Nadav Lev guitars New Strings Attached

1 he release of New Strings Attached would best serve their artistic language New Strings Attached marks the culmination of a long and vision in conjunction with the guitar. journey. It all started a few years ago The accumulation of the newly written Contemporary Music for Guitar by Young Israeli Composers Twhen the initial idea for this project was music that followed has been a moving born: initiating the creation of new rep- and surprising process of discovery. Al- 1. Gilad Cohen (b. 1980): The Rushing Ronnie Reshef (b. 1979): Four Bialik ertoire for classical and electric guitar by though I aimed for diversity in the first Camel (2012) (9:26) Children’s Songs (2009) (8:42) prominent young Israeli composers. This place, I was still amazed by the broadness Nadav Lev Nadav Lev, Tehila Nini-Goldstein mission captured me, as it promised to be of the musical spectrum presented in the not only relevant for both the Israeli music results – a journey between immensely 2. Yair Klartag (b. 1985): Nothing to 7. Me’ever layam (3:06) corpus and the guitar repertoire, but also different musical landscapes. express (2014) (8:23) * 8. Sna’i (1:31) particularly personal. It seemed to natu- Nadav Lev, Mivos String Quartet 9. Dov (2:13) rally combine two of my deepest interests New Strings Attached is a fascinating, ev- 10. Tarnegol (1:52) – performing and initiating the creation of er-changing musical road. I believe it not Jonathan Keren (b. 1978): Three Ladino new music on the one hand, and exploring only reflects exceptional originality while Songs (2008) (11:18) 11. Nadav Lev (b. 1977): Shomeret Layla layers of my own cultural roots and iden- exploring a broad array of sonic possibil- Nadav Lev, Miranda Cuckson, Rinat (2013-2014) (14:54) tity on the other. I came to believe that in ities, but also serves as yet another living Shaham Nadav Lev, Re’ut Ben-Ze’ev, Guy Barash order to bring forth the unique diversity of testimonial to the endless faces of the musical voices emerging from Israel, the contemporary guitar. 3. Durme, durme mi linda donzella Nadav Lev, classical and electric guitar guitar with its endless versatility of color, (4:00) (accent marks) with Mivos String Quartet style and texture is the perfectly suited in- The album is equally divided between 4. Abretu puerta serrada (2:27) Rinat Shaham, mezzo-soprano strument. two main centers: one of purely instru- 5. Quen te va ver con cocharas (4:51) Miranda Cuckson, violin mental music, and the other of vocally Tehila Nini-Goldstein, soprano I went on to approach and commission oriented music. It opens with Gilad Co- 6. Guy Barash (b. 1982): TalkBack III Re’ut Ben-Ze’ev, mezzo-soprano an exceptional group comprised of some hen’s The Rushing Camel, brilliantly (2010) (9:28) Guy Barash, live electronics of the most prominent and interesting fusing influences of classical music, eth- Nadav Lev, Guy Barash composers to emerge from Israel in re- nic music and progressive rock through cent years. I invited them to compose a deeply intimate, virtuosic and original Total playing time: 62:16 for either classical or electric guitar in take on the very idiom of classical guitar. different settings, attempting to choose It moves on to Yair Klartag’s Nothing to *Commissioned by the Adele and John Grey Endowment Fund with them the ensemble and format that express, which creates an abstract sonic All works are heard here in world premiere recordings 2 3 landscape, transcending any ethnic or artist Guy Barash and three incredible Is- Yair Klartag: Nothing to express* The search for my personal understand- non-musical pretexts while exploring the raeli-born singers, who – with their distinct ing of the term “expression” has been surprising synergy between electric gui- voices and musical personalities – add A conversation between writer Sam- occupying my thoughts in the last few tar and string quartet. Jonathan Keren’s fresh dimensions of variety and soulfulness uel Beckett and art historian Georges years. I have tried to dismantle my urge Three Ladino Songs illuminate the to the music: Rinat Shaham, Tehila Ni- Duthuit regarding (among other artists) for expression and find the concrete pro- deep, multi-layered essence of seemingly ni-Goldstein and Re’ut Ben-Ze’ev. the painter Pierre Tal Coat: cesses it meant for me – what am I “push- straightforward folkloric music with the ing out”? Is my natural thought process composer’s ever-flowing musical imag- - Nadav Lev Beckett – The only thing disturbed by the reflected in my pieces’ structures? Is there ination and contrapuntal language. The revolutionaries Matisse and Tal Coat is a a concrete sound world that exists in my album turns back to a more abstract mu- certain order on the plane of the feasible. inner world and wishes to be realized? sical world in Guy Barash’s TalkBack III, Gilad Cohen: The Rushing Camel Duthuit – What other plane can there be How big is the discrepancy between these a hectic, energetically charged dialogue for the maker? potential inner sounds and the musical between guitar and computer, exploring The Rushing Camel begins its journey B. – Logically, none. Yet I speak of an art scores? tensions between spontaneity and con- from afar. I like to think of the beginning turning from it in disgust, weary of puny trol, narrative and commentary, as well of the piece as the distant sound of a beast exploits, weary of pretending to be able, of In this piece I have tried to create music as human creativity and technology. It galloping in the desert, impossibly long being able, of doing a little better the same that corresponds to neither my thought returns to concrete cultural context in legs thumping along in a vast, open void old thing, of going a little further along a process nor my inner sound world. The Ronnie Reshef’s crystalline, lyrical and of endless sand. Both the view and the dreary road. “drama” is based on the abstract relations witty art-song settings of Four Bailik sound are not quite clear but sometimes D. – And preferring what? between the sounds. A constant pulse Children's Songs by Israel’s national you can see its obscured frame peeking B. – The expression that there is nothing lies in the center of the piece and is re- poet H. N. Bialik. The program ends on a from between the mountains, until at to express, nothing with which to express, peatedly destructed and reconstructed. most personal note with my own original some point it is within view. And stand- nothing from which to express, no power to The entire piece can be heard as waves of piece, the extensive Shomeret Layla. The ing in front of you, you begin to realize express, no desire to express, together with de-pulsation and re-pulsation. program notes that follow were contrib- it is communicating with you. It speaks the obligation to express. uted by the composers themselves. of dreams and desires lost and gone, D. – But that is a violently extreme and *A piece commissioned by the Adele and recollections of moments that still make personal point of view, of no help to us in John Gray Endowment Fund I was fortunate to be joined in this album the heart ache . . . all while staring at you the matter of Tal Coat. by an amazing group of world-renowned with those goofy camel eyes and baring B. – ……………… collaborators, including violinist Miranda that impossibly long tongue. (Erin Mick- D. – Perhaps that is enough for today. Cuckson, the Mivos String Quartet, Sound elwaite and Gilad Cohen)

4 5 Jonathan Keren: Three Ladino Songs tunes, but rather to keep their original Ronnie Reshef: Four Bialik Children’s The second song, “Sna'i" (Squirrel), is a folk nature, while using my own compo- Songs light song with a comic touch. Its harmo- In 2008, guitarist Nadav Lev and I were sitional voice. ny is dominated by dissonant intervals, discussing the possibility of commis- This song cycle was written in 2008 in one which give it a sharp and witty sound. sioning me to compose a chamber music Guy Barash: TalkBack III of the smoothest compositional process- The third song is titled “Dov” (Bear), and piece featuring the guitar. The idea that es I have ever experienced. It felt as if the it is no surprise that it is the heaviest in appeared to be most appealing to both of Inspired by a conversation with guitarist songs already existed in some dimension, the set. Incorporating semi-horrific allu- us was a mixed-ensemble piece, which Nadav Lev, the dedicatee, I wrote Talk- and were only waiting for me to write them sions in the text, the vocal part sits very would make use of folk material. Even- back III for guitar and computer in 2010. down. They sprang out of me effortlessly low in the singer’s tessitura, giving it a tually I chose female voice and violin in It is the third in a series of compositions and naturally, in what felt like a real epiph- darker tone, and the guitar part is based combination with the guitar and started for acoustic instruments and interactive any. The texts of Bialik, one of the most on a minor key with touches of the dark searching Ladino songs that would fit computer processing. With Talkback, important Hebrew poets of the early 20th Phrygian mode. The fourth song, “Tarne- the piece. After looking at innumerable I explore new playing techniques, en- century, surely contributed to the ease of gol” (Rooster), is the most vocally virtu- tunes, three songs were chosen. These hanced timbre, and other sonic features the process; being as musical and inspiring osic in the set and the only strophic one, songs did not only captivate me musical- that are characteristic of the instrument as they are, they were a joy to work with. meaning that every stanza of the poem ly; I saw the potential in presenting them by magnifying and amplifying otherwise It took me very little time to recognize that receives a similar musical treatment. The together as one piece, thus creating a uni- subtle nuances of the instrument and the children’s poems that deal with nature text describes a rooster who tries to wake fied narrative, as if the lyrics were writ- bringing them to the foreground. are the ones that speak to me most strongly, up a child who wants to keep on sleeping, ten by the same hand, in a specific order. and thus I started working. and the vocal part attempts to imitate the I also discovered many small accidental Talkback, just like in online media, is a persistent loud rooster. The etude-like connections among the tunes, which response to something more substan- The first song, “Me'ever layam” (Over the guitar part joins the rooster’s persistency made both the search for tunes and the tial: Western tradition and the canon. It Sea) – a magical fairy tale – is through-com- with its recurring fragment that repeats composing process highly inspiring. is smaller but often as significant, as it is posed, meaning that the music is different all over the guitar’s range and is climaxed a sincere manifestation of the zeitgeist. for every stanza of the poem. The last stan- in the intense instrumental section. It One thing which draws me to folk music Real-time interaction between the gui- za of the song does function as a reprise, was a joy and honor to compose these is its simplicity and elasticity; the fact that tar and the computer is a form of dialog. and thus elegantly closes the song with a re- songs for my good friend and wonderful most folk tunes do not demand a specific Very similar to forms of communication call of its beginning. Written in E, the song guitarist Nadav Lev, and I could not be treatment from a composer make them via the Internet – posting, tweeting, blog- takes advantage of the warm sound of the happier that a piece I love so much has the perfect raw musical material. In this ging, etc. – it is filtered, yet very real. guitar’s open strings, which contribute to found its way into Nadav’s debut album. piece I did not attempt to arrange the the fairy-tale atmosphere of the song.

6 7 Nadav Lev: Shomeret Layla Three Ladino Songs I am awake night and day, ------Texts: Traditional Those who love are guided by sorrow. Shomeret Layla is a nocturnal musical (need to credit the translator) Open your closed door journey that explores experiences and Who is this woman who came down to There is a bright light on your balcony, memories from a kibbutz childhood. Durme, durme mi linda donzella the garden But the love I have for you, my beautiful Each week, a different woman would be Carrying a basket of gather flowers? one – assigned the job of the Shomeret Layla, Durme, durme mi linda donzella, Let us go away together. or the woman in charge of overseeing the Durme, durme sin ansia ni dolor. communal nursery at night. Abretu puerta serrada If it pleases you, Siente niña el son mi guitarra, I would give my blood to see you. In the course of the piece, layers of mem- Siente hermoza, mis males cantar. Abretu puerta serrada, If my blood does not convince you, ory are being peeled, assembled and dis- Que en tu balcón hay una luz clara. I am gladly willing to die. assembled. I created an original text by Hay dies años sufre mi alma, Ma el amor qué yo a tí mi bela, “melting” together excerpts from three Por tí djoia, mi linda dama. Partiremos los dos de aquí. Your beauty different sources: an old night log from Is a gift from God. an actual Shomeret Layla, the verses of Yo non durmo ni noche ni día, Si es por agradarte, No one but I Israeli poet Natan Alterman, and the Al que ama, angustia los guía. Na la mi sangre pronta por verte, Am worthy of your pure beauty. book of Psalms – also from my own rec- Si la mi sangre no te pudo convenser, ollections. This blend of diverse elements ¿Quen es ésta, abaxo a la guerta Na la mi muerte con plazer. Walking down the streets is poured into the music, serving as a Con un sestico arrancar las flores? You will be illuminated by my shadow melting pot of memory and conscious- Esta hermozura tuya And you will sigh many sighs ness. This shifting flow of consciousness ------Que el Dió te la hizo suyenir. Remembering me. moves through these layers in a dream- Me esta hermozura tuya pura Sleep, sleep beautiful maiden, like kind of “non-sense,” trying to “make- No la merese otro qué mí. Sleep, sleep, without pain and sorrow. sense.” Quen te va ver con cocharas Por las calles qué tu irás, Hear, girl, the sound of my guitar, De mi solombra te arrelumbarás, ¿Quen te va ver con cocharas, Hear me sing my grief Y ahes munchos echaras Y clenche reluziente? Cuando de mí te acodrarás. De mí tomates las parás, For ten years my soul has been suffering No tenías de vente. For you my jewel, my beautiful lady. 8 9 Ayde, vate vate, no te quero, Me’ever layam ------Sna’i Chupates me sangre y mi sebo. Vate de buena hora, ya pasó la hora Me’ever Layam, Over the Sea Sna’i katon gedol hazanav De cuando dezía que por tí me vo murir Me’ever Layam, Far over the sea Yashav lo berosh he’anaf Hated’u tsiporim, Far over the sea! Yashov yashav al akuzo ------Haderech lesham? O birds, can you show Pitzeach balat egozo The way there to me? Who will see you with curly hair Me’ever layam, Ha’egoz odo bakaf- And shiny bangs? Bimdinot hayam Far over the sea Pit’om puff!- The money you have, you took from me. Sham ‘Iyeyi hazahav, There kingdoms are set Vaya’af chets, Before, you were penniless. Shachachti ma shmam And those golden isles Nafal sna’i min ha’etz, Whose names I forget Ha, al sna’I ba haketz! Ayde, go away, I do not want you. Uv’iyeyi hazahav You sucked my blood and my essence, Me’ever layam, In those golden isles ------Go in peace. The time Mithalchim anakim Far over the sea When I said I would die for you has passed. Am gadol varam Live giants so tall, Squirrel Great people and free, Am gadol varam A tiny squirrel with tail so large Four Bialik Children’s Songs Am yashar vatam So grand and so free, Was sitting on top of the branch, Texts: Haim Nahman Bialik Umelech aleyhem So true and so kind Sit-sat like that upon his butt, Kamohu od lo kam. A king such as theirs Peacefully cracked him a nut. Translations: Nadav Lev; except for You never could find “Me’ever layam”: Jessie Sampter Veganim lamelech The nut still in his paws – Me’ever layam Far over the sea, Then – fooo! Tsiporey gan-eden Far over the sea, An arrow flew, Mekanenot bam. O birds, can you show, A squirrel from the tree it threw, The way there to me? Ha, tiny squirrel thus was through! Me’ever layam, Me’ever layam, Hted’u tsiporim, Haderech lesham? 10 11 Dov Tarnegol Shomeret Layla Chalam-lam-lam Shhhh.. omeret Ba, ba – mi haba? Ura, lama tishan, rika, Text: Nadav Lev Layla, lay-la Duba, raba, ravreva! Kookoorika, Kookoorika! Translation: Ruby Namdar Based on quotes from poet Natan Alter- Layla layla, ha’ruach goveret Tso’ed tsa’od vehitrapot Bashamayim nafla dleka, man, from the book of Psalms and from Layla layla homa tsameret Keved basar, keved kapot, Kookoorika, Kookoorika! a Night Watchwoman’s log, in a kibbutz Layla layla, rak at mechaka – Naptsu sirot, shivru sapot, somewhere in Israel. Irchu shulchan, pirsu mapot, Chama yats’a minartika Kadmu panav bakeylapot. Kookoorika, Kookoorika! Shhhhhh… omeret Yael tsarcha pit’om Layla venirdema shuv Ba, ba – baruch haba, Ve’ata odcha yashen, rika, Layla tov Boaz lo haya shaket Duba, raba, Ravreva! Kookoorika, Kookoorika! Lay-la lay-la-la Yoel hit’orer betse’akot

------Yael Bachta Ve’ratsta et ‘ima Shhhhh… omeret Boaz lo haya shaket Layla Bear Rooster Kshenichnasti Gila amda besheket Shh… omeret bamita Shan bekeshet Boo, boo – who is there, who? Wake up loafer, why sleep and nothing Yael tsarcha pit’om - Sheket Big, bold, brave bear coming through! do, Venirdema shuv Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo! Yael tsarcha pit’om He is marching, pounding thus around, Shhhh… Yoel hitorer betse’akot With heavy flesh, with massive paws The sky is burning, red and blue, Shan besheket Chalam she’hu bacheder ‘im chayot tor- Denote all boats and sofas, crowd, Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo! Shan basheket fot Set silverware, tablecloth and stroud, Keshet With hatchet welcome him and sound. Sun has left its pouch too, hi siman Shh.. lam-lam-lam Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo! Tan basheket Lay-la –li Boo, boo – greetings to Sham nasham Big, bold, brave bear coming through! Still sleeping loafer, you underdo, nosheket Yaga’ati be’anchati esche bechol layla mitati Cock-a-doodle-doo, cock-a-doodle-doo! Shan chalom Bedim’ati arsi amse

12 13 Yoel hitorer Hushhhh… Yael shrieked suddenly, Composer Biographies Oren bacha, Sleep quietly Yoel woke up screaming Kanir’e od lo nirdam Sleep in the quiet He dreamed there were predators in the Nadav Lev (see Performer Biographies below) Shh.. shan bekeshet A rainbow is a sign room Sheket A jackal breathes silently there Composer and violinist Jonathan Keren l e’o l am She kisses Hushhhh… Ni-ni-ni, nighty-ni is an award-winner from the Kousse- Sleep, Dream I am weary with my groaning; every night vitzky Foundation (2007), a recipient Yaga’ati be’anchati esche bechol layla- Dream-ream-ream Make I my bed to swim; I melt away my of ASCAP’s Young Composers’ Award layla echad haya teref Hushhhhh… She says couch (2004), Israel’s Prime Minister’s Prize Layla layla sheni met ba- Night, Nighty-night With my tears. (2011), AKUM’s Achievement of the layla mitati bedim’ati arsi amse Year in Composition (2011), and Schol- Shh.. Night, night Yoel woke up arships from the America-Israel Cultural The wind is howling Oren cried, Foundation in violin and composition ------Night, night He probably never fell asleep (1997-2003). His music has been de- The treetops are swelling Hushhhh… Sleep in the rainbow scribed as “Haunting , rhythmically agile” A Night Watchwoman Night, night Quiet (Telegraph) and “…shifts between states Only you wait, awake Forever of sublime mysticism and catastrophic Hushhhhh… She says wildness” (New York Times). His works Night Yael shrieked suddenly, I am weary with my groaning; every have been performed in Carnegie’s Weill Good night Then fell back to sleep night Hall, Rose Theatre and Alice Tully Hall in Nighty-night-night Boaz was unquiet Make I my bed to swim; New York City; Tanglewood Contempo- Hushhhhh… Yoel woke up screaming Night, night, one was devoured rary Music Festival; the Louvre Museum Night, night, the second died in… in Paris; The Berlin Philharmonie hall; Yael cried, asked for her mommy Hushhhhh… She says Night make I my bed to swim; I melt The Tel-Aviv Museum, Jerusalem Mu- Boaz was unquiet It’s nighttime Away my sic Center and Tel-Aviv Opera House in When I went in Gila was standing Hushhhhh… She says Couch with my tears Israel. Performers have included Lynn quietly in Sleep in the rainbow Hushhhh… Harrell, The Jerusalem Symphony Or- her bed Quiet chestra, Samuel Rhodes, The New Juil- Yael shrieked suddenly, liard Ensemble, and the Fountain Cham- Then fell back to sleep ber Music Society, of which he was the

14 15 Ronnie Reshef’s music has been de- and lyrics, among four other nomina- scribed by the press as “Vivid, elegant … tions. Most recently, her opera Something smart and gorgeous” (Houston Chronicle). to Live For was chosen to participate in Reshef’s work ranges from classical music Fort-Worth Opera’s 2014 Frontiers Festi- to Off-Broadway musicals, concentrating val, and received its full production pre- on works for the theater. Her first opera, miere by Boston Metro Opera. Ronnie is Requiem for the Living, was performed the winner of the Atlanta Opera 24-hour in New York City, Kentucky, and Texas, Competition, the Boston Metro Opera where it was a finalist in the 2011 Opera Main Stage Award and the Israeli Shiri- Vista competition. Her musical “Conspir- mon Contest, among others. Her 2013- acy!” had an Off-Broadway run at MITF, 2014 season included performances of her where it was nominated for best music two operas, an invitation to stay at Yaddo Retreat, a commission for the Qube String Quartet, and more. www.ronniereshef.com

Yair Klartag was born in 1985 in Israel. He began studying piano at the age of 12 and commenced his composition studies Composer in Residence (2002-2008). A at the age of 15. He received his Bachelor’s composition at Columbia University. Juilliard graduate in composition under degree in Computer Science and in Com- His compositions have been performed the tutelage of Samuel Adler and Milton position under the instruction of Ruben by ensembles such as Munich Chamber Babbitt, Keren is also active as a perform- Seroussi at the Buchmann-Mehta School Orchestra, Tokyo Sinfonietta, Ensemble er of classical, early music and folk mu- of Music, Tel-Aviv University, graduating Phoenix Basel, Ensemble Proton Bern, sic, and has performed in venues such in 2010. He continued his composition Ensemble Zafraan (Berlin) and “Meitar” as Alice Tully Hall and the Metropolitan studies, obtaining his Master’s degree in Ensemble (Israel). Among his awards are Museum in New York City, the Concert- 2012 at the Basel Musikhochschule with the 31st Irino Prize (Japan), first place at gebouw in Amsterdam, and Teatro Co- Georg Friedrich Haas and Erik Oña. the International Composition Competi- munale Modena in Italy. At present he is a doctoral candidate in tion Ireneu Segarra (Spain), second place www.jonathankeren.com 16 17 at the 7ème Concours Dutilleux (France) Europe, Asia, and Israel; and he has won work for lyric theater includes the opera and the Audience Prize at the Isang Yun prizes from international competitions Alice Invents a Little Game and Alice Al- Composition Competition. in China, Austria, Israel, Turkey and the ways Wins, currently in workshop and www.yairklartag.com United States. An Assistant Professor of development as part of his fellowship in Music at Ramapo College of New Jersey the American Opera Projects Composers as well as a member of the Advanced & the Voice program. His multimedia Praised by the 2010 Israeli Prime Minis- Class of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical theater piece Hildegard (Vision Cycle), ter Award Committee for “creating a per- Theatre Workshop, Gilad completed his conceived in concert with the Pioneers sonal language fusion that has a unique Ph.D. in composition from Princeton Go East Collective, was presented in 2013 dimension” in music that is “fascinating, University in the spring of 2015. Gilad at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. vibrant and drawing the ear as well as the performs regularly with various ensem- In 2010 Barash founded Eavesdropping, heart,” Israeli musician Gilad Cohen is bles around the US, playing piano, bass a new music series at The Tank. Since an active composer, performer and the- and guitar. His research on structure in 2013 Eavesdropping has been hosted by orist working in different musical genres the music of Pink Floyd has resulted in Spectrum. www.guybarash.com including concert music, rock and music a series of published articles and lectures for theater. Gilad’s music has been per- in the US and Israel, as well as in the Performer Biographies formed at numerous venues in the US, first-ever academic conference devoted to the band that Gilad co-produced in Guitarist and composer Nadav Lev is work that incorporates texts in various 2014 at Princeton University with com- an exceptional virtuoso on both classi- settings and arrangements. In his music, poser Dave Molk. Gilad lives in Ridge- cal and electric guitar. His proficiency in Barash generates a multi-metric environ- wood, NJ, with his wife Erin, and their through-composed as well as improvised ment where he explores concepts of time dog, Parsley. www.giladcohen.com music and his inspired, profound perfor- such as simultaneity, synchronicity and mances of the music of our time have made geometricity. Barash often uses comput- him one of today’s most captivating new er processing to exploit latent character- Guy Barash has composed orchestral, performers. An Andres Segovia Award istics of acoustic instruments and alter chamber, vocal and electroacoustic mu- winner (Musica en Compostela, Spain), the relationship between foreground and sic, as well as music for theater; he also Lev’s Carnegie Hall debut was hailed by background. He collaborates with a wide performs often, adding new dimensions Classical Guitar Magazine as “sensitive and array of artists (poets, video artists, musi- to contemporary music via live electron- nuanced performance … talented and en- cians and choreographers) on innovative ics. He has written an extensive body of gagingly musical ... his stage presence is multidisciplinary projects. Mr. Barash’s 18 19 entirely gracious and personable.” Classical the Israel Kibbutz Orchestra. As of this Guitar Magazine described Nadav’s debut recording’s release, Lev’s planned appear- album as “a CD to savor and delight in. His ances include his debut as a soloist with playing is of the utmost authority … a sheer the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, per- delight from start to finish.” forming a new concerto dedicated to him by composer Ayal Adler. Among Lev’s An Israeli native based in NYC, Nadav recent collaborations are mezzo-sopra- was the only guitarist to recently win the no Rinat Shaham, Klezmatics founders America-Israel Cultural Foundation’s Frank London and Alicia Svigals, double prestigious Abroad Studies award, and bassist Remy Yulzari, mandolin player he also won the Ra’anana Guitar Com- Avi Avital, harpist Sivan Magen, ban- petition’s first prize, the Jerusalem Guitar doneon master Raul Jaurena (Piazzolla’s Competition’s Rodrigo Prize, Artists In- double concerto) and composer/sound ternational and the Lillian Fuchs Awards. artist Guy Barash. Recent engagements include tours in France, Canada, the UK Mr. Lev has been performing throughout and a residency at the Chaillol Festival in the US, Europe, Israel and South Amer- France, featuring Lev in solo and cham- ica, in venues such as Carnegie Hall, ber music recitals as well as new commis- Rose Hall at Lincoln Center and Merkin sions by him. Nadav has also been per- Concert Hall in New York, Oscar Pe- forming extensively with his Lev-Yulzari terson Hall in Montreal and in festivals duo, which recently released its debut al- such as Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mo- bum Azafea with the French IEMJ label, zart, Musique en Graves and Chaillol in featuring guest artists Frank London and France to name a few. He was invited to John Hadfield, and gaining rave reviews. give recitals in prestigious concert series such as the John Marlow Guitar series Nadav is a 2013-14 LABA fellow at NYC’s in Washington D.C. and has performed 14th Street Y, for which he composed with groups such as the International Shomeret Layla (“A Night Watchwom- Contemporary Ensemble, the Israel Sym- an”), to his own text. His original compo- phony Orchestra Rishon Le Zion and sitions for various ensembles and for the-

20 21 ater have been performed in the US and Beyond expanding the string quartet Israel, including the International Asian repertoire, the ensemble is committed Music Festival at the YMCA Jerusalem to working with guest artists, collaborat- hall. He frequently appears in media in ing on multi-media projects, exploring North America, Europe and Israel. group improvisation, and supporting young musicians through educational Lev holds a Master of Music from the activities. Mivos’ 2013 album on Carrier Manhattan School of Music, a BM Cum Records features works by Alex Mincek, Laude in composition from the Rubin David Franzson, Felipe Lara and Wolf- Academy in Tel-Aviv and a BA in Philos- gang Rihm. www.mivosquartet.com ophy from Tel-Aviv University. He stud- The Mivos String Quartet, an “accom- ied guitar with Ruben Seroussi, David plished, admirably broad-minded young Starobin and David Leisner; also compo- string quartet” (New York Times), is de- Violinist Miranda Cuckson is acclaimed sition with Seroussi and Itzhak Sadai. voted to performing the works of con- for her performances of a wide range of temporary composers and presenting repertoire, from early music to contempo- Nadav Lev was born in kibbutz Nachshon, new music to diverse audiences. Since rary creations. Praised for her “undeniable Israel, and began playing jazz guitar at the the quartet’s beginnings in 2008 they musicality” (New York Times) and “seem- age of nine. After graduating with honors have performed, commissioned and col- ingly inexhaustible arsenal of technical from the Jazz Department at the Thelma laborated closely with an ever-expanding abilities” (AllMusic), she is in demand as Yelin High School for the Arts, he went a soloist and chamber musician at ven- music by Nono (a NY Times 2012 Best group of international composers who Recording), Shapey, Hersch, Martino, on to join Israel’s Air Force Orchestra as represent multiple aesthetics of contem- ues including the Berlin Philharmonie, nd Finney, Carter, Eckardt, Sessions, Haas, a guitarist, turning later to classical guitar porary classical composition. The quar- Library of Congress, Miller Theatre, 92 and composition. Lev’s many years of en- Street Y, Guggenheim Museum, and the Xenakis and others. She recorded her first tet’s international performing schedule CD for ECM Records in 2015. Miranda gagement with jazz, rock and a wide range has included appearances at the Darm- Marlboro, Bard, Lincoln Center, Bridge- of other musical as well as intellectual in- hampton, Portland and Bodensee festi- studied at Juilliard, where she received her stadt Summer Courses for New Music DMA and won the Presser Award. She terests allowed him to bring to classical (Darmstadt, Germany), Asphalt Festival vals. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in and contemporary music an expressive, Piston’s violin concerto with the American teaches at Mannes College. (Düsseldorf, Germany), Concerti Aperi- www.mirandacuckson.com knowledgeable, edgy and utterly personal tivo (Udine, Italy), HellHOT! New Mu- Symphony Orchestra. She is director of voice. www.nadavlev.com sic Festival (Hong Kong), Edgefest (Ann Nunc and a member of counter) induc- tion. Her nine lauded solo CDs include Guy Barash (see Composer Biographies above) Arbor, MI), and Aldeburgh Music (UK). 22 23 formed with orchestras including the A deep love for music has led Israeli so- Berlin Philharmonic, the Chicago Sym- prano Tehila Nini-Goldstein to sing phony, the New York Philharmonic, the chamber music, lieder, pera (classical, London Philharmonic, the San Francisco baroque and contemporary) and litur- Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmon- gical music, all with equal passion and ic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Is- devotion. rael Philharmonic Orchestra, under such conductors as Ozawa, Rattle, Previn, Es- Ms. Nini’s ongoing musical relation- chenbach, and Barenboim. ships include the Meitar Ensemble, the renowned “Les Arts Florissants” led by Rinat Shaham is mostly known for her William Christie, “Sferraina” duo and unique portrayal of the role of Car- numerous instrumentalists, composers, men, but she has also sung many roles singers and pianists. She was chosen including Charlotte in Massenet’s as one of Mr. Christie’s young artists of Werther, Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan Les Jardin des Voix in 2008. Recent sea- tutte, Mélisande in Debussy’s Pelléas et sons include roles of Licida (L’Olimpiade Mélisande, Cherubino in Mozart’s The by Josef Mysliveček) directed by Ursel Marriage of Figaro, Zerlina and Donna Hermann, with “Collegium 1704” and Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Rosi- conductor Václav Luks at the Stavovské Mezzo-soprano Rinat Shaham was born na in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, and Divadlo in Prague, Caen, Luxembourg cobs. In concert, Ms. Nini has collaborat- in Haifa, Israel, and began her singing Blanche in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the and Theater an der Wien (DVD); Eu- ed with the Saarbrücken Radio Sympho- studies at the Wizo high school for the Carmelites, and many more. Other re- paforice (Montezuma by Carl Heinrich ny. In recital, Tehila has collaborated with arts, Haifa. Later she completed her vocal cent projects in Ms Shaham’s career in- Graun) with the Kammermusikacade- pianists Hinrich Alpers, Jascha Nemtsov training at the Curtis Institute of Music, clude appearances as a theater actress at mie Potsdam and Sergio Azzolini at the and conductor Massimiliano Toni; also Philadelphia. Since then the artist has the Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg, Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci. Teh- with the Amber Trio, among many other had an international career and has sung Duo concerts with guitarist Nadav Lev, ila was chosen as understudy to Cecilia diverse ensembles. leading operatic roles with the New York jazz and musical theater concerts with Bartoli in the title role of Handel’s Semele City Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival, the ZingerQuintet, and improvisation at the Theater an der Wien, as well as cov- the Berlin State Opera, the Vienna State performances with Noam Sivan. ering the title role of Antigone (Traetta) Mezzo-soprano Re’ut Ben-Ze’ev has won Opera, Royal Opera House London, and www.rinatshaham.com at the Berlin Staatsoper with Renee Ja- critical acclaim for her “intense expres- many more. As a soloist she has per- sion and pure voice” (Frankfurter All- 24 25 new opera Dum Dee Tweedle. Other Special thanks to my family and my beloved wife, Noa Sheikin, for their support, Ryan conductors include Lucas Richman and Streber and Oktaven Audio for the incredible work in the studio, Daryl Perry for the David Randolph. Her concert repertoire guitar used here, Gabriel Baharlia for the beautiful photos, William Schwartz and Mar- ranges from Vivaldi’s Gloria to Schoen- sha Grey for supporting this project in substance and in spirit, Sean Hickey for his berg’s OP. 2 (Orch. for her by G. Shohat) support and friendship, to LABA: Ronit MuszcaTblit, Ruby Namdar and to the entire performed with St. Cecilia Chorus and LABA team; also to Omer and Tal Golan, Guy Barash, Yair Klartag and Ronnie Reshef. Orchestra, the Israel Chamber Orches- Special thanks as well to the entire Delos team, and particularly to Carol Rosenberger, tra and others. On the concert platform, Lindsay Koob and Lonnie Kunkel for their dedicated work in bringing this project to Re’ut has performed in venues such as light. Lincoln Center, Spoleto Festival USA, Jerusalem Music Centre, The American Recorded at Oktaven Audio, Yonkers NY; October 2013-November 2014 Academy in Berlin, the Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, WQXR radio, Kol Hamusika, and Executive producer: Carol Rosenberger on PBS webcast. A champion of new mu- Producer: Nadav Lev sic, Re’ut has premiered numerous works Co-producer: Ryan Streber gemeine Zeitung, with) and “bold, com- by composers such as Del Tredici and Recording engineer/mastering: Ryan Streber mitted account…” (TheNew York Times). Samuel Adler, among many others, in ad- Booklet editor: Lindsay Koob Re’ut majored in Theater at the Thelma dition to recording with John Musto and Art Design/layout: Lonnie Kunkel Yelin High School of Performing Arts, Yehudi Wyner for Naxos Records. She Cover, headshot, and tray card photos: Gabriel Baharlia Israel, where she also toured as the vocal has also recorded for Albany Records, Back cover photo: Joanna Williams soloist of its big band. After moving to Furious Artisans and YIVO label. Re’ut NYC and studying the “Strasberg Meth- has collaborated with members of the Is- od” with Terese Hayden, she decided rael and Berlin Philharmonic, ensembles to pursue a classical singing career. Her such as the Israel Contemporary Players operatic roles include Komponist (Ari- (Pierrot Lunaire), Cygnus Ensemble, ac- adne auf Naxos), and Anna (Die Sieben tor Theodore Bikel and choreographer Todsünden/ Weill). Re’ut recently made Yasmeen Godder (Ensemble nominated © 2015 Delos Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 343, Sonoma, CA 95476-9998 her debut with the Detroit Symphony for the Bessie Award.) Re’ut was a finalist (707) 996-3844 • Fax (707) 320-0600 • (800) 364-0645 Orchestra under the baton of Leonard in the Lotte Lehman competition. [email protected] • www.delosmusic.com Slatkin premiering David Del Tredici‘s www.reutbenzeev.com Made in USA 26 27 28