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Works list 2013–2019

  /  Works list 2013–2019
Works list 2013-2019

Performances: NORWICH  The Chenango Arts Council, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, at 7 pm (27 West Main Street, Norwich) Kristina Reiko Cooper (Cello) Or  Matias (piano) (“Love Songs from Around the World”). Recordings: “Diary” (ICL) Kristina Reiko Cooper (Cello) Uri Brener (piano);  “Around the World with Love” (Roven Records) Kristina Reiko Cooper (Cello) Or  Matias (piano) Listen to Vocalise (version for cello) HERE Listen to Vocalise (version for flute) HERE Vocalise for cello and piano – was originally composed as a second movement of a triptych for harp, flute and chamber orchestra called “City of Mystics”, and the transcription for cello and piano was made especially for the performance and recording by an internationally acclaimed cellist

Listen to SHUNAMIT (Act 1) HERE    Shunammit - Operatorium for voices, chorus and orchestra Libretto: Esther Ettinger The Story Synopsis The play is based on  the story of Elisha the Prophet and the Shunammite woman (Kings 2 4:8), as well the writings and annotations of Chazal, the Jewish sages of the Talmudic era. Elisha the Prophet is the disciple and successor of Elijah the Prophet. He is a wonder-worker and helps those in need. One affair however tarnishes his beneficial image - his ruthless revenge on a group of boys who disrespect him. The plot of the play revolves around the Shunammite woman who hosted the

Performances:April 09, 2015, Minkin-Shemer duo at the Wolfinsohn Recital Room,Longy School of Music at Bard College, Cambridge, Boston;23 March 2017 – The Jerusalem Bach Festival – “Conversations”Minkin-Shemer duo at the Mishkenot Shaananim Music Center;25 May 2017 – Frankfurt Music Academy small hall,Minkin-Shemer duoRecordings: “Conversations – contemporary music for two harpsichords” (Omnibus Classics CC5012) [NAXOS Direct] Listen HERE A piece recently released by the Ombnibus Classics label [NAXOS Direct] was commissioned and recorded by the Minkin-Shemer harpsichord duo (Marina Minkin - David Shemer).The piece emerges and exists on the narrow boundary between the classical Renaissance form known as "chaconne" with its characteristically repeating patterns and the

Listen HERE A piece recently released by the Ombnibus Classics label [NAXOS Direct] was commissioned and recorded by the Minkin-Shemer harpsichord duo (Marina Minkin – David Shemer). The piece emerges and exists on the narrow boundary between the classical Renaissance form known as “chaconne” with its characteristically repeating patterns and the sharp, rough sound of 20th century rock-music. The work is a tribute to a one of the great musicians of the late 20th century, Frank Zappa; a modest homage to a great “musical law breaker”, whose contribution to the development of music is yet to be appreciated and understood. Music sheet samples:

The piece is a solo piano version of the first movement from the Trumpet Sonata, and at the same time is a movement from the "12 Constellations" cycle, and is associated with the Zodiac sign of Leo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-TwAdBs7v4&list=UUqvXkVjjJRQ0k_CST3qNkaA

Commissioned in 2014 by Israeli Ensemble PHOENIX of early instruments, the piece features a prominent role for the harpsichord in powerful exchanges with 2 baroque violins, baroque viola and viola da gamba. This “somewhat off-the-road journey” quotes an ancient Andalusian piyut sang for the Jewish High Holidays called “Ki Gadol Yom”.  The piece is dedicated to the memory of the Jewish expulsion from Spain 1492-97. The original title "IN THE SEARCH OF THE CHACONNE" was later transformed into the "SPANISH LAMENTO".   Performances:15 March 2015, World premiere,  The Austrian Hospice, Jerusalem [Phoenix Ensemble]17  March 2015 Tel Aviv, The Israel Conservatory of Music

The piece is a final movement from the Piano concerto 3 for solo piano and symphonic orchestra and is based upon the ancient prayer chants of the Jewish communities of the Northern Africa, Spain, Morocco and Andalusia. Tradition going back many hundred years back in time is presented with a new and unexpectedly fresh setup and arrangement. However it is hardly to be overseen that the composer`s own roots are based on European\Russian cultural ground, thus making the fusion between these cultures even more fascinating and intriguing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldxhtDJn75U

Publications: IMC Performances:02 Jube 2016 –  ITG conference, Anaheim, CA, USARobert Frear  – trumpet Listen HERE The piece “Deceptions” for trumpet and piano was inspired and influenced by the artwork of the famous graphic master M.C. Esher who`s artistic output is in many ways about creating a sense of illusion and visual ambiguity. Whereas creating an illusory effect in the visual realm is well known and quite palpable, in the sonic\musical realm it should be represented with less obvious means due to a more abstract nature of the medium and its perception. The ambiguity is expressed here on different levels – rhythmic, melodic but also

The piece is a Musical Fairy Tale in 3 Acts for small symphony orchestra and a reader,  based on the text by Ester Ettinger. It may be also performed as an actual musical play with actors. However, the pure musical performance is certainly also possible, among other things as a ballet suite. Performances: 16 May – Akko City Hall; 29 May –  Rebecca Crown Hall, Sherover Theater, Jerusalem, Israel Festival; Sinfonietta Beer-Sheva, conductor Karin Ben Yosef Score samples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB7XHxp3YA0

Performances: 17 and 18 February 2016 ISO under Ariel Zuckerman, Sergey Ostrovsky – violin,  Tel-Aviv Art Museum Listen HERE Publications: IMI My First Violin Concerto is a work that presents and is built upon the spectrum of styles I have been dealing with during my musical life, from Russian folk melodies, through synagogue prayers, from post-romantic gestures to the harmonious coloristic shading of blues and jazz. All these elements are part of my musical world, and therefore should not be viewed as a trivial eclectic collection of multiple genres, but rather as an attempt to synthesize them, reflecting on the path I have

Sonata is dedicated to the memory of my father. A piece was composed after my father has passed away and as a reaction to his death, as well as a contemplation about the fundamentals of our existence such as life and death, and as an expression of a deep believe in harmony behind it all. Publications: Scodo / Universal Edition  Performances: December 12, 2019 Cité Bleue Hall, Geneve, Switzerland, Sergey Ostrovsky, violin, Silvie Barberi - piano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk0Iu_SnyT0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKJ1Yzso85c

A piece composed on the poem by the same name by Marina Tsvetaeva Ошибка Когда снежинку, что легко летает, Как звездочка упавшая скользя, Берешь рукой – она слезинкой тает, И возвратить воздушность ей нельзя. Когда пленясь прозрачностью медузы, Ее коснемся мы капризом рук, Она, как пленник, заключенный в узы, Вдруг побледнеет и погибнет вдруг. Когда хотим мы в мотыльках-скитальцах Видать не грезу, а земную быль – Где их наряд? От них на наших пальцах Одна зарей раскрашенная пыль! Оставь полет снежинкам с мотыльками И не губи медузу на песках! Нельзя мечту свою хватать руками, Нельзя мечту свою держать в руках! Нельзя тому, что было грустью зыбкой, Сказать: “Будь страсть! Горя безумствуй, рдей!” Твоя любовь была такой ошибкой, – Но

A piece composed on the poem by the same name by Marina Tsvetaeva Ошибка Когда снежинку, что легко летает, Как звездочка упавшая скользя, Берешь рукой - она слезинкой тает, И возвратить воздушность ей нельзя. Когда пленясь прозрачностью медузы, Ее коснемся мы капризом рук, Она, как пленник, заключенный в узы, Вдруг побледнеет и погибнет вдруг. Когда хотим мы в мотыльках-скитальцах Видать не грезу, а земную быль - Где их наряд? От них на наших пальцах Одна зарей раскрашенная пыль! Оставь полет снежинкам с мотыльками И не губи медузу на песках! Нельзя мечту свою хватать руками, Нельзя мечту свою держать в руках! Нельзя тому, что было грустью зыбкой, Сказать: "Будь страсть! Горя безумствуй, рдей!" Твоя любовь была такой ошибкой, - Но без

The piece aims to explore border areas of different performance possibilities on Violoncello, such as register, polyphony, timbre contrast etc.. It features extreme juxtapositions of dynamic and types of techniques, from a simple melodic line to expanded chord progressions, ending with a chord five octave wide. Publications: IMC Performances: 10/08/23 during the German music competition (DMW) in Cologne  as a part of the second competition`s round program by Timothy Hopkins, Cello https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1QIZHbCcCI&list=UULFqvXkVjjJRQ0k_CST3qNkaA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJbjyNsu99c

( I. "At the Chotzer" II. "Almost a Lullaby" III. "The Fiddler" IV. "A Legend" V. "Raava Deraava" VI. "BroigezTanz") "Jewish suite" is a series of musical pictures, presenting different aspects of live and spiritual environment in a traditional East-European Jewish community some 150 years ago, known as Shtetl. The music is very close in many aspects to a traditional folklore, such as klezmer, folk song or Chassidic niggun (chant); however, no actual quotations are used, all the music is entirely original. There are six parts to the Suite. Their names allude to following concepts: "At the Chotzer" ("At the Yard" or alternatively "At the

( I. “At the Chotzer” II. “Almost a Lullaby” III. “The Fiddler”  IV. “A Legend” V. “BroigezTanz”) "Jewish suite" is a series of musical pictures, presenting different aspects of live and spiritual environment in a traditional East-European Jewish community some 150 years ago, known as Shtetl. The music is very close in many aspects to a traditional folklore, such as klezmer, folk song or Chassidic niggun (chant); however, no actual quotations are used, all the music is entirely original. There are six parts to the Suite. Their names allude to following concepts: "At the Chotzer" ("At the Yard" or alternatively "At the Court")

( I. “At the Chotzer” II. “Almost a Lullaby” III. “The Fiddler” IV. “A Legend” V. “Raava Deraava” VI. “BroigezTanz”) A suite is composed as a series of pictures from the Jewish Stetl life in Eastern Europe, it featuresno traditional tunes, however the atmosphere is close to that of traditional and folk Jewish musicfrom that area. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS75B_cSdHg

( I. “At the Chotzer” II. “Almost a Lullaby” III. “The Fiddler” IV. “A Legend” V. “BroigezTanz”) “Jewish suite” is a series of musical pictures, presenting different aspects of live and spiritual environment in a traditional East-European Jewish community some 150 years ago, known as Shtetl. The music is very close in many aspects to a traditional folklore, such as klezmer, folk song or Chassidic niggun (chant); however, no actual quotations are used, all the music is entirely original. There are six parts to the Suite. Their names allude to following concepts: “At the Chotzer” (“At the Yard” or alternatively “At the Court”) – refers both to a physical

( I. “At the Chotzer” II. “Almost a Lullaby” III. “The Fiddler” IV. “A Legend” V. “BroigezTanz”) “Jewish suite” is a series of musical pictures, presenting different aspects of live and spiritual environment in a traditional East-European Jewish community some 150 years ago, known as Shtetl. The music is very close in many aspects to a traditional folklore, such as klezmer, folk song or Chassidic niggun (chant); however, no actual quotations are used, all the music is entirely original. There are six parts to the Suite. Their names allude to following concepts: “At the Chotzer” (“At the Yard” or alternatively “At the Court”) – refers both to a physical

( I. “At the Chotzer” II. “Almost a Lullaby” III. “BroigezTanz” IV. "Raava de Raava") “Jewish suite” is a series of musical pictures, presenting different aspects of live and spiritual environment in a traditional East-European Jewish community some 150 years ago, known as Shtetl. The music is very close in many aspects to a traditional folklore, such as klezmer, folk song or Chassidic niggun (chant); however, no actual quotations are used, all the music is entirely original. There are six parts to the Suite. Their names allude to following concepts: “At the Chotzer” (“At the Yard” or alternatively “At the Court”) – refers both to a physical

A piece commissioned by and performed during the International Tel-Aviv Harp Contest 2017. It was also among six finalists at the The Composition Contest for the USA International Harp Competition (USAIHC). It was chosen from 90 works submitted by composers from 33 countries. Publications: IMC Performances: 26-09-17, Israeli Music Day, "Debuts for harp" series, Gittit Boasson, harp; 8-7-19, Auer Hall, Bloomington, Indiana, Composition Forum at the 11th USA International Harp Competition; 17-11-19, Tel-Aviv Philharmonic Zucker Hall, International Harp Day, Marina Fradin, harp; 24-11-19, Jerusalem Center for Eastern Studies, Marina Fradin, harp. Listen HERE "

Listen HERE to the world premiere in Slovakia with Angelika Pavlech, mezzo-soprano https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tKmPLnG2-g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A74FCuQJL04 О пользе медитации Из стен вокруг я сделала дороги Иначе, мне казалось, некуда идти И я ползла, когда сбивались ноги В противоречьях этого пути От этих стен хотела оттолкнуться, Вспорхнуть, как птица ввысь, летать и петь Но стали небом голоса и лица, Чужих пространств негнущаяся сеть Клубком свернусь под пледом на диване, Сомкнутся веки в тёплой тишине, Улыбка тронет губы покаяньем: Всё, что ищу - находится во мне. Meditation Of walls around I have made a kind of roadCause otherwise, I saw no way for meAnd I was crawling when I couldn't goWhen obstacles had forced me drag one's feetOf walls around, I wished, I

A vocal piece composed at the commission of the "Silenzio Musica" composition contest,where Uri was active as a judge. The given text was written by Manrico Murzi (scroll down). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRmmIeuq-gM&feature=emb_logo Il tic e il tac di mie dita, orologio dell'anima mia, ti protegge, ti invita al sogno e alla malia. Tocco di dita, tocco di vita. Aria di sonno circola tra i tuoi capelli teneri nei capelli leggeri aria di sonno spira. Tocco di dita, tocco di vita. È il soffio di mia voce che dolce ti carezza, del mio cuore è la brezza che scorre e va veloce. Tocco di dita, tocco di vita. Il tic e il tac di mie dita, orologio dell'anima

"The Phoenix" (2018) for flute and harp Many times we see life as a fleeting thing, a meager moment between two abysses, as the famous saying of Rabbi Ibn Ezra goes "The past does not exist, the future is yet to come, and the present is like a blink of an eye". But a deeper look reveals that life and death are only two sides of the same coin and are not opposites. This is actually what the legend about the immortal bird called "Phoenix", which originates in many cultures and also in the Jewish midrashic literature, teaches us. This is also

A mega-cycle / compilation of twelve piano pieces, which can make up for a complete concert program in itself. I. Aries The Ram                             VII. Libra - ImponderabilityII. Taurus - Aria                               VIII. Scorpio - Perelandra TaleIII. Gemini - An Old Fresco             IX. Sagittarius - 11 o`clockIV. Crebs - Rex                               X. Capricorn - ElegyV. Leo - Capriccio             

How would Bach have written music nowadays? This piece is an attempt to answer this question. It was later included into the "Twelve Constellation" and 23 Preludes cycles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P92r7yGbf8c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbddPmgTvTI

Publications: "Terem Verlag", Switzerland This piece is a set of variations on the iconic tune by Paganini, very diverse in their technique and style. It continues a very rich and manifold tradition, starting with Liszt and Brahms down to Rachmaninoff and Lutosławski. The specific feature of this particular set is first and foremost it`s instrumentation, featuring two brass instruments, which upon the first glance could not be more distant from violin in their sound and technique. Another distinct characteristic of this piece is that almost every variation represents a different epoch, style and composer, from Frescobaldi and Rossini down to Arvo

ThemeVar.I   `A la Frescobaldi`                        Var.VI   `A la Piazzola` Var.II  `Don`t Be Bop`                             Var.VII   `A la Pärt` Var.III  `Jubilate`                 Var.VIII  `A la Pachelbel` Var.IV   `A la Rossini`                              Var.IX  `Again Piazzola?` Var.V    `A la Pink Panter`                       Var.X   `Perpetum Finale`      Listen HERE This piece is a set of variations on the iconic tune by Paganini, very

Two pieces originally composed as vocal compositions on the text of Psalms Nr.13 and 23, adopted later for trumpet, piano and strings. Just as the content of these two chapters, their musical characters are in a strong contrast to each other. While the first (Nr.13) is full of pain and anguish, search after consolation and salvation, the second one (Nr.23) is full of quiet joy and tranquility. Their respective styles are very different too. The first movement is based on sharp dissonant harmonies with a repetitive outcry in the solo line, followed by big rise from the lowest register up

Three traditional piutim (poetic prayer hymns) from the Andalouse-Maroccan-Jewish origin, recomposed and rearranged for a paitan (Sefardic equivalent of an Ashkenazy hazan - the prayer`s leader, singer of piutim) and eight players, including: flute, clarinet / bass-clarinet, soprano saxophone, horn, piano, percussion, cello and double bass. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJXboAStb_c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko1RWVdqhsw    

Two pieces originally composed as vocal compositions on the text of Psalms Nr.13 and 23, adopted later for trumpet, piano and strings. Just as the content of these two chapters, their musical characters are in a strong contrast to each other. While the first (Nr.13) is full of pain and anguish, search after consolation and salvation, the second one (Nr.23) is full of quiet joy and tranquility. Their respective styles are very different too. The first movement is based on sharp dissonant harmonies with a repetitive outcry in the solo line, followed by big rise from the lowest register up

( I. “At the Chotzer” II. “Almost a Lullaby” III. “The Fiddler” IV. “A Legend” V. “BroigezTanz”) “Jewish suite” is a series of musical pictures, presenting different aspects of live and spiritual environment in a traditional East-European Jewish community some 150 years ago, known as Shtetl. The music is very close in many aspects to a traditional folklore, such as klezmer, folk song or Chassidic niggun (chant); however, no actual quotations are used, all the music is entirely original. There are six parts to the Suite. Their names allude to following concepts: “At the Chotzer” (“At the Yard” or alternatively “At the Court”) – refers both to a physical