Lior Navok

Lior Navok (born September 6, 1971) (Hebrew: ליאור נבוק) is an Israeli classical composer, conductor and pianist. He was born in Tel Aviv. His music has been performed internationally by orchestras and ensembles including the Oper Frankfurt, Nuernberg Opera, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra. Amongst the awards he has received are those from the Israel Cultural Excellence Foundation^[1] and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.^[2] He has also received awards from the Fromm Music Foundation, Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund Award, and Israel Prime Minister Award. In 2004, he was one of seven composers awarded commissions for new musical works by the Serge Koussevitzky Foundation in the Library of Congress and the Koussevitzky Music Foundation.^[3]

His stage music includes two operas, The Bet, based on a short story by Anton Chekhov, and An unserem Fluss (By Our River). The latter was commissioned by Oper Frankfurt, and was premiered during the company's 2014/15 season.^[4] He has also written two stage works for children The Little Mermaid (based in the story by Hans Christian Andresen) and The Adventures of Pinocchio (based on the children's novel by Carlo Collodi). His oratorio reflecting on The Holocaust, And The Trains Kept Coming…, was commissioned by Boston's Cantata Singers and premiered in 2008.^[5][6]

Navok is the pianist and founding member of the Butterfly Effect Ensemble which specializes in creating live scores for silent films from the early days of the cinema up to 1929.

Compositions

Stage Music

• An unserem Fluss (By our River) (2013) -- ca. 93' -- Chamber opera in two acts; Text by the composer.
• The Adventures of Pinocchio (2009) -- ca. 62' -- for 3 actors / flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano
• The Bet (2012) -- ca. 90' -- Chamber opera in 14 scenes; after a short story by Anton Chekhov
• The Little Mermaid (2007) -- ca. 36' -- for actor / narrator; 2 pianos; flute, clarinet, percussion and string quintet (or string orchestra)

Symphonic

• And the Trains Kept Coming... -- (2007) ca. 44' -- oratorio for tenor, bass-baritone, boy-soprano, chorus and orchestra
• Aurora Borealis -- (2007) ca. 12' -- for accordion, harp, percussion and strings
• Between Two Coasts -- (2009) ca. 14' -- for string orchestra
• Clarinet Concerto -- (1996) ca. 22' -- for Clarinet Solo; 2 flutes (2nd doubles piccolo); 2 oboes; 2 bassoons; 2 horns; 2 trumpets; 2 Percussion; Strings
• First-Fruits - a Symphonic Prelude -- (1997) ca. 12' -- for Symphony Orchestra
• ...of weaving the shadowed waves -- (2003) ca. 7.5' -- for two marimbas and chamber orchestra
• Symphonic Bagatelles -- (2000) ca. 18' -- for symphony orchestra
• The Spanish Songs -- (1998) ca. 11'-- for soprano, bassoon and chamber orchestra

Wind Ensemble

• Gleams from the Bosom of Darkness -- (2002) ca. 21' -- for choir and symphonic band
• Tetris -- (2009) ca. 18' -- for double wind quintet, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons

Choral Music

• It Is Winter That We Dream Of Spring -- (1997) ca. 4' -- for mixed chamber chorus
• Meditations Over Shore -- (1997) ca. 4' -- for soli quartet, double chamber chorus, double large chorus, harmonica, percussion (2) and piano
• Nocturne -- (1999) ca. 9' -- for 12 singers (SATB), soprano saxophone, clarinet, harp guitar and percussion
• Three songs—for mixed chamber chorus -- (1994) ca. 20' mixed chamber chorus

Vocal Music

• A Dome of Many-Coloured Glass -- (2002) ca. 10' -- for tenor and piano
• A'l Mishcavi Baleylot (Upon my bed by night) -- (1992) ca. 5' -- for soprano and harp
• Bestiarius -- (1995) ca. 11' -- for alto/mezzo-soprano solo, flute/piccolo, clarinet, bassoon; violin, percussion (2) and harpsichord
• Copenhagen Songs -- (2010) ca. 7' -- for alto and piano
• Dialogues -- (1999) ca. 11' -- for soprano and percussion
• Found in a Train Station -- (2007) ca. 12' -- for soprano, mandolin, violin, cello and piano
• The Sea of Sunset -- (1997) ca. 7' -- for soprano, trombone, double bass and piano
• Spring Calls -- (2006) ca. 10' -- for soprano, flute, viola, cello and harp
• Three songs -- (1995) ca. 10' -- for soprano and piano

Chamber Music

• After a tango -- (1995) ca. 16' -- for recorders (3), clarinet, trumpet, trombone, guitar, Percussion, violin, double bass
• At the Edge of a Spiral -- (2004) ca. 10' -- for one piano, four hands
• Arabesque -- (2005) ca. 10' -- for alto recorder, baroque cello and harpsichord
• Blurred Formations -- (2002) ca. 5' -- for guitar and accordion
• Capriccio -- (2002) ca. 10' -- for flute and violin
• Elegy to the Future -- (2001) ca. 13' -- for piccolo/alto flute; clarinet; violin; cello; percussion; piano
• Flashes of decay (1996) -- (1996) ca. 12' -- for flute/piccolo; English horn; clarinet/bass clarinet; horn; tuba; percussion (2); harp; piano
• Hidden Reflections -- (1996) ca. 15' -- for alto saxophone and piano or clarinet and piano
• Hope Cycles (String Quartet no.2) -- (2004) ca. 24' -- for string quartet
• Humoresque -- (1995) ca. 5' -- for clarinet and piano
• Like a Whirling Sand Clock -- (2006) ca. 10' -- for clarinet, cello and piano
• Little Suite -- (2006) ca. 12' -- for clarinet, violin, viola and cello
• Mysterious Pond -- (2004) ca. 10' -- for flute, oboe and piano
• Piano Quintet -- (2000) ca. 18' -- for violins (2), viola, cello and piano
• Piano Trio -- (1999) ca. 22' -- for violin, cello and piano
• Quartet for flute, clarinet bassoon and harp -- (1994) ca. 27'
• Saxophone Quartet -- (1999) ca. 10' -- for soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones
• Sextet -- (1998) ca. 22' -- for flute/ piccolo/ bass flute; clarinet/ bass clarinet; violin; cello; Percussion.; Piano
• Six short stories for Woodwind Quintet -- (1996) 12' -- for flute/piccolo; oboe; clarinet; horn; bassoon
• Three Episodes for Chamber Ensemble -- (1997) ca. 12' -- for flute; oboe; clarinet; bassoon; horn; percussion (1); piano; violin; viola; cello and double bass
• Three Winged Movements -- (2003) 12' -- for flute and piano
• Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn -- (2001) ca. 5' -- for clarinet, bassoon and horn
• V5 - Quintet for Vibraphone and String Quartet -- (1995) ca. 16' -- for vibraphone; violins (2); viola; cello
• Veiled Echoes -- (2000) ca. 15' -- for flute, viola and harp
• Violin Sonata -- (2004) ca. 18' -- for violin and piano duo
• Voices from India (String Quartet no.1) -- (1997) ca. 17' -- for violins (2); viola; cello

Electroacoustic Music

• Through the Alleys of Time -- (2007) ca. 22' -- for guitar and tape

Solo Music

• Dunes -- (2005) ca. 5' -- for solo flute
• East of the Cane Fields -- (2001) ca. 8' -- for solo harp
• Fantasy -- (1998) ca. 5' -- for solo cello
• Meditation -- (2000) ca. 5' -- for solo guitar
• Periscopes -- (2009) ca. 30' -- for solo piano
• Prelude for Harpsichord solo -- (1995) ca. 5' -- for solo harpsichord
• Remembrances of Jerusalem -- (1995) ca. 11' -- for solo guitar
• Rosewood Staircase -- (2000) ca. 6' -- for solo marimba
• Six for a Dance -- (2000) ca. 3' -- for solo guitar
• Six pieces for horn solo -- (1995) ca. 15' -- for solo French horn
• Speak Low! -- (1998) ca. 12' -- for solo double bass
• Ten Bagatelles -- (2000) ca. 18' -- for solo piano
• The Old Photo Box -- (2006) ca. 58' -- for solo piano

Discography

• Hidden Reflections (1996)
• Meditations Over Shore (2001)
• The Old Photo Box (2008)
• The Natives are Restless (with Butterfly Effect Ensemble) (2010)
• Urban Nocturnes (2011)
• Music and Poetry – face to face (2011)
• Chimera (with Butterfly Effect Ensemble) (2013)

References

1. Gilah K. Hoffmann, Fairy godmother foundation, Jerusalem Post, June 20, 2003. Retrieved via subscription 19 June 2008
2. The Massachusetts Cultural Council announces awards, Boston Globe, June 7, 2001. Retrieved via subscription 19 June 2008
3. Library of Congress Announces Koussevitzky Commissions for 2004, Library of Congress, March 1, 2005.
4. Jörn Florian Fuchs, "Bemüht, verwirrend und enttäuschend", Deutschlandfunk, 1 June 2015
5. David Weininger, Should the Allies have bombed Auschwitz? A composer explores voices of the Holocaust, Boston Globe, January 18, 2008. Retrieved via subscription 19 June 2008.
6. Jeremy Eichler, Documents of tragedy, for chorus and orchestra, Boston Globe, January 21, 2008

• Interview with Israeli Composer Lior Navok, WGBH, January 16, 2008
• Frank Lovece, The tale of 'The Little Mermaid', Newsday, January 20, 2008
• Richard Dyer, NEC composers showcase new sounds, Boston Globe, May 13, 1998. Retrieved via subscription 19 June 2008.

External links

• Lior Navok official site
• Lior Navok in conversation from WGBH Radio, Boston