Avner Dorman

Dorman holds a doctorate in music composition from the Juilliard School,The Juilliard Journal, Feb 2012, Margaret Shakespeare, "Keeping It All in the Family" where he studied as a C.V. Starr fellow with John Corigliano.{{cite news | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jul-26-ca-dorman26-story.html | title=Composer Avner Dorman spices things up | work=Los Angeles Times | author=David Ng | date=2009-07-26 | access-date=2015-08-27}} He completed his master's degree at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music of Tel Aviv University (where he majored in music, musicology, and physics) studying with Josef Bardanashvili.Jerusalem Post, Feb 23, 2001, Zehavi, "Rock-music 'Brat' moves on

At age 25, Dorman became the youngest composer to win Israel's Prime-Minister's award. He has since been awarded the ACUM prize for his Ellef Symphony. Ma'ariv newspaper in Israel named Dorman "Composer of the Year" for 2002,Ma'ariv, Sep. 6, 2002, Ora Binur, "Composer of the Year" and the performance of his song cycle "Boaz" received the Israeli Cultural Ministry Prize for best performance of Israeli music the same year.{{Cite web |title=Boaz |url=https://www.classicalondemand.com/products/boaz |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=Classical on Demand |language=en}} Dorman's "Variations Without a Theme", premiered by Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in November 2003 and won the 2004 Best Composition of the Year award from ACUM.{{cite news |last1=Haaretz |first1=Editorial |title=ACUM Prize to Betty Olivero |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/1.1490168 |accessdate=17 July 2019 |publisher=Haaretz |date=1 April 2005}} This piece led to a commission from Zubin Mehta, PercaDu, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for "Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!", a concerto for percussion duo and orchestra.

Orchestras that have performed Dorman's music include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra,{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/howard-reich/ct-ent-cso-premiere-review-1005-20191004-ydzjpd5ubfd6vbuiwhklugpn4e-story.html|title=CSO review: Cynthia Yeh finds poetry in concerto's U.S. premiere|last=Reich|first=Howard|website=chicagotribune.com|date=4 October 2019 |access-date=2019-10-09}} New York Philharmonic Orchestra,New York Times, March 19, 2009, Schweitzer, "Concerto for Percussion, With a Global Outlook" the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.

In 2006, Naxos Records released an album dedicated to Dorman's piano works with Eliran Avni at the piano.{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Ken|title=Reviews|newspaper=Grammophone|date=September 2006}} In 2010, Naxos Records released an album dedicated to Dorman's chamber orchestra concerti. Avi Avital's performance of Dorman's "Mandolin Concerto" on this recording was nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award in the category of Best Instrumental Soloist Performance with Orchestra.{{cite web |last1=Mlyn |first1=Paula |title=Avi Avital Nominated For Classical Grammy Award |url=https://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_001302.shtml |website=Mandolin Cafe}}

Dorman's debut opera, Wahnfried, was named as a finalist for the 2018 International Opera Awards, in the category of "World Premiere".{{Cite news|url=http://www.operaawards.org/archive/2018/|title=2018 {{!}} Opera Awards|date=2018-01-29|work=Opera Awards|access-date=2018-06-23|language=en-GB}} He was awarded the 2018 Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music for his violin concerto, Nigunim, originally written as a violin sonata for violinist Gil Shaham and pianist Orli Shaham.{{cite web|url=https://azrielifoundation.org/2018/02/06/composer-avner-dorman-winner-of-2018-azrieli-prize-for-jewish-music/|title=Composer Avner Dorman Winner of 2018 Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music – The Azrieli Foundation|website=azrielifoundation.org|date=2018-02-07}} In 2022, Nigunim had its NYC premiere when performed at the Naumburg Orchestral Concerts, in the Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, in the summer series. The concert was supported by the Azrieli Foundation. {{Cite web |title=Notable Events and Performers |url=https://naumburgconcerts.org/notable-events-and-performers |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=Naumburg Orchestral Concerts |language=en-US}}

Dorman is a professor of music theory and composition at the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College. He served as music director of CityMusic Cleveland chamber orchestra from 2013 to 2019.

• Wahnfried (2016)
• Die Kinder des Sultans (2019)
• Kundry (2021)

• Spices, Perfumes, Toxins! (2006)
• Frozen in Time (2007)
• Eternal Rhythm (2018)
• In Flux (2024)

• Chorale for Strings (1999)
• Ellef Symphony (2000)
• Variations Without A Theme (2003)
• Uriah (2008–9)
• Azerbaijani Dance (2010)
• (not) The Shadow (2010)
• Astrolatry (2011)
• After Brahms (2015)
• Siklòn (2015)
• A Most Sacred Oath (2021)
• The Fifth Element (2022)
• Tanyaderas (2023)

• Ellef Symphony
• Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!
• A Most Sacred Oath (2021)

• Uzu and Muzu from Kakaruzu (2012)
• Princess Avigail and the Emotions Factory (2025)

• Psalm 67 (2004)
• Letters from Gettysburg (2013)
• Dialogues of Love (2014)
• The Seventy Names of Jerusalem (2015)

• Violin Concerto no. 1 (2006)
• Violin Concerto no. 2 – "Nigunim" (2017)
• Violin Concerto no. 3 – "Still" (2019)

• Piano Concerto in A (1995)
• Piano Concerto no.2 – "Lost Souls" (2009)
• Piano Concerto no.3 (2021)

• Piccolo Concerto (2001)
• Concerto Grosso (2003)
• Saxophone Concerto (2003)
• Mandolin Concerto (2006)
• Cello Concerto (2013)
• How to Love for Guitar and Strings (2019)
• Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra (2019)
• Concerto for Mandolin, Guitar, and Strings (2021)
• Concerto for Cello, Piano and Orchestra (2022)
• A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance (Concerto for Two Violins and Strings) (2025)

• Sonata No.1 (2004)
• Sonata No.2 (2008)
• Sonata No.3 – "Nigunim" (2011)
• Sonata No.4 (2014)

• Tree-yO! (1996)
• Trio (2001)

• String Quartet No.1 (2003)
• String Quartet No.2 (2004)
• Prayer for the Innocents (2009)

• Udacrep Akubrad for Two Percussionists (2001)
• Boaz for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble (2002)
• Jerusalem Mix for Piano Quintet (2007)
• Memory Games for Violin and Piano (2011)
• The Fear of Men for Baritone voice and Piano (2006)
• Mantra for Voice and Chamber Ensemble (2013)
• Consumed for Percussion Ensemble (2014)
• Suite for Solo Saxophone (2015)
• How to Love for Guitar and String Quartet (2016)
• Variations on a Simple Theme for Harp Trio (2017)
• Four Marimbas (2017)
• For Solo Violin (2017)
• Sextet for Trumpet, Piano, and Strings (2020)
• Green Spaces (2024)
• Child’s Play for Vibraphone and Guitar (2024)
• Many Waters for Mandolin and Guitar (2024)
• Kedma for Saxophone Quartet (2024)
• Fantasia for Domra (2024)
• Vocalise for Alto Saxophone and Piano (2024)

• Sonata no.1 (1999)
• Sonata no.2 (2000)
• Sonata no.3 – "Dance Suite" (2005)
• Sonata no.4 – "Libi Bamizrach" (2011)
• Sonata no.5 (2018)
• Sonata no.6 (2020)

• Prelude No.1 (1992)
• Moments Musicaux (2003)
• Azerbaijani Dance (2005)
• Nocturne Insomniaque (2007)
• Karsilama for Two Pianos (2012)
• Three Etudes (2012)
• After Brahms (2014)
• For a Friend I Never Knew (2017)

• Boundless (2018)
• Now (2018)

• Wonderland (2013), directed by Avi Nesher
• Past Life (2016), directed by Avi Nesher
• Gan Kofim (2023), directed by Avi Nesher

• Ben (1997)
• Accord/Discord (1999)
• Falafel (2001)
• Impact (2006)

• Dragonfly's Journey (2023)
• Miriam Danced by the Red Sea (2025)

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.avnerdormanmusic.com/}}
• [http://www.schirmer.com/Default.aspx?TabId=2419&State_2872=2&composerId_2872=2197 Avner Dorman biography at G. Schirmer]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080915191713/http://nyphil.org/attend/season/index.cfm?page=eventDetail&eventNum=1531&seasonNum=8 Information about Avner Dorman on the New York Philharmonic Website]

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Category:1975 births

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Category:20th-century Israeli classical composers

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Category:Israeli composers

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Category:Juilliard School alumni

Category:Tel Aviv University alumni

Category:Gettysburg College faculty

Category:Israeli male classical composers

Category:20th-century Israeli male musicians

Category:21st-century Israeli male musicians