"All means of expression are useful and valid" (Mario Castelnuovo Tedesco)
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2025
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BUFFALO DANCES
30:00" | for woodwind quartet, piano and drum set |
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2020
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The Rainbow Fish is a lovely, heart-warming story of sharing and the happiness that sharing can bring yourself and others. It also depicts how difficult sharing can be and the impact that sharing can have on friendships.
Performed by Lancaster Dance Center on Aug 21, 2022 NYSCA Grant 2019 |
Monica Karwan (Choreographer): Involvement in the Rainbow Fish ballet was a unique and enriching experience for the students at the Lancaster Dance Center. During the regular studio year, children dance only with others of their age and technical ability. During Rainbow Fish rehearsals, a group ranging in age from 4 to 15, and from brand new beginner to 3rd year pointe technique worked together. They inspired each other, and the beginners rose to the occasion with a level of focus not usually seen from such young children. The teachers had an unusual opportunity to collaborate in creating the choreography, and to expand the range of musical style that we work with.
The depth of expression involved in the music pushed the dancers to deeper levels of dance artistry, and gave them an opportunity to perform in a more intimate setting. Performing so close to the audience, they grew as artists. They also learned more material and variety of dance in a shorter period of time than usual, experiencing the positive atmosphere of being part of a team.
The depth of expression involved in the music pushed the dancers to deeper levels of dance artistry, and gave them an opportunity to perform in a more intimate setting. Performing so close to the audience, they grew as artists. They also learned more material and variety of dance in a shorter period of time than usual, experiencing the positive atmosphere of being part of a team.
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Until a performance opportunity in 2019 in Brazil arose, 'Then And Now' has been in the drawer for about 15 years. In looking at the piece again, I have wondered what has or has not changed throughout the years. Questions arose: Do I still like it? Does it still represent who I am today? Should I keep it the way it is or make changes? These were similar questions to feelings I had when I traveled back to my birth place in Russia twenty years after having left. Then, I discovered that I can be both, belonging and not belonging, present and not present, something like a ghost that decides to be visible or not. A transformation of a child into a grown family man, a realization of one's Jewish identity is a parallel of 'Then And Now. Completed in Buffalo, 2019.
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2018
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DANCE SUITE
20" | for String Quartet |
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'Dance Suite' for String Quartet was written for and dedicated to Boleo String Quartet members: Natasha Farny, Antoine Lefebvre and above all my wife Miranda. Inspired by the unique repertoire this group performs, the Dance Suit is a piece of joy to the ear the way dancing is to the body.
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Sueño Lúcido, a piece for harp solo that searches to create within itself a dance, inspired by the little expressive rhythmic details that dancers exude.
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"Exacting, develops a very intimate atmosphere of reverence and beauty. Slows downtime, requires intense concentration, quite impressive. With many subtle changes of emphasis and tone, elegant canonic and imitative effects, displaying a sophisticated rhythmic sense." David Katz, The American Prize President.
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2011
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