Elias Tanenbaum

Biography

Born in 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Tanenbaum studied trumpet at an early age and played with many jazz bands. After serving with the U.S. Army in World War II, he received a B.S. from the Juilliard School of Music in 1949, and an M.A. from Columbia University. He studied composition with Dante Fiorillo, Bohuslav Martinu, Otto Luening and Wallingford Riegger. Mr. Tanenbaum composed over 100 works in all idioms. Works include music for concert, jazz, theater, television, ballet and electronic and comptuer music. His music has been performed extensively throught this country, Europe and Japan by orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Japan Philharmonic, Brooklyn Philharmonia, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Westchester Philharmonic and many other performing groups. His many awards and grants include a WCBS commission, a MacDowell Fellowship, a commission from the Chicago Symphony, two Composers Grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1974 and 1989, a Ford Foundation Recording Grant in 1970, an American Composers Allience Recording Award in 1975 and 1979, Composers Grant from the New York State Foundation for the Arts in 1989 and numerous "Meet the Composer" grants. Mr. Tanenbaum was the Founding Director of the Electronic Computer Music Studio and a member of the composition faculty at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. He held that post from 1970 until his retirement. In addition, Mr. Tanenbaum was a visiting composer at the California Institute for the Arts in 1983 and a visiting lecturer at Stuttgart Conservatory in 1993. He was married to pianist Mary Tanenbaum in 1952. They have two children, David and Jacob, and three grandchildren. He was awarded the purple heart in 1944.

  • orchestra
  • solo keyboard
  • ACE Publications

    22 title(s)
    Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
    Elias Tanenbaum ALLEGRO FOR ORCHESTRA 2222 4221 timp, perc (1), string section
    Elias Tanenbaum COLUMBUS orch: 3-3-3-3, 4-3-3-1, timp, 5perc, tape, hp, str
    Elias Tanenbaum CONCERTANTE NO.1 orch:2pic/fl,2,2,2-cbsn, 4-3-3-1,timp,perc,hp,str
    Elias Tanenbaum CONCERTANTE NO.2 orch:2-2-ehn-2-bcl-2-cbsn,4-3-3-1, timp,2perc,hp,str
    Elias Tanenbaum FIRST BASS MAN solo contrabass, orch
    Elias Tanenbaum FLIGHT pf,tape
    Elias Tanenbaum INTERRUPTIONS orch:2-2-ehn-2-bcl-2-cbsn,4-3-3-1, timp,perc,str--w/jazz ens:tpt,alsax,amplified vln,amplified bass, drms vib,tape
    Elias Tanenbaum LITTLE SERENADE pf
    Elias Tanenbaum MEMORY pf, tape
    Elias Tanenbaum MEMORIES AND REMEMBRANCE 2 (Parker Variations) pf,tape
    Elias Tanenbaum MUSIC FOR PIANO pf
    Elias Tanenbaum NAJAF piano
    Elias Tanenbaum Octatonic Haze
    Elias Tanenbaum PIANO MUSIC pf
    Elias Tanenbaum PIANO & TAPE pf,tape
    Elias Tanenbaum REMEMBRANCE II (Parker Variations)
    Elias Tanenbaum RONDO FOR PIANO pf
    Elias Tanenbaum SONATA FOR PIANO pf
    Elias Tanenbaum SONATINA FOR PIANO pf
    Elias Tanenbaum SYMPHONY NO.1 IN ONE MOVEMENT orch:2-2-2-2, 4-3-3-1,timp,perc,hp,str
    Elias Tanenbaum Toccata for Piano Piano
    Elias Tanenbaum VARIATIONS FOR ORCHESTRA orch:2/pic-2-ehn-2- bcl-alsax-2-cbsn,4-3-3-1,timp,perc,hp,str

    Additional Works