Paul Schwartz is a musician whose work bridges the gaps between many of the disparate musical worlds of the 21st century. As a composer, conductor, pianist and producer, he is one of the rare individuals who is equally at home in the concert hall, the theater and the eclectic world of contemporary music: both acoustic and electronic.
His current activities include the composition of a new chamber opera commissioned by Musikdramatisk Teater in Holstebro, Denmark. The new piece will be a deconstruction of the Orpheus myth, with portions of the opera taking place both in mythological times and in the present day. The premiere is planned for the 2010 – 11 season. His recently completed CUMMINGS LOVE SONGS were given their first performance in March of 2007 in Odense, and a new dramatic song cycle: GLIMPSES OF SAPPHO was recorded and released at the end of 2007. Future commissions also include a new work for the ensemble miXte, as well as the development of a music-theater piece based on the life of Egon Schiele, to debut in Vienna in the Autumn of 2010 as part of the commemoration of the 120th anniversary off the painter’s birth.
Mr. Schwartz’s connection to Denmark is the result of ARIA: a 90 minute hybrid orchestral/electronic dance-theater piece that he created in collaboration with Musikdramatisk Theater, a company based in the city of Holstebro. ARIA opened in September of 2006, and played to sell-out audiences across Denmark. ARIA is based on the eponymously titled series of three cds that Mr. Schwartz has produced over the last decade. Both the ARIA series and his other recording project: the STATE OF GRACE series of cds, have a passionate international following and have collectively sold over 750,000 copies world wide. ARIA was nominated for a Grammy, and STATE OF GRACE III was the NAR Album of the Year for 2006.
His work in film and theater include scoring the films RATCHET, directed by John Johnson, LES ENFANTS JOUENT A LA RUSSIE, directed by Jean-Luc Godard, and incidental music for a variety of theater pieces: most recently the Off-Broadway play SOUTHERN COMFORTS.
Mr. Schwartz has been commissioned by Milwaukee Ballet, Ohio Ballet, and New York City Ballet (twice), and has worked with a diverse group of choreographers including Lucinda Childs and Margo Sappington. His concert commissions included pieces for the Milwaukee Symphony and the Arden Trio. A music theater piece: SUMMER, based on the novel by Edith Wharton and written in collaboration with Erik Haagensen, was given the Richard Rodgers Award by the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1998. It has had developmental productions in collaboration with the York Theater and Manhattan Theater Club in New York, as well as at the International Festival of Musical Theater in Cardiff, Wales. Other awards include the Adrian Boult Conducting Scholarship (1977), and two NYFA Artists’ Fellowships (1986 and 1990).
As a conductor, Mr. Schwartz was invited by André Previn to serve as Steinberg Fellow with the Pittsburgh Symphony for the seasons of 1981 – 83. Concurrently he was Assistant Conductor and Assistant Chorus Master for Washington Opera. He subsequently conducted the reconstructed revival of Rodgers and Hart’s ON YOUR TOES at the Kennedy Center, bringing that production on to Broadway. He was honored to have the opportunity to work with George Balanchine and George Abbott in the re-creation of the show. He has conducted for ballet, notably with Ballet Rambert and New York City Ballet, and has served as musical director for three additional Broadway shows. In 1987 Peter Martins invited Mr. Schwartz to serve as Musical Advisor for New York City Ballet’s American Music Festival: an event that resulted in the creation of 22 new works to American music including five commissioned scores, one of which was by Mr. Schwartz.
Born in New York City into a musical family (his father was the Broadway and Hollywood composer Arthur Schwartz), he received his musical education at the Royal College of Music in London, where he graduated top of his class, and at the Academmia Musicale Chigiana in Siena.
Hey Paul - Greetings from over the Pond! May I be so bold as to suggest that you check out some / a couple / ok... maybe just one of out toons? You may really Really REALLY Like them :) Go on - Go on - I know you want to ; )
We are finally ready to start promoting my 'I Surrender' single with my album, 'Ella Trip' coming right after -yey!! What d'ya think to the video teaser?
hello! I just listened and loooved your song "Ave Maria" I will be adding it to my profile playlist shortly. I definitely can "see" that song on a movie or popular tv show.
Pending the new release "Melotonine" (release date coming soon), i decided to offer you a part of my best recent works in a free EP, "Cupboard Replacement", downloadable in all numeric formats with special graphic art works by Flint on Music AutOmatiK's Website :
We can stay in contact on facebook now... Thanks for your support !
Online!
