shifting harmonic clouds; a repetitive figure builds into crashing waves of multitudinous, Ivesian dissonance. A solo duduk, the Armenian folk oboe (pre-recorded for this concert), spins periodic arabesques, the instrument's microtonal inflections transmuted in the orchestra. Sharafyan creates complex, deliberate, ultimately captivating grandeur - artistic director Gil Rose led a terrific, vivid performance.
External links
Vache Sharafyan on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyMkOsiKKr8
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8CTHVs1JPA&feature=related
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x88uj0HndlU&feature=related
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN46rngI4s4&feature=related
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