Lowell Liebermann's compositions have been performed internationally by such orchestras as the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Cincinnati Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, L'Orchestre de Monte-Carlo, New Japan Philharmonic, Malmo Symphony Orchestra, and others. Included among the artists who have performed his works are James Galway, Mstislav Rostropovich, James Levine, Stephen Hough, Steuart Bedford, David Zinman, Kenneth Schermerhorn, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Joshua Bell, Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Paula Robison, Robert White, Eliot Fisk, Paul Sperry, Carol Wincenc, Paul Zukofsky, Peter Orth, and others. His Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 23, and Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Op. 39, and Soliloquy, Op. 44, were all selected by the National Flute Association as among the best newly-published flute works, and have become staples of the modern flute repertoire.

Liebermann's Flute concerto was commissioned by James Galway, and premiered by him with the St. Louis Symphony. In May of 1995, Galway performed the work with the Metropolitan Orchestra and James Levine at Carnegie Hall. His Second Piano Concerto, commissioned by the Steinway Foundation and premiered by Stephen Hough and the National Symphony conducted by Rostropovich, was called by the Baltimore Sun "perhaps the best piece in the genre since Samuel Barber's Concerto."

In May of 1996, his two-act opera based on Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was premiered by L'Opera de Monte-Carlo, who commissioned the work, to great popular and critical acclaim. This was not only the first American opera commissioned by them, but the first American opera to be performed there. A full-length feature documentary entitled "Dorian Gray--The Making of an Opera" is currently being produced by Interlink Productions. The opera will receive its American premiere in February of 199 at Florentine Opera in Milwaukee.

Recent premieres include a Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra for James Galway, commissioned by a consortium including the Dallas Symphony, Cincinnati Orchestra, Minnestoa Orchestra, and the Florida Philharmonic; a Piccolo Concerto for Jan Gippo premiered at the NFA Convention in New York in l996; a song cycle for the New YOrk Festival of Song; and a Sonata for the flute and harp duo "Sparx!:. February 22, 1997, Liebermann's 36th birthday, saw the premiere of two new compositions: a work for the Japanese drumming ensemble "Kodo" with orchestra, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Kalamazoo Symphony; and a Nocturne in memory of Adele Marcus, premiered at Carnegie Hall by Pianist Norman Krieger.

Liebermann's many honors include a Charles Ives Fellowship and Charles Ives Scholarship for the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, Grand Prize in the Delius International Competition, Outstanding Composition Award from the Yamaha Music Foundation, as well as awards from ASCAP and BMI. Most recently, Liebermann was nominated for the Prix Oscar Wilde by L'Association Oscar Wilde for this opera.


In January of 1997, Liebermann conducted the recording of his two Piano Concertos with soloist Stephen Hough and the BBC Scottish Orchestra for the Hyperion label. In December he will conduct the recording of his Concerto for Flute and Orchestra, Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra, and Concerto for Piccolo and Orchestra, with soloist James Galway for BMG. Recordings of Liebermann's music are available on Virgin Classics, New World Records, Centaur, Cambrai, Musical Heritage Society, Intim Musik, Opus One, and others. His works are published exclusively by Theodore Presser Company. He is a director of the "Yaddo" Colony in Saratoga Springs, where many of his works have been written, and in February 1997, was featured composer-in-residence for the Contemporary Music Festival of James Madison University, and the University of Delaware.

 

Lowell Liebermann was born in New York City, Februrary 22, 1961. He began piano studies at eight, and composition studies at fourteen. His Piano Sonata, Op. 1, was written at fifteen, and it was with this piece that he made his performing debut one year later at Carnegie Recital Hall. He graduated from the Juilliard School in 1987, receiving Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctor of Music Arts Degrees. His teachers include David Diamond and Vincent Persichetti, composition, and Jacob Lateiner, piano. He studied conducting with Laszlo Halasz, and served as assistant conductor of the Nassau Lyric Opera Company.

Publications for Flute and Piccolo

For a complete listing of Liebermann's other compositions,

Theodore Presser:Liebermann.

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10 June 2004