Focus on Avner Dorman :: Schirmer News Fall 2010

Avner Dorman begins a busy 2010-11 season this October 6 through 14 with the world premiere of his orchestral piece, Azerbaijani Dance, which opens the 2010-11 season of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra led by Zubin Mehta.  Azerbaijani Dance is an orchestration of Dorman's solo piano work by the same name and presents folk elements over a deeply rhythmic underpinning.  A recording of the solo piano work is available on the NAXOS label.

Dorman serves as the Alabama Symphony’s 2010-11 Composer-In-Residence. The Symphony, under the leadership of Music Director Justin Brown, has programmed an astounding four of their ten week-long Masterworks series to include works by Dorman.  Over the course of the season, the Symphony will present the world premiere of his Saxophone Concerto with Joshua Redman, performances of his Concerto Grosso (Nov. 5, 6) and Ellef Symphony (Feb. 25, 26), and the world premiere of a newly commissioned orchestral work (March 25, 26).  Of the residency, Dorman states: “I am extremely excited and looking forward to working with the Alabama Symphony and Justin Brown. The residency in Alabama is really unique in that the orchestra will showcase such a broad spectrum of my work throughout the season and truly introduce my music to their audience in the broadest sense. Programming the October 28th concert with Justin has been a real treat. Justin is not only a superb musician but is also extremely knowledgeable about contemporary music. I think Justin and the Alabama Symphony are truly pushing the envelope in an inspiring way. It’s no wonder they were awarded the ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming.” 

Dorman’s momentum doesn’t end there.  In November, the Marin Symphony with Music Director Alasdair Neale gives the world premiere of (not) The Shadow which Dorman wrote through the generous support of Meet The Composer’s Magnum Opus project.  Although Dorman sources Hans Christian Andersen’s dark fairy tale “The Shadow,” he assures audiences that this new piece is (not) The Shadow.  The Winnipeg Symphony presents the Canadian premiere in February 2011 and the Nashville Symphony will perform the work in May 2011. In other exciting news, the San Francisco Symphony gives the world premiere of Uriah with David Robertson on the podium in January 2011.