GERARD SCHWARZ
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Composing

Above and Beyond (United States Marine Band)
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Rudolf and Jeanette (Music of Remembrance)
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Infernal (Seattle Symphony)

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Gerard Schwarz is also a prolific and dynamic composer studying with such distinguished mentors as Paul Creston, Rodger Sessions, Jacob Druckman, Milton Babbitt, Vincent Persichetti and Pierre Boulez. He is a graduate of the High School of Performing Arts and The Juilliard School and has honorary doctorates from The Juilliard School, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Seattle University, Cornish College of the Arts and the University of Puget Sound.

His arrangements include Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier Suite, Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande Suite, Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel Suite and Webern’s Langsamer Satz and are performed by orchestras worldwide. Holiday Classics and Echoes, including arrangements and original compositions, were released by Naxos in 2010 and 2011 respectively (8.572673 and 8.559679 ).

In Memoriam (Naxos 8.559379), is performed by Music of Remembrance and cellist, Julian Schwarz and was named the Best New Work of 2005 by Seattle Weekly.  Rudolf and Jeanette (Naxos 8.559641), written in memory of Schwarz’s maternal grandparents who died in a concentration camp,  was premiered by Music of Remembrance in its original form as a chamber ensemble piece and later in 2008 as a full orchestral version by the Zagreb Philharmonic. Fanfare magazine described the work  as “poignant and deeply moving,” and Gramophone magazine as “an affecting blend of tender and disquieting utterances,”

Human Spirit (2008) is based on on words by Aaron Copland and was composed for children’s choir and chamber ensemble and subsequently performed in its full orchestra version in 2011 by the Seattle Symphony.  Two duos for violin and cello were premiered in 2008 by Julian Schwarz and Maria Larionoff at the awards ceremony honoring Schwarz as First Citizen of Seattle. His Trio for Horn, Violin and Piano was premiered in 2010 and described by MusicWeb International as “ingeniously constructed within its thoroughly accessible romantic idiom.” Above and Beyond, premiered by ” The President’s Own ” United States Marine Band in March 2012 will be released by Naxos in 2013, and  A Journey,  a large scale orchestral tone poem was premiered in July 2012 at the Eastern Music Festival. A String Sextet will be premiered at the Eastern Music Festival in 2013.


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Composing
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Seattle Legacy
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On Record
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Commissioning

About Jerry

Gerard Schwarz serves as Music Director of the All-Star Orchestra and the Eastern Music Festival and joined The Frost School Of Music in fall 2019 as Distinguished Professor Of Music; Conducting And Orchestral Studies. Schwarz  completed his 26th and final season as Seattle Symphony Music Director in 2011 and now serves as its Conductor Laureate. His previous positions as Music Director include New York’s Mostly Mozart Festival, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the New York Chamber Symphony.

Upcoming Highlights


All-Star Orchestra – Fall 2023 Broadcasts
Over 250 Public TV stations broadcasting the All-Star Orchestra's new season of programs. Learn more 

Useful Links

Frost School of Music

All-Star Orchestra

Eastern Music Festival

Khan Academy

G, Schirmer, Inc.

Seattle Symphony

Contact

8VA Music Consultancy
Email Patricia Price

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