Violinist Timothy Schwarz Releases Fifth Album as a Leader

Featuring Works by Living American Composers: Steven Sametz, Jennifer Higdon, Jessie Montgomery, Joseph Goodrich, Avner Dorman, Reena Esmail, and Denis DeBlasio

Available May 15, 2023 via Albany Records

“Schwarz’s technique is exemplary.” – Buffalo News

“Pleasantly exuberant and tender as required”– American Record Guide

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NEW YORK, NY (For Release 05.15.23) — Recognized for his solid technique and considerable flair, acclaimed violinist Timothy Schwarz continues his career-long dedication to championing American composers with his latest recording The Living American. The Living American is a collection of contemporary works for violin by seven of today’s leading living American composers: Steven Sametz, Jennifer Higdon, Jessie Montgomery, Joseph Goodrich, Avner Dorman, Reena Esmail, and Denis DeBlasio. Almost three decades after Schwarz’s debut album An American Affair, The Living American explores the diverse roots and characteristics of a rich repertoire of 21st-century American classical music.

“I have always been fascinated by American music,” says Schwarz who currently serves as Head of Strings at Rowan University (New Jersey) and Visiting Professor of Performance at the London College of Music (England). “With such a diverse country, what are the musical characteristics that make a piece sound ‘American’? The answer, of course, is as complex and multi-faceted as defining what it means to be American.”

According to Schwarz, our current American composers are equally impressive as some wonderful composers in our past. “Today’s American composers are bridging the gap between classical, jazz, funk, and musical theater, all while embracing different ethnic styles such as Indian ragas or Arab maqams in their writing. Some are heavily influenced by the musical tradition of their ancestors. Others are writing in a musical tradition they were not born into, exploring these ideas from the view of an outsider. And still others are taking well established genres, such as big-band jazz ensembles or Arab Takht, and writing in a way that bridges it with the world of classical music. The result is a wide-ranging body of diverse works that are beautiful, painful, thought-provoking, or just plain fun.” 

The Living American comprises works by three of America’s most notable female composers: Jennifer Higdon, Jessie Montgomery, and Reena Esmail.  Pulitzer Prize and three-time Grammy-winner Jennifer Higdon wrote String Poetic in 2006 for Jennifer Koh. A small storybook of different moods is set in five movements with the third “Blue Hills of Mist” lyrically played here by Schwarz. Gramophone cited: “‘Blue Hills of Mist’ begins with an extended introduction of irregular plucked piano strings and segues into a pensive dialogue between the two instruments, which grows in intensity though an atmosphere of thoughtful contemplation prevails.” A recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, Jessie Montgomery has been described as “one of the most distinctive and communicative voices in the U.S. (BBC).” Her Rhapsody No. 2 is the second of a set of six intended solo violin works. This virtuosic piece was commissioned by and written for violinist Michi Wiancko and is inspired in part by Béla Bartók. Seattle Symphony’s 2020-21 Composer-in-Residence Reena Esmail works between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music. Schwarz spiritually plays “Raag Charukeshi,” the third movement from Esmail’s Darshan, that explores grief, in its many facets and forms.

The album’s five remaining works are recording debuts. Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano is a great example of Avner Dorman’s intricate craftsmanship described by the Washington Post as “wide-ranging, appealing, and breathtakingly virtuosic.” The album opener Fantasia on Lama Badaa yatasana (When He Was Bending), is a violin solo that was commissioned and premiered by Schwarz in 2012 written by Steven Sametz, a composer best known for his work in choral and choral-orchestral repertoire. Also written for and premiered by Schwarz are C-Minor Jam, The Machine and Lacrimosa by musical theatre composer/pianist Joseph Goodrich and the album’s longest work, Australian Sketches by jazz saxophonist/flutist Denis DeBlasio.

Schwarz released four albums as a leader: An American Affair (Marquis Classics, 1995), Timothy Schwarz Live (Centaur Records, 2006), Baroque Violin (Centaur Records, 2010), and Anthems After Prometheus (Albany Records, 2018). The latter received rave reviews: “Beautifully performed... Timothy Schwarz’s control of his instrument is particularly impressive... All credit to Timothy Schwarz for providing a performance as gripping from first to last as this one.” (Fanfare Magazine)

About Timothy Schwarz (violin)

Since his solo debut with the legendary Philadelphia Orchestra at age nine, violinist Timothy Schwarz has had a brilliant career as a soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. His many accomplishments include solo and chamber music CDs under the Naxos, Albany, Centaur and IBM labels. Schwarz served as an Artistic Ambassador for the United States from 1996–2001, bringing American music throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. These tours started a decades-long dedication to performing American compositions, with an emphasis on female and minority composers. An avid educator, Schwarz is currently Associate Professor and Head of Strings at Rowan University, President of the New Jersey chapter of the America String Teachers Association, Artistic Director and Founder of Techne Music, and Visiting Professor of Performance at the London College of Music. For further information and a performance schedule, visit www.TimothySchwarz.com.

Upcoming Concerts: 

WED-THU 6/14-15 @ London College of Music Composition Festival, London College of Music, Ranelagh Road, Ealing, UK

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Timothy Schwarz | The Living American (#TROY1930)

Albany Records | Release Date: May 15, 2023