THE LIVING COMPOSERS PROJECT  

Snejana Pîslari

(b. 12 December 1972, Călărași, Moldova).

Moldovan composer of mostly orchestral, chamber, choral, vocal, and piano works that have been performed in Europe.

Prof. Pîslari studied composition with Pavel Rivilis at the Academia de Muzică, Teatru și Arte Plastice in Chișinău from 1991–96, then studied composition with him at the Universitatea de Stat a Artelor in Chișinău from 1996–99 and there earned her master's degree. She later studied musicology with Tatiana Berezovicova at the Academia de Muzică, Teatru și Arte Plastice from 2009–13 and there earned her doctorate in arts studies and culturology in 2019.

Among her honours are various prizes in the competition of the Uniunea Compozitorilor și Muzicologilor din Republica Moldova in Chișinău (for her work as a composer, 2000–10, 2011–15, 2017–18, 2020, 2022–23; for her work as a musicologist, 2019) and the medal Maestru în Artă from the president of Moldova (2023). Her music has been performed in Belarus, Germany, Moldova, Romania, Russia, and Spain.

She is also active in other positions. She has coordinated projects for young composers and established composers in Moldova, and has given masterclasses in Moldova and abroad. She has written 40 articles for publications in Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. She wrote and presented the TV series LUX AETERNA – Secolul XX în muzica – The 20th Century in Music for TV NIT in Moldova from 1997–99. She has been a member of the board of directors of the Uniunea Compozitorilor și Muzicologilor din Republica Moldova since 2008.

She has taught composition, counterpoint, harmony, music theory, and solfège at the Centrul de Excelență în Educație Artistică Ștefan Neaga in Chișinău since 1999. She has also taught choral arrangement, composition, history of orchestral styles, and orchestration at the Academia de Muzică, Teatru și Arte Plastice since 2006, where she was a lecturer from 2006–22 and has been an associate professor since 2022.

CONTACT INFORMATION

E-mail address: snejana.pislari49@gmail.com

SELECT LIST OF WORKS

STAGE:

Jocul liniilor – The Game of Lines (mono-opera, libretto by Irina Matvienco), 1991

ORCHESTRAL:

Musica concertata, 1995

Prince of Moldavia, 2014

Angel of the North, string orchestra, 2019

Pravo horo, piano 4 hands, orchestra, 2023 (version of work for piano 4 hands)

Bătuta – Male Dance, 2023 (version of work for 4 saxophones)

CHAMBER MUSIC:

Elegie – Elegy, clarinet/soprano saxophone, piano, 1993

Quartet de coarde – String Quartet, 1999

Incantation, tenor saxophone, piano, 2002

Marsyas Flute, flute, 2003

Sainte – Saint, 2 flutes, 2004

Vânătoreasca – Hunting, bassoon/baritone saxophone, piano, 2005

Serbările Moldovei – Moldavian Celebrations, 4 saxophones, 2005

Pe-un picior de plai – On a Piece of Land (ethno-jazz project), 4 saxophones, 2006

Cine merge tot pe drum – Who Goes on the Road, flute, violin, cello, vibraphone, 2008

Călușarii – Guys Dancing, 4 saxophones, 2011

Bătuta, 4 saxophones, 2011 (also version for orchestra)

Lângă malul Dunării – Along the Banks of the Danube, flute, piano, 2012

Aeolian harp, soprano saxophone, vibraphone, 2016

Two wings of one soul, clarinet, piano, 2017

5 Brodsky versets, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, 2022

Many faces of solitude, violin, piano, 2023

Black Cat of Magister Franciscus, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2023

Memento vivere, double bass, piano, 2024

CHORAL:

Divine Image (text by William Blake), male chorus, 1999

Doina haiducului – The Hajduk's Doina (texts from folk sources from Moldova), male chorus, 2006

Colinde – Christmas Carols (texts from folk sources from Moldova), mixed chorus, 2007

Sus în vârf la nouă meri – Up at the Top of Nine Apple Trees (texts from folk sources from Moldova), mixed chorus, orchestra, 2018

Foaie verde de pop'șoi – Green Leaf of the Poppy (texts from folk sources from Moldova), mixed chorus, 2022

VOCAL:

Balate provensale vechi – Old Provençal Ballads (text by Gaucelm Faidit), female voice, violin, 1995

Doua lieduri pe versurile poeților români – Two Songs to Lyrics by Romanian Poets: De-or trece anii – Years Go By–Dans – Dance (texts by Mihai Eminescu, Nicolae Labiș), voice, piano, 1998

Îngere palid – Pale Angel (monologue, text by Mihai Eminescu), female voice, flute, 3 temple blocks (1 player), 1999

La bulciugul miresei – The Bride's Farewell (texts from folk sources from Romania), variable number of folk voices, variable number of folk players, 2021

Dialog de iarna – Winter Dialogue (text by George Bacovia), baritone, piano, 2024

PIANO:

Trei portrete muzicale – Three Musical Portraits, 1992, revised 2012

Les Cantilènes, 1993, revised 2012

Variațiuni – Variations, 1993

Trei cântece populare moldovenești – Three Folk Melodies from Moldova, 1999

Pravo horo, piano 4 hands, 2014 (also version for piano 4 hands, orchestra)