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Orchestral works

• Concerto no. 1 for piano and orchestra Op. 39 1997-98 Commissioned by and dedicated to Herbert and Beverly Gelfand 1. Part I: River of Loss 2. Part II: Dialogue with Time 3. Part III: Wind of Oblivion Duration: 38’ 3 (picc).3(cor anglais).3.3(db bn) - 4.3.3(bass tbn).1 - timp. 3 perc (tgl, ratchet, temple bl, rain-stick, tamb, snare dr, bass dr, cym, bells, gong, xyl, vibr). harp. strings (16/14/12/10/8) First performance (Part I): 18 November 1999, Newark Lera Auerbach, piano - New Jersey Symphony - David Commanday, conductor First performance (Part I - III): 18 November 2000, Yaroslavl Lera Auerbach, piano - Yaroslavl Philharmonic - Murad Annamamedov, conductor
• Dialogue with time Op. 39b 1997 for orchestra (Part II of the piano concerto - it can be performed separately as an orchestral piece with the piano being part of the orchestra.) Duration: 8’ 3 (picc).3(cor anglais).3.3(db bn) - 4.3.3(bass tbn).1 - timp. 3 perc (tgl, ratchet, temple bl, rain-stick, snare dr, gong, bass dr, cym, bells, xyl, vibr). harp. piano. strings (16/14/12/10/8)
• Double concerto for violin, piano and orchestra Op. 40 1997 Dedicated to Vadim Gluzman and Angela Yoffe 1. Moderato 2. Chorale (Andante religioso) 3. Vivace Duration: 31’ 3 (picc).3(cor anglais).2(bass cl).2(db bn) - 4.3.2.1, 3 perc (timp, tgl, tamb, snare dr, bass dr, cym, gong, xyl, ratchet, rain-stick, cel). strings (16/14/12/10/8)
• Concerto no. 1 for violin and orchestra Op. 56 2000/03 Dedicated to Philippe Quint Commissioned by the American Youth Symphony 1. Grandioso 2. Moderato 3. Andante religioso 4. Allegro Duration: 23’ 1(picc).1(cor anglais).1(bass cl).1(db b) - 2.0.0.0 - perc (timp, tgl, chimes,tempel bl, tambourine, snare dr, bass dr, cym, gong, glsp, xyl, vibr, musical saw). harp. cel. strings First performance: 22 February 2004, Los Angeles Philippe Quint, violin - American Youth Symphony - Alexander Treger, conductor
• Suite Op. 60 2001 for violin, piano and string orchestra Dedicated to Gidon Kremer Commissioned by Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Musica for the 20th anniversary of the Lockenhaus Festival 1. In the Beginning 2. Con spirito 3. Scherzo-noir 4. The Unreachable 5. After the War 6. Dream from Childhood. 7. Toccata of Life and the Silence of the Past Duration: 30’ strings (minimum 8/7/5/4/2) First performance: 13 July 2001, Lockenhaus. Gidon Kremer, violin - Lera Auerbach, piano - Kremerata Baltica
• Serenade for a melancholic sea Op. 68 2002 for violin, violoncello, piano and string orchestra Dedicated to Gidon Kremer Commissioned by Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa Duration: 10’ strings: divisi 7(14)/6(12)/4(8)/4(8)/2(4) First performance: 12 September 2002, Kanazawa Michael Dauth, violin - Marta Sudraba, violoncello - Andrius Zlabys - Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa - Hiroyuki Iwaki, conductor

CHAMBER MUSIC

• Piano trio Op. 28 1992/96 Dedicated to Vadim Gluzman, Angela Yoffe, Wendy Warner Duration: 12’ First performance: 2 June 1999, Schwetzingen Vadim Gluzman, violin - Wendy Warner, cello - Angela Yoffe, piano
• Twenty-four preludes for violin and piano Op. 46 1999 Dedicated to Vadim Gluzman and Angela Yoffe Commissioned by Herbert and Beverly Gelfand 1. C major Adagio 2. A minor Andante (Tempo di valse) 3. G major Andantino misterioso 4. E minor Allegro 5. D major Allegro moderato 6. B minor Allegro marcato 7. A major Allegro moderato 8. F sharp minor Andante 9. E major Allegro 10. C sharp minor Allegro 11. B major Allegretto 12. G sharp minor Adagio 13. F sharp major Allegro moderato 14. E flat minor Presto 15. C sharp major Adagio sognando 16. B flat minor Misterioso 17. A flat major Vivo 18. F minor Agitato 19. E flat major Moderato 20. C minor Tragico 21. B flat major Andante 22. G minor Moderato serioso 23. F major Andante 24. D minor Presto Duration: 59’ First performance: 22 June 2003, Hamburg Vadim Gluzman, violin - Angela Yoffe, piano CD: BIS 1242 (Vadim Gluzman, violin - Angela Yoffe, piano)
• Suite for violin and piano Op. 46a 1999 Ten preludes from Op. 46 1. Adagio (No.1) 2. Allegro marcato (No.6) 3. Andante (No.8) 4. Adagio (No.12) 5. Presto (No.14) 6. Adagio sognando (No.15) 7. Misterioso (No.16) 8. Tragico (No.20) 9. Andante (No.23) 10. Presto (No.24) Duration: 22’ First performance: 15 November 2001, New York Vadim Gluzman, violin - Angela Yoffe, piano
• Twenty-four preludes for violoncello and piano Op. 47 1999 1. C major Andante 2. A minor Allegro 3. G major Andante misterioso 4. E minor Allegro obsessivo 5. D major Moderato 6. B minor Tragico 7. A major Vivo ma non troppo 8. F sharp minor Grave 9. E major Vivace 10. C sharp minor Adagio sognando 11. B major Allegro 12. G sharp minor Adagio 13. G flat major Moderato 14. E flat minor Scherzando 15. D flat major Allegro con brio 16. B flat minor Tempo di valzer 17. A flat major Allegro ritmico 18. F minor Andantino 19. E flat major Allegro appassionato 20. C minor Giocoso 21. B flat major Dialogo 22. G minor Andante nostalgico 23. F major Adagio sognando 24. D minor Vivo Duration: 46’ First performance: 22 June 2003, Hamburg Ani Aznavoorian (violoncello) - Lera Auerbach (piano)
• Suite for violoncello and piano Op. 47a 1999 Nine preludes from Op. 47 1. Andante (No. 1) 2. Allegro (No. 2) 3. Andante misterioso (No. 3) 4. Allegro appassionato (No. 19) 5. Tragico (No. 6) 6. Allegro con brio (No. 15) 7. Tempo di valzer (No. 16) 8. Adagio (No. 12) 9. Vivo (No. 24) Duration:17’ First performance: 1 June 2000, Baltimore Wendy Warner, violoncello - Lera Auerbach, piano
• Postlude Op. 47b 1999 encore for violin and piano Dedicated to the memory of Saul Barnett Duration: 2’30" CD: BIS 1242 (Vadim Gluzman, violin - Angela Yoffe, piano)
• Three dances in the old style Op. 54 2000 encores for violin and violoncello Dedicated to Eugene Kalnitsky Duration: 5’ First performance (Nos. 1 and 2): 14 July 2001, Lockenhaus Sandis Steinberg, violin - David Geringas, violoncello First performance (No. 3): 18 May 2002, Schwetzingen Gidon Kremer, violin - Marta Sudraba, violoncello
• Sonata no. 1 for violin and piano Op. 57 2000 Dedicated to Philippe Quint 1. Grandioso 2. Moderato 3. Andante religioso 4. Allegro Duration: 23’ First performance: 7 February 2001, Mexico City Philippe Quint, violin - Tatiana Goncharova, piano
• Shostakovich preludes 2000 Five Preludes from Shostakovich’s Op. 34 arranged for violin and piano by Lera Auerbach. They were conceived, together with Dmitri Tsyganov’s existing arrangement of 19 preludes, to complete the 24 preludes cycle in a version for violin and piano. Commissioned by Grigory Kalinovsky 1. Moderato (No. 4) 2. Andante (No. 7) 3. Adagio (No. 14) 4. Moderato (No. 23) 5. Presto (No. 9) Duration: 8’ First performance: 5 September 2001 Jerusalem Grigory Kalinovsky (violin) - Tatiana Stepanova (piano)
• Oskolki (Broken pieces) Op. 61 2001 for violin and piano Dedicated to Gidon Kremer 1. Agitato 2. Allegro moderato 3. Adagio 4. Moderato 5. Andante 6. Vivo 7. Andante 8. Allegro moderato 9. Andante 10. Vivo Duration: 14’30"
• Sonata no. 2 for violin and piano (September 11) Op. 63 2001 in one movement Duration: 11’ 13
• Sonata no. 1 for violoncello and piano Op. 69 2002 Dedicated to David Finckel and Wu Han Co-commissioned by Hancher Auditorium / The University of Iowa and the Music in the Park Series, St. Paul, MN 1. Allegro moderato 2. Lament (Adagio) 3. Allegro assai 4. With extreme intensity Duration: 24’ First performance: 19 February 2003, Iowa City David Finckel, violoncello - Wu Han, piano

SOLO WORKS

• Monologue for flute Op. 19 1990 Dedicated to Adik Abdurahmanov Duration: 7’
• After the end of time Op. 27 1992 for electronic tape Duration: 9’ First performance (as a ballet): 21 March, 1998, New York Choreographed by the Juilliard Dance Group
• Chorale, fugue and postlude Op. 31 1994/99 for piano Duration: 10’ First performance (Fugue and Postlude): 29 December 1994, Chelyabinsk Lera Auerbach CD: Lyric Records 101 - only Fugue and Postlude (Lera Auerbach)
• T’filah Op. 33 1996 for violin solo Dedicated to Vadim Gluzman Duration: 6’30" First performance: 1 September 1996, Stresa Vadim Gluzman CD: BIS 1242 (Vadim Gluzman)
• Prayer Op. 33a 1996 for english horn solo Commissioned by Candis Threlkeld Duration: 7’ First performance: Aspen, 1997 Candis Threlkeld
• Monologue for double bass Op. 34 1996 Commissioned by and dedicated to Rafael Agudelo Duration: 7’ First performance: 1996, New York Rachel Calin
• Monologue for viola Op. 38 1997 Duration: 5’ 30" First performance: 14 July 2001, Lockenhaus Vladimir Mendelssohn
• Twenty-four preludes for piano Op. 41 1999 Dedicated to Tom and Vivian Waldeck Co-commissioned by Tom and Vivian Waldeck and the Caramoor International Music Festival 1. C major Moderato 2. A minor Presto 3. G major Moderato 4. E minor Allegro appasionato 5. D major Andantino 6. b minor Corale 7. A major Andante 8. F sharp mionor Presto 9. E major Allegro ma non troppo 10. C sharp minor Largo 11. B major Misterioso 12. G sharp minor Allegro 13. F sharp major Andante 14. E flat minor Allegretto 15. D flat majjor Moderato 16. B flat minor Moderato - Allegro ma non troppo 17. A flat major Adagio 18. F minor Grave 19. E flat major Andante 20. C minor Misterioso 21. B major Allegro moderato 22. G minor Andante 23. F major Allegretto 24. D minor Grandioso Duration: 39’ First performance: 23 July 1999, New York Lera Auerbach
• Suite for piano Op. 41a 1999 Nine preludes from Op. 41 1. Andantino (No.5) 2. Allegretto (No.14) 3. Presto (No.8) 4. Grave (No.18) 5. Allegro moderato (No.21) 6. Misterioso (No.20) 7. Moderato - Allegro ma non troppo (No.16) 8. Adagio (No.17) 9. Grandioso (No.24) Duration: 15’ First performance: 12 July 2001 Lockenhaus Lera Auerbach
• Ten dreams Op. 45 1999 for piano Dedicated to Robert von Bahr Co-commissioned by Tom and Vivian Waldeck and the Queens Chamber Ensemble 1. Allegro moderato (As in a nightmare) 2. Tempo di valse 3. Andante misterioso 4. Tempo di marcia 6. Lento 7. Energico 8. Moderato 9. Allegro misterioso 10. Allegro Duration: 16’
• Memory of a tango Op. 64 2002 encore piece for double bass solo Commissioned by Rafael Agudelo Duration: 1’40" First performance: 17 August 2002, New York Rafael Agudelo
• Prelude, toccata and postlude Op.65 2002 for carillon Duration: 7’
• Lonely suite (Ballet for a lonely violinist) Op. 70 2002 for violin solo Dedicated to Vadim Gluzman 1. Dancing with Oneself 2. Boredom 3. No Escape 4. Imaginary Dialogue 5. Worrisome Thought 6. Question Duration: 9’

CHORAL WORKS

• Psalm 23 Op. 42 1999 for mixed choir (in Hebrew) Dedicated to Tom Waldeck Duration: 3’20" PSALM 100 Op. 43 1999 for boys (or children) choir (in Hebrew) Dedicated to the memory of Melanie Silverman Duration: 3’
• Psalm 130 Op. 44 1999 for mixed choir (in Latin) Dedicated to Page and Elizabeth Johnson Duration: 4’ 30"
• The blind Op. 58 2001 a-capella opera for 12 singers. Libretto (in English) by Lera Auerbach based on Maurice Meaterlinck’s "Les Aveugles" 2 sopranos, 2 mezzo-sopranos, 2 altos, 2 tenors, 2 baritones, 2 basses (6 leading voices and supporting chorus) Duration: 55’
• Seventy-two preludes for Moses Op. 59 2001 for soprano, alto, countertenor, tenor, baritone, bass and mixed choir text: 72 names of angels of the Bible Co-commissioned by Tom and Vivian Waldeck, Herbert and Beverly Gelfand and Film and Video Workshop (NY) Duration: 57’
• Lullaby Op. 66 2002 for mixed choir text: William Blake’s "Cradle song" (in English) Duration: 3’

Songs

• Two songs Op. 10 1986/88 for soprano and piano Text: Federico Garcia Lorca (in Russian) Dedicated to Ludmila Schenderova 1. Song of Solitude (1988) 2. When I Die (1986) Duration: 5’ First performance: Chelyabinsk, 1988 Ludmila Schenderova, soprano - Lera Auerbach, piano
• Sad birch Op. 15 1990 for soprano (f minor) or mezzo-soprano (c minor) and piano Text: Afanasy Fet (in Russian) Dedicated to Lina Tetruashvili Duration: 3’ First performance: 1 April 1996, New York Lina Tetruashvili, soprano - Lera Auerbach, piano
• Butterfly Op. 22 1992 Encore for soprano and piano Text: Joseph Brodsky (in Russian) Duration: 3’ First performance: 23 July 1999, New York Lina Tetruashvili, soprano - Lera Auerbach, piano
• October tune Op. 23 1992 for tenor or mezzo-soprano and piano Text: Joseph Brodsky (in Russian) Dedicated to the memory of Alichka Duration:4’ First performance: 18 March 2003, Chicago Julia Bentley (mezzo-soprano) - Andrea Swan (piano)
• We cannot remember them Op. 26 1992 for soprano and piano Text: Mark Strand (in English). Duration: 5’15" First performance: 1 April 1996, New York Lina Tetruashvili, soprano - Lera Auerbach, piano
• Songs of rebirth --
• Poetry Op. 36 1997 for soprano and piano Text: Hilan Dov Warshaw (in English) Dedicated to Sonia Simmenauer Duration: 5’ First performance: 1997, New York Lina Tetruashvili, soprano - Lera Auerbach, piano
• To the world Op. 71 2003 for soprano and piano Text: Hilan Dov Warshaw (in English) Dedicated to Sonia Simmenauer Duration: 4’ First performance: 18 March 2003, Chicago Julia Bentley (mezzo-soprano) - Andrea Swan (piano)
• Prayer Op. 37 1997 for soprano and piano Text: Hilan Dov Warshaw (in English) Dedicated to Sonia Simmenauer Commissioned by the Aspen Jewish Congregation Duration: 3’ First performance: 7 October 1997, Aspen Lisa Layman, soprano - Lera Auerbach, piano
• Two songs --
• Poor fisherman Op. 51 2000 for boy-soprano or soprano and piano Text: Arseny Tarkovsky (in Russian) Duration: 2’ First performance: 14 July 2001, Lockenhaus Yulia Korpacheva, soprano - Lera Auerbach, piano
• Dance of David Op. 50 2000 for boy-soprano or soprano and piano Text: Arseny Tarkovsky (in Russian) Duration: 2’ First performance: 14 July 2001, Lockenhaus Yulia Korpacheva, soprano - Lera Auerbach, piano PROPHECY Op. 67 2002 for tenor and organ Text : Bible, Acts 2:17-21 (in English) Commissioned by and dedicated to Elyssa Lindner Duration: 7’

Music for the young

• Images from childhood Op. 52 2000 Twelve pieces for piano 1. The Question 2. What a Story! 3. Dialogue 4. Quarrel 5. An Old Photograph from Grandparents’ Childhood 6. After the War (The field of the dead) 7. Decision 8. Family Holiday 9. Stubborn 10. E-Creatures 11. Shadows on the Wall 12. Prayer Duration: 11’ First performance: 8 April 2001, Boston New England Conservatory Pre-college, Class of Ramon Rivera

Ms. Auerbach is published by Internationale Musikverlage Hans Sikorski, Hamburg.

Lera Auerbach continues the great tradition of pianist-composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. Still in her twenties, she has already appeared as a solo pianist at such prestigious venues as New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Munich’s Herkulessaal, Oslo’s Konzerthaus, Chicago Symphony Hall, Washington’s Kennedy Center. Her original compositions have been commissioned for Gidon Kremer, Vadim Gluzman, Philip Quint, David Finckel and Wu Han, Hamburg Ballet, Kremerata Baltica, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa and others. Her works have been performed at international festivals including Aspen, Ravinia, Caramoor, Stresa, Schwetzingen, Moscow Autumn and Lockenhaus.

On May 1, 2002, she made her Carnegie Hall debut performing her own Suite for Violin, Piano and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 60, with violinist Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica. Lera Auerbach’s piano playing is characterized as intensely expressive, poetic and virtuosic; her compositions are equally communicative. Her repertoire includes the masterworks of the literature as well as her own compositions.

Born in Chelyabinsk, a city in the Urals bordering Siberia, Lera Auerbach started to play the piano at a very early age and gave her first public performance when she was only six years old. At eight she made her first appearance as a soloist with orchestra. She was twelve when she composed an opera. This was staged, and the production toured throughout the former Soviet Union. In 1991, as the winner of several competitions, Lera Auerbach was invited to undertake a concert tour in the USA. She decided to remain in America, becoming one of the last artists to defect from the Soviet Union.

In a 1998 New York Times feature about Lera Auerbach, Johanna Keller quoted composer Robert Beaser as saying, "Her versatility is almost unbelievable. She is a passionate pianist with huge amounts of temperament, a natural composer and performer, quick to absorb and utilize everything around her." In the same article, pianist Joseph Kalichstein stated that his first impression of her talent was "staggering." The Washington Post describes Ms. Auerbach as "a pianistic powerhouse," and her performances as "a fine balance of sensitivity and virtuosity."

Lera Auerbach received her Bachelor and Master’s degrees from the The Juilliard School in New York, where she studied both piano and composition. She also studied comparative literature at Columbia University. In 2002 she graduated from the Hannover Hochschule für Musik (Konzertexamen). Her piano teachers included Einar Steen-Nøkleberg, Joseph Kalichstein and Nina Svetlanova and she studied composition with Milton Babbitt and Robert Beaser.

In 2000, Ms. Auerbach was invited by the International Johannes Brahms Foundation to live and work at the composer’s former home in Baden-Baden as artist-in-residence. In 2001, at the invitation of Gidon Kremer, she was composer-in-residence and guest artist at the Lockenhaus Festival in Austria, where twelve of her works were premiered.

Lera Auerbach’s recognition is attributed not only to her musical activities but also to her writings. In 1996, she was named Poet of the Year by the International Pushkin Society and was awarded the poetry prize of the Novoye Russkoye Slovo, the largest Russian-language newspaper in the West. Her literary works include five volumes of poetry and prose, two novels, and numerous contributions to Russian-language literary newspapers and magazines. She was president of the jury for the 2000 International Pushkin Poetry Competition and was invited to serve on the selection panel for the 2002 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. She herself was the first artist-recipient of this fellowship in 1998.

• http://www.leraauerbach.com
• http://www.sikorski.de