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Russell Steinberg: Bio/Catalog

Russell Steinberg

Concert Music Catalog - Film Music Credits TOP

Russell Steinberg

Composer, Conductor, Performer, and Lecturer——(Scroll down for Catalog)
Ph.D. in Music from Harvard University
M.M. from the New England Conservatory
B.A. from UCLA.

My defining moment occurred in a master class as a teenager when I plucked the courage to perform an original composition for legendary guitarist Andres Segovia. The Maestro had only negative things to say about all the other students. But for me, Segovia lifted his scowl. He remarked that "the composer showed genuine talent” but lacked structure, urging me to carefully study the scores of Mozart. Trembling from my audacity as well as excitement at the master's tentative approval, I immediately left the guitar for serious score study.

Years and many Mozart scores later, I'm now a highly active composer, performer, conductor, and lecturer. I began instrumental studies in Los Angeles with Dorothy Compinsky and composition training with Kenneth Klauss. I later studied piano with Earle C. Voorhies and Salome Arkatov, classical guitar with Ronald Purcell, and composition most notably with Leon Kirchner, Arthur Berger, and Elaine Barkin.

Recent commissions include the world music ensemble MANY AXES, the UCLA Wind Ensemble, Los Angeles Philharmonic violinist Mitchell Newman, the Jewish Center for Culture and Creativity, the Music Conservatory of Westchester, NY, and the Daniel Pearl Foundation. The Daniel Pearl Foundation commission, Stories From My Favorite Planet, was recently featured on “Global Village,” the KPFK radio program hosted by John Schneider and given its East Coast Premiere in Baltimore. The Westchester Symphony in New York and the Hopkins Symphony in Baltimore jointly commissioned my first symphony CityStrains. My music has been performed in the United States and abroad, including concerts in Los Angeles, Colorado Springs, Boston, New York, Baltimore, Aspen, Connecticut, San Francisco, New Jersey, Vermont, Germany, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and recently Israel. Awards include an ASCAP Young Composers Grant, Composers Inc. and NACUSA prizes, MacDowell and Aspen Fellowships, and First Prize in the New World String Quartet competition.

I'm actively involved in education. I am Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, a group that includes students from over 60 schools in the LA area. I'm also Director of the Stephen Wise Music Academy sponsored by the Stephen S. Wise Temple of Los Angeles. Recently I've been appointed to the UCLA Faculty where I'm a Lecturer in music theory and composition. The Los Angeles Philharmonic includes me as a regular speaker for Upbeat Live pre-concert events.

Available recordings include "Stories From My Favorite Planet," produced by the Daniel Pearl Foundation (available at www.danielpearl.org), "Desert Stars", a recording of Steinberg’s music for piano and classical guitar (available at CD Baby), and my "Flute Sonata" on New Voices; chamber music for flute performed by Michelle Stanley available at www.centaurrecords.com.

I've created an unusual approach to music listening called AudioMaps™. I maintain that I can teach a novice to fully comprehend and follow a Beethoven symphony in less than 20 minutes of explanation of an AudioMap™. Recently, Masterwork Journeys published both the first volume of my AudioMaps to the Beethoven Symphonies (Symphony #1) and the first volume of a video lecture series titled Classical Vienna.

Russell Steinberg

CONCERT MUSIC TOP Want to perform one of these works or have questions?
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Composition Catalogue

Orchestra

GenreTitleInstrumentationDuration
OrchestraSymphony #1 "CityStrains"Winds 3, 3 Perc.18 min.
OrchestraSymphony #2 "What is a Jew?"3 Narrators and Orchestra (Winds 2)45 min.
OrchestraFanfare for OrchestraWinds in 25 min.
OrchestraSabbath Fantasy #1Winds in 215 min.
OrchestraSabbath Fantasy #2Winds in 212 min.
OrchestraRuby OvertureWinds in 23 min.
Orchestra Lights On! A Hanukkah CelebrationWinds in 224 min.
OrchestraArabesqueWinds in 2, no perc.4 min.
OrchestraVienna for Youth OrchestraWinds in 24 min.
Orchestra405:8AM for Youth OrchestraWinds in 26 min.

Chorus

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ChorusContrary States (William Blake)SATB and Children's Chorus, Fl. Ob. Pno.18 min.
ChorusLirkod (To Dance)SATB, Pno.4 min.
Chorus Lirkod (To Dance) Chamber vers.SATB, 2 vln, 2 vc, pno 4 min.

Large Chamber

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NonetRuby Overture2 Fl, Ob, 2 Cl, 2 Vln, 2 Pno.3 min.
OctetSong in Dark Timesfl, ob, cl, b. cl, vl, vla, vc, pno.4 min.
OctetSong in Dark Timesvc solo, fl, 2 cl, vl, vc, db, pno.4 min.
SeptetStrange Attractors string quartet and world music trio (2 winds, 1 perc)36 min.
SextetWar Piecefl, tpt, string quartet15 min.
SextetSubterranean Dancefl, cl, vl, pno, perc (marimba, vibraphone)8 min.
SextetOcean ScherzosPiano and Woodwind Quintet/td>25 min.
SextetCity Strainsfl, cl, vl, vc, pno, perc.25 min.

Quartets and Trios

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QuartetString Quartet #12vl, vla, vc10 min.
QuartetMulholland Fantasiesvl, vla, vc, pno25 min.
QuartetClarinet Quartetfl or vl, cl, vc, pno25 min.
QuartetWoodwind Quartetfl, ob, cl, bsn7 min.
QuartetChange of Heart (txt Wordsworth)baritone, vc, harp, organ15 min.
TrioStories From My Favorite Planet (Daniel Pearl Tribute)vl, pno, narrator45 min.
TrioRings of Saturnfl, vl, pno10 min.
TrioTrio for Clarinet, Cello, Pianocl, vc, pno9 min.
TrioFanfares for 3Trumpets3 tpt8 min.
TrioFurnace Creek Nocturne2 winds, 1 perc (for cedar flute, howler, shofar, waterphone, dijeridu, udu, chimes6 min.
TrioPiano Trio #1vl, vc, pno25 min.
TrioPresident's Dinner Triovl, vc, pno6 min.

Duos

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DuoFlute Sonatafl, pno13 min.
DuoSix Duos for Violins 2 vl15 min.
DuoMaitrivl, pno left-hand7 min.
DuoFantasy for Flute and Pianofl, pno9 min.
DuoRhapsody for Violin and Pianovl, pno9 min.
DuoSonata for Violin and Pianovl, pno10 min.
DuoSong for Dark Timesvc, pno4 min.
DuoSongs of Windsoprano, pno14 min.

Solo Piano

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SoloSequoia Sonatapno15 min.
SoloPeriods of Luminancepno17 min.
SoloDesert Starspno15 min.
SoloSmall Rainpno11 min.
SoloFour Floating Preludespno8 min.
SoloFour Pieces for Pianopno11 min.
SoloArabesquepno4 min.
SoloJoy in Seapno3 min.
SoloFive Finger Piecespno8 min.
SoloAmazing Grace Variationspno12 min.
Solo America Variationpno2 min.
SoloAtonal Variationspno12 min.
SoloSonic Sonnetspno5 min.
Solo Dichroisms (Spatterings)pno7 min.
SoloThe Differencepno5 min.

Solo Guitar

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SoloFive Preludes for Guitarguitar15 min.
SoloMaui Slack Key Preludesguitar8 min.
SoloGuitar Memorials: From Center, Last Waltzguitar6 min.

Solo Various

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SoloCello Tropescello12 min.
SoloOrgan-Aumorgan7 min.
SoloWhite Crane Studyviolin9 min.
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Russell Steinberg

FILM MUSIC CREDITS TOP
Feature Films
SWEET LOVE AND DEADLY (thriller) Director: Paul Clinco
FATAL CHARM Director: Fritz Kiersch
(psychological drama starring Christopher Atkins)

Short Films
SOMETHING TRUE (dramatic short) Director: Thor Gold
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT (comedy short) Producer: UCLA Extension
STOLEN GLANCES half-hour psychodrama Director: Jason Kinchen
MIGRATION SONGS (dance performance art film) Director: Norah Zuniga-Shaw

Documentary Films
PAPER FLOWERS Producer/Director: John Bishop Media Generation
THE LAST WINDOW Producer/Director: John Bishop Media Generation
THE ART OF PRESERVING HISTORY (Aired on PBS) Producer/Director: John Bishop Media Generation
BECOMING GLORYA KAUFMAN Director: John Bishop
(Film celebrating UCLA World Arts and Cultures Department and the new Glorya Kaufman building)CHARLES CHAPMAN Director: David Slaughter
(Film on Oil/real estate magnate who founded Chapman College)
DRESSAGE FREESTYLE (competitive sport routine/video)
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