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Biography
A composer grounded in the traditions of Western classical music, David Avshalomov creates his works in an accessible modern romantic, neo-tonal style that balances a rich lyric gift with a characteristic rhythmic vitality and pungent harmonies. The forms he crafts are conservative and developmental, his compositional voice distinctive. The influences on his style include the great 20th-century European and American tonal composers, and both his late father Jacob and his paternal grandfather, Aaron Avshalomoff.
“Melody is the thread of my daily life. I still find new paths through traditional musical forms, and fresh expression based in folk idioms
and drawing on old melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic roots.”
He has composed works for solo voice, choruses, orchestra, band, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments, in forms ranging from songs and incidental pieces to full-length oratorio. A decade ago he started focusing more on vocal, choral, and band music, and he recently completed his first two operas, with two more on the drawing board.
“As a longtime mountain man and lover of nature and wilderness I am more and more impelled to write music that is about our fundamental connection to nature and wilderness, healing the Earth, and social justice.”
He has had commissions from numerous ensembles, including the Kaplan Foundation of St. Mary's University, MN; Portland, OR, Jewish Community Orchestra, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, Mission Chamber Orchestra, Musica Bella Orchestra of NY, Western Plains Wind Consortium (20 bands), 2012 Bandwagon Consortium (27 bands), LA Flute Orchestra, LA Clarinet Orchestra, Odyssea Chorus of Lisbon, Anglican Chorale of Southern California, Camerata Singers of Long Beach, Westwood United Methodist Church (LA), and St. George's Episcopal Church (La Cañada). He has also been Resident Composer with the Anglican Chorale of Southern California, Torrance Civic Chorale, Camerata Singers of Long Beach, and Cantori Domino of Santa Monica.
His compositions have been performed professionally across the U.S. and in Europe, Russia, China, Japan, and South America, and are recorded on the Albany and Naxos labels. He has earned grants from Meet the Composer, the American Music Center, the American Composer's Forum, and two from the Durfee Foundation. In 2014 he was designated an Honored Artist of the American Prize in recognition of the consistently high quality of his submitted works.
His works have won numerous prizes, including Finalist, Coups de Vents International Band Composition Contest 2020, Paris, (finals November 2021; also Finalist, The American Prize for Band Composition 2021, along with works for chorus and orchestra), Winner (3rd Prize), 7th International Band Composition Competition Harelbeke, Belgium 2019, Kaplan Foundation Commission 2018, St. Mary's University, Minnesota (new band work on Jewish themes); Hong Kong Children's Choir 50th Anniversary Choral Selection Winner, 2018; Grand Prize, Solo and Chamber Timpanist's Initiative Competition 2017; First Prize, International Orange Chorale of San Francisco Choral Composition Contest 2016; American Prize for Band Composition 2016 (2rd Prize), Mountainside Master Chorale (Pomona, CA) Composition Contest 2016 (2nd Prize), First Place, American Prize 2015 for Band Composition (semifinalist in 5 genres, finalist in 3); American Prize 2014 for Band Composition (3rd Place, and dual finalist, Orchestral and Chamber Composition), Special Judge's Citation for Unique Artistic Achievement and Distinctive Merit from the American Prize for Orchestral Composition 2012; Polifonia (Lithuania) International Sacred Choral Music Competition 2013 (Second Prize), ACDA Silver Platter Award for Outstanding Choral Repertoire 2012; PROJECT: ENCORE Choral Work of Exceptional Merit 2013 (Schola Cantorum on Hudson); The C7 Prize, Canada 2014 (2 choral works), two Wind Ensemble Composition Contests 2013 (Sul Ross State University, TX, and Hillcrest Wind Ensemble, San Diego[Second Prize]); five Vox Nova – Fifteen Minutes of Fame awards 2014-2016, the Aspen Festival Prize, the Korg Competition, and the Santa Monica Debut Concert Series award.
Productions
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Artist Information
All information is derived from OPERA America's Season Schedule of Performances and titles databases which date back to 1991. OPERA America is constantly updating this data. If you feel that a work or an artist has been omitted or that information is incorrect, please use the linked forms below. Title Information Form Artist Information Form
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