Jacob Avshalomov

Biography

Born on 28 March 1919 in Tsingtao, China, Jacob Avshalomov was the son of composer Aaron Avshalomov and father of composer David Avhshalomov and violist Daniel Avshalomov. Jacob studied with his father, with Bernard Rogers, with Aaron Copland, and at Reed College and the Eastman School of Music. He taught at Columbia University from 1946 to 1954, at Northwestern University, the University of Illinois, Reed College, and at Tanglewood and Aspen. He conducted the U.S. premieres of Bruckner's Mass in D; Tippett's A Child of our Time; Handel's The Triumph of Time & Truth; and Roger Sessions' Divertimento for Orchestra.

He has conducted all over the world, including the Bloch Festival in Newport, Oreg.; Aaron Avshalomov's 90th Anniversary Celebrations in Beijing, Wuhan, and Shanghai; the Portland Youth Philharmonic from 1954 to 1994; six international tours; and the Moscow Symphony recordings of his father's music. Jacob received the Ditson Fellowship in Composition; the Ernest Bloch Award; Guggenheim Fellowships; New York Music Critics Circle Awards; Naumburg Recording awards; the Governor's Arts Award; and the American Symphony Orchestra League's Award. His commissioned works include Oregon: The Symphony,The Thirteen Clocks, Phases of the Great Land, Glorious th'Assembled Fires, and Symphony of Songs. He passed away April 25, 2013, in Oregon.

 

Interview with Bruce Duffie here

  • ACE Publications

    30 title(s)
    Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
    Jacob Avshalomov ARCANA - IMAGES FROM THE TAROT
    Mixed and Unmixed Chorus, tpt, hn, bsn, trb
    Jacob Avshalomov CANTATA: HOW LONG, OH LORD contralto solo or baritone, SATB, orch or pf/org
    Jacob Avshalomov CHI'ING T'ING MOUNTAIN
    Jacob Avshalomov CITY UPON A HILL (Cantata) ORCH:2-2-2-2-cbsn,4-2-3-1, perc(3),handbells,2-1-1-1 & spk,satb
    Jacob Avshalomov CONTEMPLATIONS FOR NED
    mez-sop, vln, vla, vlc
    Jacob Avshalomov CUES FROM THE LITTLE CLAY CART 2/pic-1-2-0; str, hp, banjo (2 or 3); 4perc
    winds, perc,banjo/gtr,str
    Jacob Avshalomov CUES FROM THE LITTLE CLAY CART,FOR CHAM ORCH 5winds,4perc,hp, banjo,str 2-1-1-1
    Jacob Avshalomov Entrada for Reed
    2 tpt, horn, trb, tuba
    Jacob Avshalomov GLORIOUS TH' ASSEMBLED FIRES SATB & ORCH: 3-2-EH-2-BCL-2-CBSN,4-2-3-1, PERC (3),STR 2111
    Jacob Avshalomov HAIL THE 'GREAT LAND': Anthem for the State of Alaska VOICE & PF, OR CHORAL & PF
    Jacob Avshalomov INSCRIPTIONS AT THE CITY OF BRASS Orch: 3-3-3-bcl-2-cbsn, 4-3-3-1,tmp,perc,hp,pf,bass,banjo,str(2-1-1),chor(satb),narr.
    Jacob Avshalomov LITTLE CLAY CART, THE voice,fl/picc,cl,banjo or gtr,3perc, vla,vcl
    Jacob Avshalomov MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE UNTO THE LORD satb, ww, perc
    Jacob Avshalomov MOST TRIUMPHANT BIRD
    SATB mixed choir, viola, piano
    Jacob Avshalomov ONE,TWO,THREE FOR DAVID, for pf pf
    Jacob Avshalomov OPEN SESAME!,for orch PIC-2-2-2-2,4-2-1-btbn,gl/xyl, timp,perc(3),pf,str(2-1-1-1)
    Jacob Avshalomov PITTER SONGS
    med voice, pf
    Jacob Avshalomov QUODLIBET MONTAGNA
    tpt, 4 hrns, bass trb
    Jacob Avshalomov SONGS FROM THE GOLIARDS
    SATB, cello
    Jacob Avshalomov TAKING LEAVE OF A FRIEND
    Medium-Low voice, flute, viola, piano

    Additional Works

    Published by HIGHGATE PRESS INC

    • SONATINE FOR VIOLA AND PIANO
    • PHASES OF THE GREAT LAND
    • EVOCATIONS

    Published by IONE INC

    • THRENOS

    Published by KEISER CLASSICAL

    • THE TAKING OF T'UNG KUAN
    • SYMPHONY OF SONGS
    • RAPTURES
    • THE GLISTENING CITY
    • SYMPYHONY: THE OREGON

    Published by MERION MUSIC INC

    • SLOW DANCE

    Published by SONGS OF UNIVERSAL INC

    • PRAISES FROM THE CORNERS OF THE EARTH
    • PROVERBS OF HELL
    • THE SMILE
    • THE GRAIN OF SAND
    • WONDERS