Brian Israel was an American composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

, pianist

Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...

, and conductor. He was a faculty member of the Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

 School of Music from 1975 until his death, at age 35, from leukemia

Leukemia

Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...

. He left a large number of written symphonic, chamber, and solo works, several of which have been recorded for Spectrum, Redwood, Pro-Viva, Innova Records

Innova Records

Innova Recordings is the independent record label of the non-profit American Composers Forum, based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1982 as a way to document the winners of the McKnight Fellowship offered by its parent organization, the Minnesota Innova Recordings is the independent...

, and Albany Records

Albany Records

Albany Records is an American classical music record label focusing particularly on contemporary classical music. It was established by Peter Kermani in 1987, and is based in Albany, New York.-External links:**...

. "His music is marked by extreme contrasts in tempo and mood, often following a witty or downright funny movement with one that is deadly serious."

In his honor, the Brian Israel Award (also known as the Brian M. Israel Award) is given every year to young deserving New York composers.

Biography

Brian Israel, 1951–1986, a pianist, composer, and conductor who performed with the Society for New Music for many years, received his MFA and DMA degrees from Cornell University

Cornell University

Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...

. A native of the Bronx, he studied with Lawrence Widdoes, Ulysses Kay

Ulysses Kay

Ulysses Simpson Kay was an African American composer. His music is mostly neoclassical in style....

, Robert Moffat Palmer

Robert Moffat Palmer

Robert Moffat ' Palmer was an American composer, pianist and educator...

, Burrill Phillips

Burrill Phillips

Burrill Phillips was an American composer, teacher, and pianist.-Biography:Phillips studied at the Denver College of Music with Edwin Stringham and at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, with Howard Hanson and Bernard Rogers.In 1929 he married Alberta Phillips ; they had a daughter, Ann...

 and Karel Husa

Karel Husa

Karel Husa is a Czech-born classical composer and conductor, winner of the 1969 Pulitzer Prize and 1993 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Music Composition...

. He joined the Syracuse University

Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...

School of Music faculty upon completion of his graduate studies, and remained there until his death from leukemia at age 35. He was a popular and much-loved professor.

A prolific composer, Brian won several awards and received numerous commissions, among them a commission from the Society for New Music. Several of his works have been recorded on Spectrum, Redwood, and Pro-Viva. His "Concerto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble" is regarded as his "most original creation," according to composer Daniel Godfrey in a 1986 interview. The movement titles are "Crystalnacht," "Coronach" and "Liberation."

Other notable works include a Piano Quartet (1984), his String Quartet No. 2 ("Music for the Next to Die"), and his final work: Symphony No. 6, for soprano, baritone, and orchestra, with texts from the Bible and Langston Hughes.

Sound Recordings of Brian Israel Compositions

• String Quartet #2 ("Music for the Next to Die"). Included on the album Society for New Music, Spectrum Records, 1984 (SR-183)
• In Praise of Practically Nothing. Included on the album Eastman American Music Series, Vol.6, Albany Records, 1999 (Troy 277)
• String Quartet #2 ("Music for the Next to Die"). Included on the CD boxed-set American Masters for the 21st Century, Society for New Music, Innova (616), 2004
• Sonatinetta for Mandolin and Guitar. Included on the album American Music for Mandolin and Guitar, by Duetto Gioconda, Querstand/Forte, 2007.