Ofer Ben-Amots
Encyclopedia
Ofer Ben-Amots is a classical Israel
i-American
composer
and teacher of music composition and theory at Colorado College
. His music is inspired by Jewish folklore of Eastern-European Yiddish and Judeo-Spanish Ladino
traditions. The interweaving of folk elements with contemporary textures creates the dynamic tension that permeates and defines Ben-Amots’ musical language.
, Israel, Ofer Ben-Amots gave his first piano concert at age nine and at age sixteen was awarded first prize in the Chet Piano Competition. Later, following composition studies with Joseph Dorfman at Tel Aviv University
, he was invited to study at the Conservatoire de Musique
in Geneva, Switzerland. There he studied with Pierre Wismer and privately with Alberto Ginastera
. Ben-Amots is an alumnus of the Hochschule für Musik
in Detmold, Germany, where he studied with Martin C. Redel and Dietrich Manicke and graduated with degrees in composition, music theory, and piano. Upon his arrival in the United States in 1987, Ben-Amots studied with George Crumb
. at the University of Pennsylvania
where he received his Ph.D. in music composition. Currently on the faculty of Colorado College
, Ben-Amots is an Associate Professor of music composition and theory.
Ofer Ben-Amots was the winner of the 1994 Vienna International Competition for Composers with his comic opera, Fool’s Paradise. The chamber opera based on a short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer
was premiered in Vienna
and has become subsequently part of the 1994/95 season of Opernhaus Zürich. His Avis Urbanus for amplified flute was awarded First Prize at the 1991 Kobe
International Competition for Flute Composition in Japan, and a required composition at the 1993 Kobe Flute Competition. In 1999, Ben-Amots was awarded the Aaron Copland
Award and the Music Composition Artist Fellowship by the Colorado Council on the Arts. In 2004 he won the Festiladino, an international contest for Judeo-Spanish songs, a part of the Israel Festival in Jerusalem. Ben-Amots is a member of the Advisory Board and the Editorial Board of the Milken Archive of American-Jewish Music. In addition, he is a Jerusalem Fellow of the Center for Jewish Culture and Creativity and its Artistic Director for North America since 1997.
Ben-Amots' music has been published by Kallisti Music Press, Muramatsu Inc., Dorn, Tara Publications, and the Composer's Own Press. It can be heard on Naxos Records
, Vantage, Plæne, Stylton, and Music Sources recording labels.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
and teacher of music composition and theory at Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
. His music is inspired by Jewish folklore of Eastern-European Yiddish and Judeo-Spanish Ladino
Judaeo-Spanish
Judaeo-Spanish , in Israel commonly referred to as Ladino, and known locally as Judezmo, Djudeo-Espanyol, Djudezmo, Djudeo-Kasteyano, Spaniolit and other names, is a Romance language derived from Old Spanish...
traditions. The interweaving of folk elements with contemporary textures creates the dynamic tension that permeates and defines Ben-Amots’ musical language.
Biography
Born in HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Israel, Ofer Ben-Amots gave his first piano concert at age nine and at age sixteen was awarded first prize in the Chet Piano Competition. Later, following composition studies with Joseph Dorfman at Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
, he was invited to study at the Conservatoire de Musique
Conservatoire de musique de Genève
The Conservatoire de musique de Genève is a music school in Geneva, Switzerland.Founded by François Bartholoni in 1835. This conservatory is the oldest music education institution in Switzerland and one of the oldest conservatory in Europe. Franz Liszt has taught at this conservatory during the...
in Geneva, Switzerland. There he studied with Pierre Wismer and privately with Alberto Ginastera
Alberto Ginastera
Alberto Evaristo Ginastera was an Argentine composer of classical music. He is considered one of the most important Latin American classical composers.- Biography :...
. Ben-Amots is an alumnus of the Hochschule für Musik
Hochschule für Musik Detmold
The University of Music Detmold is one of Germany's leading university-level schools of music, situated in Detmold, Germany.- Academics :...
in Detmold, Germany, where he studied with Martin C. Redel and Dietrich Manicke and graduated with degrees in composition, music theory, and piano. Upon his arrival in the United States in 1987, Ben-Amots studied with George Crumb
George Crumb
George Crumb is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He is noted as an explorer of unusual timbres, alternative forms of notation, and extended instrumental and vocal techniques. Examples include seagull effect for the cello , metallic vibrato for the piano George Crumb (born...
. at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
where he received his Ph.D. in music composition. Currently on the faculty of Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
, Ben-Amots is an Associate Professor of music composition and theory.
Ofer Ben-Amots was the winner of the 1994 Vienna International Competition for Composers with his comic opera, Fool’s Paradise. The chamber opera based on a short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Isaac Bashevis Singer
Isaac Bashevis Singer – July 24, 1991) was a Polish Jewish American author noted for his short stories. He was one of the leading figures in the Yiddish literary movement, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978...
was premiered in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and has become subsequently part of the 1994/95 season of Opernhaus Zürich. His Avis Urbanus for amplified flute was awarded First Prize at the 1991 Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
International Competition for Flute Composition in Japan, and a required composition at the 1993 Kobe Flute Competition. In 1999, Ben-Amots was awarded the Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
Award and the Music Composition Artist Fellowship by the Colorado Council on the Arts. In 2004 he won the Festiladino, an international contest for Judeo-Spanish songs, a part of the Israel Festival in Jerusalem. Ben-Amots is a member of the Advisory Board and the Editorial Board of the Milken Archive of American-Jewish Music. In addition, he is a Jerusalem Fellow of the Center for Jewish Culture and Creativity and its Artistic Director for North America since 1997.
Ben-Amots' music has been published by Kallisti Music Press, Muramatsu Inc., Dorn, Tara Publications, and the Composer's Own Press. It can be heard on Naxos Records
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
, Vantage, Plæne, Stylton, and Music Sources recording labels.
Stage music
- Pierrot, ballet Suite for symphony orchestra. 1981 (50')
- Story Number 2, for small orchestra and Narrator Text written by Eugène Ionesco.1983/88 (13')
- Fool’s Paradise, opera buffa in five scenes. Based on a story by Isaac Bashevis Singer. 1993-94 (80')
- The Dybbuk, multimedia chamber opera in three acts. 2007 (90’)
Voice and orchestra
- Shirat Israel, cantata for mezzo-soprano and orchestra. Hebrew text by Ch. N. Bialik. 1978 (12')
- The Joyce Cycle, for middle voice and symphony orchestra Lyrics written by James Joyce. 1984-85 (25')
- Celestial Dialogues, for voice, clarinet and string orchestra. 1994 (30’)
- The Dybbuk Suite, for chamber symphony and a solo vocalist. 2002 (17’)
- Songs from the Pomegranate Garden, a Judeo-Spanish cycle for chamber symphony and a mezzo-soprano. 2004/05 (22’)
Orchestra music
- Fanfare, for symphony orchestra, Kavannagh Prize Awarded. 1988 (6')
- Variations on a French Children’s Song, for symphony orchestra. 1992 (7’)
- Mt. Fuji Ceremonial Fanfare, for symphonic band. 1996 (10’)
- The Klezmer Concerto, for clarinet solo, string orchestra, harp and percussion. 2006 (25’)
Choir and instruments
- Al Naharot Bavel (By the Rivers of Babylon), four part canon for mixed choir, Piano and Percussion Text Psalm 137. 1988 (4')
- Psalm 81 (Upon Gitith), for mixed choir and Metal Percussion. Text: Psalm 81. 1989 (13')
- Hashkivenu (Cause us, Oh God to Lie Down in Peace), for SATB Chorus, organ and mixed percussion. 1989/90 (8')
- Three Love Songs, for Mixed Choir and Piano Accompaniment. 1991 (5')
- Mizmor – Ten Degrees of Praise (Psalm 150), for soprano solo, clarinet, men’s choir, and percussion. 2003 (11’)
- The Heart and the Fountain, for SATB Chorus or for Female chorus with misc. percussion. 2006 (8'30")
- A Fool’s Journey, for 8-Part mixed chorus, piano and percussion Lyrics written by Süsskind von Trimberg (13th century) 1996, Rev. 2008 (12')
Choir a cappella
- Hineh Al Heharim (Here on the Mountains), four to eight part canon for mixed choir a cappella. Text: Nachum 2, 1-3. 1987 (4'30")
- Ma Tishtochachi Nafshi (Why So Downcast, My Soul), - for mixed chorus. Text: Psalm 42. 1987/88 (5'30")
- Yeeheyu Le’ratzon (May the Words), for SATB Chorus. Text out of the Amidah prayer. 1989/90 (5')
- Five Hassidic Songs, for SATB Chorus or Female chorus. Arrangements of traditional Hassidic songs with or without piano accompaniment. 1999/2000 (10')
Vocal chamber music
- Shtetl Songs, for voice and piano (also a version for mixed chorus) 1985/86 (18')
- Psalm 23, for Soprano, Clarinet and Percussion. 1990 (5')
- Kinah (Lament), for piano and high-voice 1998 (8’)
- Songs from the Pomegranate Garden, for voice and piano. Based on Judeo-Spanish songs. 2004 (20’)
- Three Popular Songs (Ladino), for voice and piano. 2006 (10’)
- The Dybbuk Song Cycle, for voice and piano. Based on the opera. 2008 (25’)
- The Sweet Pain of Love, for violin and voice, to a poem by Nathan Zach. 2008 (9’)
Instrumental chamber music
- Ceremonial Music, for saxophone, trumpet and piano. 1982 (11')
- Hashkivenu, for string quartet. 1982 (10')
- Sonata, for cello and piano. 1982 (23')
- Five Ancient Dances, for clarinet (or flute) and piano. 1983 (13')
- Midnight Dance, for violin (or cello) and piano. 1996 (8')
- Cantillations, for clarinet and cello (or viola) 1997 (10')
- Prophetic Tropes, (Te'amey Nevu’ah,) for trombone (or bass trombone) and extended piano. 1989/99 (11')
- Elemental Drums, Music for Dance. for mixed wind ensemble, 3 percussionists, and guitar. 1997 (12’)
- The Queen City Fanfare, for trumpet and organ (version for solo trumpet and brass choir) 2002 (5’)
- The Queen City Fanfare, (Inaugural Fanfare,) an additional version for oboe, piano, and percussion. 2002 (5’)
- The Odessa Trio (in memory of J. Dorfman,) for violin, cello and piano. 2008 (25’)
Piano and organ solo
- Toccata 1978
- Scherzo 1978
- Etude in C 1984
- Praeludium and Fuga in C 1984
- Piano Pieces for Children 1983/89
- Sonatina 1984
- – Praeludium
- – Midnight Dance
- – Mosquito
- – Tambourine
- Haunted Toccata 1990
- Untitled No. 1 1990
- Akëda, 2000 (8’)
- The Quasquicentennial Organ Book, for organ solo 1998/2008
- – Processional 1999 (5')
- – Pastoral Invocation 1998 (7')
- – The Q Anthem 1999 (5')
- – Teru'ah (Recessional) 2008 (5')
Other solo instruments
- Miniatures et Collage, for flute. 1977 (5’30”)
- Avis Urbanus, for amplified flute. 1990 (10’)
- I, Jerusalem ..., for any size clarinet solo. 1991 (4’)
- A Letter to Avigdor, for violin solo. Commissioned by Avigdor Zamir. 1990/99 (10’)
- The Angel's Lament, for clarinet solo. Commissioned by Guido Arbonelli. 1999 (60")
- The Red Curtain Dance, for oboe or clarinet solo. 2003 (6’)
Orchestral arrangements
- Armenian Suite, by Richard Yardumian. A reduction of the original score, for small symphonic orchestra. 1992
- Massada, - Opera in three acts by Fredrick Kaufman. A piano reduction of the original score. 1990