Gity Razaz

Gity Razaz (born March 22, 1986) is an American composer of Iranian origin. She has written music for symphony orchestra, opera, ballet, chamber ensemble, and solo instrumentalist, as well as pieces with multimedia and electroacoustic elements.

Life and career

Gity Razaz began her classical training at the age of seven, and graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in music composition from The Juilliard School where she studied with John Corigliano, Samuel Adler, and Robert Beaser. She was the composer-in-residence at the inaugural season of National Sawdust from 2016 to 2017.[1] Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Corigliano has called her a "unique composer whose 'Middle-Eastern roots have merged with her Western sensibilities to produce music that is both original and startling. She is on her way to becoming a major force in contemporary music.'"[2] Her music has been described by The New York Times as "ravishing and engulfing."[3]

Razaz's music has been performed throughout the United States and internationally, including at Carnegie Hall,[4] National Sawdust,[5] The Jerome L. Greene Space at New York Public Radio,[6] Ballet Moscow,[7] Canada's National Ballet School,[8] Amsterdam Cello Biennale, Pioneer Works,[9] and Le Poisson Rouge,[10] among others. Her first chamber opera, Fault Lines, was commissioned by the Washington National Opera and premiered at the Kennedy Center in 2018[11] and her Cadenza for the Once Young was featured on BBC Radio 3's programme In Tune.[12]

The Seattle Symphony has presented her music on its concert "Music Beyond Borders: Music from the Seven"[13] and included it in the inaugural season of Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center.[14] She also was a host for WQXR 93.9 FM New York's internet station Q2 Music, where she presented works of contemporary classical music.[15]

Selected works

Solo
  • Legend of Sigh (2015) for cello, pre-recorded cello, and pre-recorded electronics
  • Shadow Lines (2014) for cello, pre-recorded cello, and pre-recorded electronics
  • Light (2014) for piano
  • Aleph (2012) for cello

Chamber
  • Four Haikus (2017) for guitar duo
  • A Prayer for the Abandoned (2015) for piano trio
  • The Strange Highway (2010) for cello octet
  • Duo (2007) for violin and piano

Orchestral
  • Salvador Dreams (2017) for orchestra
  • Arizona Dreams (2016) for string orchestra
  • Concerto for violoncello and orchestra (2012)
  • Metamorphosis of Narcissus (2011) for chamber orchestra and electronics
  • In The Midst of Flux (2009) for orchestra
  • Concertino for Clarinet and Baroque Chamber Orchestra (2009)

Vocal
  • Fault Lines (2017), opera for four voices and chamber orchestra
  • The Call Across the Valley of Not-Knowing (2014-revised 2016) for soprano, baritone, cello, clarinet, and piano
  • Lux Aeterna (2016) for SATB a cappella
  • The Yellow Wallpaper Songs (2015) for soprano, violin, cello, and piano
  • Songs from the Book of Nightmares (2007) for soprano, oboe, clarinet, horn, and piano

Ballet
  • The Kreutzer Sonata (2017) for two violins, viola, cello, clarinet, and piano
  • Wave Ring (2014) for violin, cello, clarinet, piano, and pre-recorded electronics
  • Chance Has Spoken (2011) for vibraphone and string quartet

References
  1. "NS COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE: GITY RAZAZ". National Sawdust. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  2. Siegel, Steve. "lassical: Pianist Kristina Moditch plays at Bach at Noon in Allentown on Tuesday". The Morning Call. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  3. Smith, Steve (28 January 2011). "A Night of Acoustic and Electronic Exploits". New York Times. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  4. "Orchestra Underground: Eastern Wind". American Composers Orchestra. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  5. "NS Composer In Residence: MUSIC OF GITY RAZAZ". National Sawdust. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  6. WQXR, Gity Razaz: A Prayer for the Abandoned, retrieved 2018-12-20
  7. "KREUTZER SONATA". Balet Moskva. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  8. "National Ballet of Canada's Robert Binet Creates New Full-Length Ballet for Theatre Ballet Moscow". Broadway World. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  9. "VisionIntoArt's annual FERUS Festival". Pioneer Works. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  10. Smith, Steve (28 January 2011). "A Night of Acoustic and Electronic Exploits". New York Times. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  11. "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts". www.kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  12. "Gity Razaz". BBC Music. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  13. "Program". www.seattlesymphony.org. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  14. "Seattle Symphony Unveils Inaugural Season for Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center". www.seattlesymphony.org. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
  15. "People - Gity Razaz | WQXR | New York's Classical Music Radio Station". WQXR. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
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