A classical composer and orchestral conductor based in Santa Monica, David Avshalomov is also an accomplished solo bass vocalist. As a composer, he writes in an accessible modern neo-tonal style that balances a lyric gift with a characteristic rhythmic vitality. His influences include the great 20th-century European and American tonal composers (plus his father and paternal grandfather, Aaron Avshalomoff). He has composed music for a wide variety of forces from solo instruments to full orchestra, band, and choir, in forms ranging in scale from songs and incidental pieces to full-length oratorio. Recently he has been writing much vocal music, with an increasing number of regional commissions, and serving as resident composer with several Los Angeles area choruses. Avshalomov's music has been performed professionally across the US and in Europe and Russia, and has been recorded on the Albany and Naxos labels. Has sung professionally as a chorister and soloist for 45 years. He earned his B.A in Music at Harvard and a D.M.A. in conducting and composition from the University of Washington, studied at Aspen and Tanglewood, has been music director of a number of US orchestras and choruses including several in the LA area, has guest conducted widely here and toured in Europe and the Far East, and recorded orchestral music by his grandfather Aaron Avshalomoff in Moscow. His conducting work garnered listings in Who's Who in Music and Who's Who in the West. David Avshalomov  Diversion ("Terwilliger") (1966) . . . one of this week's FEATURED NEW MUSIC VIDEOS.

Patricia Sonego made her operatic debut in New York City in the world premiere of American composer Jack Beeson's Sorry, Wrong Number with the Center for Contemporary Opera under the baton of Richard Marshall, for which she received an enthusiastic review from Robert Prag of Opera News. A champion of contemporary, avant garde, improvisational, and electroacoustic music, Sonego is in demand to premier new works, many of which have been composed for her. In a new arrangement dedicated to her by the composer, she recently gave the world premier of Prologue & Messages for Raoul Wallenberg by award winning American composer Terry Winter Owens at Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall, with the Alaria Chamber Ensemble. Sonego is co-founder and Artistic Director of Reizen Ensemble, a new music group dedicated to the performance of new compositions, particularly for voice with instruments or electronics. Patricia Sonego - coloratura soprano . . . it's our FEATURED PERFORMER/ENSEMBLE for the week.

“Inscape,” a word that throws off rich and mysterious resonances, is the lovely coinage of the nineteenth-century English poet and priest Gerard Manley Hopkins. In a brief preface to the score, Copland writes that Hopkins invented the word “to suggest ‘a quasi-mystical illumination, a sudden perception of that deeper pattern, order, and unity which gives meaning to external forms.’ This description, it seems to me, applies more truly to the creation of music than to any of the other arts.” For Hopkins, the opposite of “inscape” was “instress,” which refers to perception as opposed to intrinsic, essential quality. Discussing Inscape, Copland’s biographer Howard Pollock writes that “the composer uses sounds as an ‘instress’ that communicates a deeper inner essence, an ‘inscape.’” Copland’s idea was to write music that “seemed to be moving inward upon itself.” (Michael Steinberg/Los Angeles Philharmonic). Aaron Copland  Inscape (1967) . . . it's one of our PYTHEAS EARFULS for the week.

Edward Wright was born in Buckinghamshire, England 1980. He is currently studying for a PhD in music with Andrew Lewis at Bangor University, where he has been a Parry Williams scholar and teaches music technology. His work is mainly focused toward the electro-acoustic end of the musical spectrum, although he writes for and plays real instruments as well. He performs on violin, viola and voice, as well as laptop: and works with a number of school/student groups promoting performance of both older and more modern music. Recent highlights include a mention in the 2008 Prix Bourges for his piece Con-chords, a number of commissions, a London premiere with his piece Polarities, a two day sound installation piece in Conwy castle, airplay on BBC Radio 1 and S4C television, and signing to a record label. Wright lives in North Wales (U.K.) with Emma, their daughter Alena (18 months old and the time of writing) Ben the dog and Bess the cat. Edward Wright  Twr (2009) . . . this week's FROM THE PYTHEAS ARCHIVES.