(b. 1948, Batumi).
Georgian composer, now resident in Israel, of stage, orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, and piano works that have been performed throughout Europe and elsewhere.
Mr. Bardanashvili studied composition with Aleksandre Shaverzashvili at the Conservatory of Music in Tbilisi, where he earned his DMus in 1975.
Among his honours are the title of Honoured Artist of Georgia (1988), the Zakaria Paliashvili Prize (1997), the title Composer of the Year from ACUM (1998), the Margalit Prize (1999, for Dybbuk [incidental music]), the Award of the Israeli Prime Minister (2000), and the Mifal Chaim Prize for Lifetime Achievement from ACUM (2002). His music has been performed in Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Russia, Serbia, the UK, and the USA.
Mr. Bardanashvili is also active in other positions. He served as composer-in-residence to the Rustaveli National Theatre in Tbilisi in 1975–76 and in 1988 and to the Ra'anana Sinfonietta from 1996–99. He served as director of the College of Music in Batumi from 1986–91 and as Deputy Minister of Culture for the Autonomous Republic of Adjara in Georgia in 1993–94. In addition, his paintings have been exhibited in Georgia and Israel.
He taught at Camera Obscura College in 1998–99 and at Tel Aviv University from 1998–2000.
He has lived in Israel since 1995.
In addition to the works listed below, he has composed much music for films and stage productions.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
A Woman's Ballad (ballet in 1 act, scenario by the composer), 1972
Alternative (rock opera in 2 acts, libretto by Robert Sturua, Ruben Bardanashvili, Nugzar Ergemlidze), 1976
Moving Stars (opera in 2 acts, libretto by the composer, Jemal Adjiashvili), 1982
Tutor (rock ballet in 1 act, choreography by Boris Eifman), 1982
Moving Soul (ballet in 2 acts, scenario by the composer, Gogi Alexidze), 1991
Eva (mono-opera, libretto by Alexander Parin), mezzo-soprano, piano, 1998
ORCHESTRAL:
Concerto, guitar, small orchestra, 1978
Symphony No. 1 (vocalise), voice, orchestra, 1980
Concerto, cello, piano, small orchestra (13 brass, percussion), 1981
Serenade–Concerto, violin, string orchestra, 1985
Ballet Suite No. 1, 1992
Ballet Suite No. 2, 'The Way to...', 1995
Evening Prayers, small orchestra, 1995
Adagio, 1995
Quasi una fantasia, piano, harpsichord (+ celesta), string orchestra, 1996
Elegia (Psalm 21), string orchestra, 1997
Steps, small orchestra (13 players), 1998
Symphonic Poem, klezmer clarinet, orchestra, 1998
Metamorphoses, small orchestra, 1999
Concerto, flute, orchestra, 2000
Farewell Song, violin, small orchestra (12/18 violins), 2000
Symphony No. 2, 'The Way', 2001
The Yellow Blues, small orchestra (12 players), 2001
Dialogue, cello, orchestra, 2002
Concertino, flute, bassoon, small orchestra (12 players), 2003
Postludium, viola, orchestra, 2003
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Piano Quintet, piano, string quartet, 1973
Poem–Dialogue, 4 French horns, guitar, cello, 2 pianos, 1975
Piano Trio No. 1, 'In memory of Bizet', violin, cello, piano, 1976
String Quartet No. 1, 1985
Piano Trio No. 2, 'Romantic', violin, cello, piano, 1988
String Quartet No. 2, 1992
Postlude, flute, clarinet, 1995
Scene, flute (+ piccolo, alto flute), oud (lute from the Middle East)/harpsichord, percussion, 1996
Farewell Song 1997, alto flute, harp, drum kit, string quartet, double bass, 1997
Metamorphoses, violin, piano, 1999
Musical Moment, 2 marimbas, doli (drum from Georgia), string quartet, 1999
Walking on a Rope, 4 cellos, 2001
Images, flute, 2 percussion, 2001
CHORAL:
A Path of Silence (song-cycle, text by Gargi Phkhoveli), 6 mixed voices, piano, 1971
Four Miniatures (texts by Solomon ibn Gabirol, Moses ibn Ezra, Samuel ibn Naghrillah), mixed chorus, 1977
Choral Miniatures No. 1 (vocalise), mixed chorus, 1986
Evening Prayers (texts from the Pure Prayer, Laozi), mixed chorus, small orchestra, 1986
Choral Miniatures No. 2 (text by Ehud Halevi), mixed chorus, 1989
Sha'alu Shalom (texts from Psalm 32, Psalm 122, the Sabbath Prayer), mixed chorus, small orchestra, 1996
Psalm 121, male chorus, 1996
Psalm 123, mixed chorus, 1999
Tree Pieces (texts by Nikita Zabolocki, Laozi), mixed chorus, 1986–2001
VOCAL:
A Doll's Ballad (song-cycle, texts by Vincas Mykolaitis-Putinas, Michelangelo Buonarroti), voice, piano, 1971–72
Scene No. 1 (text by Yehuda Alharizi), voice, 2 violins, 1976
Scene Nos. 2–3 (text by Immanuel the Roman), voice, harp, guitar, percussion, 1986
Psalm 22, voice, piano, 1996
Children of God (texts from the Talmud, the Qur'an, the New Testament, the Book of Psalms), countertenor, orchestra, 1997
Yearning (texts from the Pure Prayer, blessings, the Book of Ecclesiastes), voice, orchestra, 1999
Time to Love (texts from the Song of Solomon, the Book of Matthew, the Book of Mark, the Book of Luke, the Book of John, Samuel ibn Naghrillah, Nahapet Kuchak), male chorus, 4 French horns ad libitum, string orchestra, 1999
Just come and go! (vocalise), soprano, flute, 3 electric guitars, 2 violins, electric harmonium, percussion, 2001
PIANO:
Sonata No. 1, 1974
Four Miniatures, 1975
Sonata No. 2, 1984
Postlude, 1993
Perpetuum mobile, 4 pianos 16 hands, 2000
DISCOGRAPHY
Piano Trio No. 1, 'In memory of Bizet'. Georgian Piano Trio (Melodiya: S 1012262) (LP)
Poem–Dialogue. Sergey Alexandrov, S. Cess, Sergei Dovgalyuk, Anatoly Musarov, French horns; Leonid Karpov, guitar; Oleg Stolpner, cello; Josef Bardanashvili, Oleg Malov, pianos (Melodiya: S 1028441) (LP)
Four Miniatures. Givi Mundjishvili/Georgian Cappella (Melodiya: S 1019853004) (LP)
Sonata No. 2. Raimonda Shenfeld, piano (New Stream, 1997)
Psalm 121. Rubin Choir (Sacro-Art, 1997)
Symphonic Poem. Giora Feidman, klezmer clarinet; Lior Shambadal/Berliner Symphoniker (Koch International Classics, 1999)
String Quartet No. 1; String Quartet No. 2; Poem–Dialogue. (Gertler Foundation, 1999)
Children of God. David Da'or, countertenor; Yuval Zaliuk/chorus of monks from the Church of Armenia, Ra'anana Sinfonietta (New Stream, 2001)
Quasi una fantasia. Victor Derevianko, piano; Benjamin Yusupov/Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra (New Stream, 2001)