EFREM PODGAITS (1949)
Composer Efrem Podgaits has composed more than 330 works in different genres (14 operas,7 musicals, 4 ballets, and a number of pieces for symphony and chamber orchestra, choir and solo singers as well as music for cinema and theatre). His compositions are widely performed and have been recorded in Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Hungary, Japan, Switzerland, Croatia and USA. He places equal importance on his music for children and is considered to be one of the most versatile and outstanding contemporary Russian composers. In 2002 the Russian monthly Musical Review named him Composer of the Year.
His music has been performed by world renowned artists including Mstislav Rostropovich, Mikhail Pletnev, Vladimir Yurovsky, Yuri Bashmet, Lubov Kazarnovskaya, Friedrich Lips, Alexsnder Gindin, Roman Kofman, Valery Polyansky, Vassily Sinaisky, Vladimir Ponkin, Saulus Sondetskis, and many others. He has had a continuing involvement with the Moscow-based Vesna Children’s Choir, directed by Alexander Ponomarev, and their wonderful performances of his work have brought Podgaits well-deserved recognition both in Russia and abroad.
Efrem Podgaits is a professor at the Ippolitov-Ivanov Moscow State Musical College, where he chairs the Department of Composition. Member of the Russian Union of Composers, member of the Boad of the Moscow Union of Composers, was awarded the title of Merited Propagator of the Arts of Russia.
The Russian monthly «The Musical Review» named E.Podgaits «Composer of the Year 2002».
In 2008 Efrem Podgaits won the Bolshoi Theatre / Russian Theatre Union Competition for the best children’s opera or ballet; his winning composition, the ballet Moidodyr was staged by the Bolshoi Theatre.
Key world premieres:
2023 – «Rhymes of time» concert №4 for bayan and chamber orchestra
2023 - "Through the foliage" concert for domra, violin and chamber orchestra
2023 - «Thumbolina», staged in Ural Opera
2022 – «Symphony-Partita» for Russian folk orchestra
2022 – «ALICE» ballet, staged in Petrozavodsk
2022 – «PROPHETIC SADNESS» cycle for mezzo and chamber orchestra (O.Mandelstam)
2022 – Sonata «2022 year» for domra and piano
2022 – «YAKUT CONCERT» for balalaika and orchestra
2021 – «PRAYER TO OUR LADY» for choir and accordion
2021 – «THE COLORFULL BAY» (Kirjavalahti) concerto №3 for accordion and orchestra
2021 – PASSACAGLE and GIGA for violin and oboe d'amour and chamber orchestra
2021 – «DECEMBER» fantasy-concert for domra (balalaika) with orchestra
2021 – «PA-DE-QATRE» concerto for 4 violas and symphony orchestra
2020 – «Rendezvous» double concerto for domra, cello and orchestra
2020 – «GARLANDA» suite for guitar
2019 – «THE GARDEN OF MUSIC» suite for chamber orchestra
2019 – «The intersection» concerto for saxophone and chamber orchestra
2019 – «Echoes» for violin and guitar
2019 – «SHEPHERDESS and CHIMNEY SWEEP» fairy-tale for symphonic orchestra and reader
2019 – «BARANCIN, BE A MAN» staged in Moscow
2018 – «THE DOUBLE MIRROW» concert for cello, bayan and simphonic orchestra
2018 – «THE FOUR SEASONS IN MOSCOW», concert for violin (domra) and orchestra
2018 – «WANDERING CLOUDS» concert for mixt choir (E.Sedergran))
2018 – «GOLD SADNESS» concert for mixt choir (Vl.Nabokov)
2018 – «THE GARDEN OF MUSIC» suite for violin and cello
2017 – «A LITTLE PRINCE» fairy tale for simphonic orchestra and narrator
2017 – «MOIDODYR-miniOPERA» staged in Moscow
2016 – «AGES» for symphonic orchestra
2016 – Concerto for Domra-alto and chamber orchestra
2016 – «The Bluebird» ballet, staged in Moscow
2015 – Sonata for contrabass and piano
2015 – «THE GARLAND» suite for guitar
2014 – «BESPRIDANNITSA» musical, staged in Magadan
2014 – Symphony №1
2014 – «POST FESTUM» for cello and Russian folk orchestra
2013 – «12 MONTHS» musical, staged in Moscow
2013 – «King David`s psalms» concerto for 12 saxophones
2013 – «Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep» opera, staged in Moscow
2012 – «Moidodyr» ballet (Moscow, the Bolshoi Theatre)
2012 – «Fantasy in B.Bartok memorian» for two pianos and percussions
2012 – «Amazing string tale» for chamber orchestra, soloists and reader
2011 – «Angel and psychotherapist» chamber opera
2011 – «Cras ignotum» for violin, chamber orchestra, piano and percussions
2011 – «The last musician» children's opera
2011 – Lacrimosa for chamber orchestra
2010 – «Solntsevorot» («Solstice») cantata for mixt choir and instrumental ensemble
2009 – «Kol nidre» for cello and chamber orchestra
2009 – Concerto for marimba and chamber orchestra
2009 – «Post festum» concerto for cello and orchestra
2009 – Concerto for viola and orchestra
2009 – «King David’s psalms» concerto for children choir and chamber orchestra
2009 – «Alliluia» for mixt choir and chamber orchestra
2009 – Opera «The Prince and the Pauper», staged in Moscow
2009 – Opera «Dwarf Long Nose», staged in Krasnodar
2008 – «Viva voce» – Concerto #2 for bayan and chamber orchestra
2008 – «Whims» Concerto-suite for balalayka and Russian folk orchestra
2008 – «The Prayer» for cello and children choir (in memoriam Mstislav Rostropovich)
2007 – Concerto #3 for piano and orchestra
2007 – Opera «Lord of the flies» (after W. Golding) staged in Moscow
2007 – Opera «The Prince and the Pauper», staged in St. Petersburg
2006 – «Ring» for violin and strings (fantasy on jewish theme)
2005 – Concerto for saxophone and orchestra
2005 – Symphony #2 (dedicated to M. Rostropovich) London, LSO, M. Rostropovich)
2004 – Concerto for balalaika and folk orchestra
2003 – «EX ANIMO» for bayan and string quartette
2003 – «POST FESTUM» for cellos orchestra, written under the request of M. Rostropovich (International festival, France)
2003 – «Strange dances» for bassoon and four hands piano
2002 – «New York mass» for mixt choir, organ and strings
2002 – «Lips-concerto» for bayan and orchestra
2002 – Concerto for guitar and chamber orchestra
2001 – Concerto for mandolina and chamber orchestra
2000 – «Formuls» – concerto for symphonic orchestra
1999 – «Post aere nostra» for string quartet
1998 – «Trip to the Orchestraland» fairy-tale for symphonic orchestra and reader
1997 – «Missa veris» for children‘s choir and organ (CD,«Opus 111», Paris, France)
1997 – «Sarafan for Michel» for clarinet and chamber orchestra
1997 – «Thumbolina», staged in Moscow, won the «grand-prix» in 2001 as the best children‘s performance
1996 – «Bakhchief-concerto» for 4 hands piano and chamber orchestra
1995 – «King David‘s psalms» concerto for mixt choir
1994 – «Concordanza» – Concerto #2 for violin and orchestra
1993 – Opera «Alice through the Looking-glass», staged in St. Petersburg
1992 – «Lambada-Concerto» for oboe and chamber orchestra
1991 – Triple concerto for violin, cello, piano and orchestra
1987 – «Concerto brevis» for percussion and chamber ensemble
1986 – Double concerto for two violins and chamber orchestra
1985 – Symphony #3«It will be the gentle rain» for soprano, organ, strings and percussions (Kiev, dedicated to R. Kofman)
1984 – Concerto #1 for violin and orchestra
1983 – Concerto for harpsichord and chamber orchestra
1981 – «How to draw a bird» cantata for soprano, children‘s choir and orchestra (J. Prevert)
1979 – Partita for violin, cello and harpsichord
Member of the Russian Union of Composers, member of the Boad of the Moscow Union of Composers, was awarded the title of Merited Propagator of the Arts of Russia.
The Russian monthly «The Musical Review» named E. Podgaits «Composer of the Year 2002».
E-mail: podgaits@mail.ru