User:Gene Pritsker

Composer/guitarist/rapper Gene Pritsker has written over three hundred ninety compositions, including chamber operas, orchestral and chamber works, electro-acoustic music, songs for hip-hop and rock ensembles, etc. All his compositions employ an eclectic spectrum of styles and are influenced by his studies of various musical cultures. He is the founder and leader of Sound Liberation; an eclectic hiphop-chamber-jazz-rock-etc. ensemble who have released a cd's on Col-legno and Innova Records. Gene's music has been performed all over the world at various festivals and by many ensembles and performers, including the Adelaide Symphony, The Athens Camarata, Brooklyn and Berlin Philharmonic. He has worked closely with Joe Zawinul and has orchestrated major Hollywood movies.

The New York Times described him as "...audacious...multitalented." Joseph Pehrson, writing in The Music Connoisseur, described Pritsker as "dissolv[ing] the artificial boundaries between high brow, low brow, classical, popular musics and elevates the idea that if it's done well it is great music, regardless of the style or genre". Raul d'Gama Rose writes in All About Jazz: "Barring the obvious exceptions, much of 21st century composition appears to be thinning in significance, but this might be about to change. Gene Pritsker is one of a very spare handful of composers effecting this change."

Organizations he is associated with include: Composers' Concordance, Absolute Ensemble, The International Street Cannibals and the Austrian Outreach Festival. Some of Gene Pritsker's music is published by: Falls House Press, Gold Branch Music, Periferia Sheet Music & Calabrese Brothers music and recorded by: Col Legno, Enja, Eutrepe, Wergo, Innova and Capstone record labels.

Upcoming 2011 highlights: - 'solo-duo-trio-quartet-quintet, the chamber and electronic Music of Gene Pritsker' released in February 2011 on Composers Concordance Records - Violinist Lara St. John to premiere 'Russian Evening Variations' - Release of the chamber opera 'William James' Varieties of Religious Experiences' on Composers Concordance Records in May - Sound Liberation performes at the Bremen Music Festival in September 2011 - Producing many concerts with Composers concordance and the International Street Cannibals. Including The Second Annual 'Composers Play Composers Marathon' at Drom - Premiere of a new piece for chamber orchestra and Samplestra by the Absolute ensemble at the 2011 Dresden Music Festival

2010 highlights include violinist Anne Akiko Meyers records ‘Variations on Sakura, Sakura’ for Koch Records and performs the piece at Le Possoin Rouge for her CD release concrt. Gene was the composer-in-residence at William Paterson University where he had numerous premieres and performances of his music. A January performance at Le Poisson Rouge with his band Sound Liberation. A tour of the piano concerto ‘Reinvention's’ with The Absolute Ensemble and soloist Simone Dinnerstein. Performances in the U.S., Canada, Germany and Greece. Also a new violin concerto; 'The Modes' for Miltos Papastamou and Absolute premiered in July at the Athens Music Festival. The Premiere of Gene’s solo drum set piece ‘Opposite Extreme of Benevolence’ by percussionist Peter Jarvis as well as the recent publication of this piece in the anthology: 'Drum set Music for the Concert Stage'. A performance of 'Essentially Tragic' for solo electric bassoon, chamber orchestra & Samplestra performed by Matthias Kronsteiner and the Tactus Ensemble at Manhattan School of Music as part of the inaugural Contemporary Performance Program Concerto Competition. A set of Gene’s music at Galapagos as well as a premiere of a new dance piece written for the occasion, in February. Numerous concert and premieres with The International Street Cannibals, Absolute Ensemble and The Composers Concordance. Innova Records release of ‘The VRE Suite’ a one hour composition for the quintet portion of Sound Liberation which is generating amazing reviews. The US release of Absolute Zawinul, a CD of Gene’s orchestrations of the Music of Joe Zawinul as performed by the Absolute Ensemble with Mr. Zawinul (the last recording he did). The launching of Composers Concordance Records, Distributed by Naxos. Gene is a co-director. First release: "Ballets & Solos'. Genes compositions 'A Challenge to the Dark' for chamber ensemble and 'Dead Souls' for solo guitar will be included. 'Human Condition' from Sound Liberations last album 'Open Up Your Ears & Get Some' will be featured in Episode 1 on the new season of Road Trip Nation on PBS.

2009 highlights include: 'Reinvention #3' for bandoneón, piano and chamber orchestra premiered at the '09 Bremen Musikfest by the Absolute Ensemble. A concert and a CD release called 'solo-duo-trio-quartet-quintet: the chamber and electronic music of Gene Pritsker'. The premiere of the 'VRE Suite', a one hour composition for Sound Liberation, also a recording of this work. A concert of Gene's music at the Blaine Jazz festival in Blaine, WA, including the premiere of ''Unsubstantiality of Things' for mixed sextet. The song 'No Truth' featured in the motion picture 'The Wedding Brothers'. Gene at the Austrian Outreach festival where he had a duo concert with tubist Jon Sass and a premiere of an arrangement of Miles Davis' 'Bitches Brew' for the Outreach Outreach Orchestra. A concert of Gene’s Music at the Austrian Cultural forum in New York as part of their Jazz Fest. ‘09 A European CD release of Gene’s orchestrations of the Music of Joe Zawinul as performed by the Absolute Ensemble with Mr. Zawinul (the last recording he did).

In '08 Gene had a new piano concerto: 'Reinventions' for piano and chamber orchestra based on J.S. Bach's piano Inventions premiered at the '08 Bremen Musikfest on Sept. 13th with pianist Simone Dinnerstein and Absolute Ensemble with Kristjan Jarvi conducting. His chamber/hip-hop opera Money was performed at the Etna Festival in Catania, Sicily. His band Sound Liberation released a new CD on Col-Legno records called 'Open Up Your Ears and Get Some'. The band played a CD release concert in New York's Drom in November, and performed at Joe's Pub and at the Blue Note. They also performed in Ragusa, Sicily in May. Gene has many performances/premiers at the Outreach Festival in Schwaz, Austria. Vise, Come in to My Kitchen, Sarangi Surround and Corruption in Conference for Moog and Concert band performed by Adam Holtzman and Stadtmusik Schwaz concert band, Gene conducting.

In the 2006 -07 season Gene premiered two chamber operas; Money 1 & Money 2, at the Flea Theater and at the Players Theater in New York, He also performed these 2 operas at the Outreach Festival in Schwaz, At the 07 Outreach Festival Gene had many performances, including his Bassoon and samplestra piece; Electrically Tragic Premiered by Martin Kuuskmann and various performances with his band Sound Liberation and The International Street Cannibals a group that combines chamber music and boxing. In September '07 Three Poems From Flowers of Evil, on poetry of Baudelaire was performed by the The Absolute Ensemble, The Latvian State Choir and himself as Di.J. at the 07 Bremen Music Festival. Also at this concert Genes orchestrations from the movie Perfume were performed. Gene is very excited to have had the opportunity of working with the legendary Joe Zawinul, he has arranged/orchestrated Zawinuls music for the Absolute Ensemble to be recorded and released on Biirdjam records in 09 and to be toured around the world in upcoming years. In recent years Absolute has been performing arrangements Gene did of Frank Zappas music as well as many of his own compositions, including Lost Illusion, a concerto for bass, orchestra and samplestra (pre recorded electronics) this piece was also performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra with Mat Fieldes on various basses and Kristjan Jarvi conducting.