Here's a playlist of works by Aaron Alter in multiple styles. Thank you for listening!

Aaron Alter

String Theory starts out with a slow introduction, inspired by the music of John Coltrane, followed by a Coltrane-inspired theme with a virtuosic solo by the first violin. After the solo, some of the music from the slow introduction returns, followed by a fast finale to the finish line. 

The title of the composition, String Theory, was inspired by the concert where it was performed by the Composers Concordance in New York, entitled "CompCord & Entertaining Science." All the works on the concert program had a scientific theme and the title "String Theory" was a way to use a scientific term and describe the piece at the same time. 

This recording is from the award-winning album "New Music for String Quartet Vol.1" by the ÉxQuartet on the Phasma Music Label (distributed by Naxos,) The members of the ÉxQuartet are Monika Sawczuk, 1st Violin; Łukasz Górewicz, 2nd Violin; Grzegorz Sadowski, Viola and Tomasz Szczęsny, 'Cello. The ÉxQuartet has played String Theory many times and likes it so much that they program it as the "Grand Finale" of the concert or as an encore.

String Theory was a National Finalist in the 2021-2022 American Prize in Chamber Music Composition.

String Theory for String Quartet is published by Universal Edition. For scores and parts, please visit:
https://www.universaledition.com/en/Works/String-Theory-for-String-Quartet/P0207090

For more information on String Theory and other works by Aaron Alter, please visit aaronalter.com/compositions .

String Theory For String Quartet (inspired by John Coltrane)

This is the finale from Variations on Lo Lanu Ha-Shem for cello and piano, performed by the Cracow Duo (Jan Kalinowski, cello and Marek Szlezer, piano)in Kraków, Poland on September 13, 2020, sponsored by the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust.
To see a video of the complete Variations on Lo Lanu Ha-Shem, please visit the page on my website: https://aaronalter.com/chamber-variations-on-lo-lanu-hashem

Variations on Lo Lanu Ha-Shem are based on my "Lo Lanu Ha-Shem" (a setting of Psalm 115) for Women's Chorus, Flute, Harp, Two Horns, Double-Bass and Tambourine. To hear the original choral work, please visit the page on my website: https://aaronalter.com/choral-lolanuhashem

Finale from Variations on Lo Lanu Ha-Shem for cello and piano

This is the live performance of Aaron Alter's "Toccata-Variations on a Theme by Charlie Parker, performed by the Steinway Artist, Susan Merdinger on November 10, 2022 at the Howard Brubeck Theatre at Palomar College, San Marcos, California. Toccata-Variations combines thematic material from the Charlie Parker tune, "Segment", with stylistic elements of Johann Sebastian Bach's organ toccatas.

Toccata-Variations on a Theme by Charlie Parker is published by Universal Edition. For scores, please visit: https://www.universaledition.com/en/Works/Toccata-Variations-on-a-Theme-by-Charlie-Parker/P0307969

For more information on Toccata-Variations on a Theme by Charlie Parker and other works by Aaron Alter, please visit https://aaronalter.com/compositions .

Toccata-Variations on a Theme by Charlie Parker, performed by Susan Merdinger, Steinway Artist

Vival-departures for string orchestra is inspired by the music of Antonio Vivaldi. Although there are no direct quotes of Vivaldi's music in Vival-departures, there is a Vivaldi-like interlude that appears in different forms and becomes a point of departure for musical development. In addition to the influences of Vivaldi's music, you'll hear influences of blues and rock music also.

This track is from the commercial recording "LVIV 1" by the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine on the Phasma-Music label. 

Vival-departures (inspired by the music of Antonio Vivaldi) for String Orchestra is published by Universal Edition. For scores and parts, please visit:
https://www.universaledition.com/en/Works/Vival-departures-inspired-by-the-music-of-Antonio/P0207088

For more information on Vival-departures and other works by Aaron Alter, please visit https://aaronalter.com/compositions .

Vival-departures (inspired by the music of Antonio Vivaldi) for String Orchestra

This is the world premiere performance of Aaron Alter's Latin-Jazz-inspired piece, Who, if not You?, for mixed chamber ensemble and tap dancer. The performance was part of a concert entitled 
Composers Concordance & Talujon Present "Ensemble Motion"
Talujon Percussion Meets CompCord Ensemble
Featuring Max Pollak & Dancers
Sunday, March 26th, 2023
St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery, New York

The performers were:
CompCord Ensemble
Michiyo Suzuki, Clarinet
Daniel Schnyder, Soprano Saxophone
Jonathan Finlayson, Trumpet
Gene Pritsker, Electric Guitar
Jay Elfenbein, Double Bass
Peter Jarvis, Conductor

Talujon Percussion Ensemble
David Cossin, Suspended Cymbal
Michael Lipsey, Conga
Riley Palmer, Cajon
Matt Ward, Vibraphone

Tommy Wasiuta, Tap Dancer

Recording by Moti Margolin

For more information on Who, if not You? and other works by Aaron Alter, please visit https://aaronalter.com/compositions .

Who, if not You? for Mixed Chamber Ensemble and Tap Dancer - World Premiere in New York

This is a recording of the world premiere performance of the third movement (Aria) of Aaron Alter's "Cantata of Praise" for chorus and chamber orchestra on March 23, 2025 by The New Mexico Bach Society Chorale and Orchestra at the Hope in the Desert Episcopal Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Cantata of Praise is a setting of the poetic interpretation of Psalms 118 and 150 by the Elizabethan poet Mary Sidney Herbert, from her book "The Sidney Psalter" from around the year 1599, with some added text from Psalm 118 in the original Hebrew and from The King James Bible.

The music in Cantata of Praise displays a wide range of influences. The third movement shows influences of Bach’s sacred cantatas and Pop/Rock.

Cantata of Praise was commissioned by the New Mexico Performing Arts Society.

The performers were:
New Mexico Bach Society Chorale and Orchestra
Franz Vote, Artistic Director and Conductor

Hannah Stevens, soprano soloist

New Mexico Bach Society Orchestra
Linda Marianiello, flute
Elaine Heltman, oboe
Joshua Petersen, clarinet
Lisa Grodin, concertmaster
Carla Kountoupes, violin 2
Lisa Di Carlo, viola
Joel Becktell, cello
Bob Barney, double bass
Joshua Pielemeier, piano

Text: 3rd Movement (Aria for Soprano:)
(from Psalm 118)
More safe it is on God to stay,
Than confidence on man to lay:
More safe who God his refuge taketh,
Than he who kings his succour maketh.
They me environed yet anew,
And swarming fast like bees they flew.
As fire in thorns they quickly quailèd,
So to their wrack his name prevailèd.

Text is from The Sidney Psalter, The Psalms of Sir Philip and Mary Sidney
Published by the Oxford University Press (2009)
Copyright Hannibal Hamlin, Michael G. Brennan, Margaret P. Hannay and
Noel J. Kinnamon, 2009
Reproduced with permission of the Licensor through PLSclear.

Cantata of Praise - 3rd movement (Aria) for Soprano soloist and Chamber Orchestra

Aaron Alter is a composer from Carlsbad, California. His music is published by Universal Edition and Silverwinds Publishing. Aaron calls his new music his "New Beginning" because it is an exploration of a new style and energy that defies categorization.    

A native of Chicago, Aaron Alter's musical background was a product of the rich musical life that he found growing up in the Windy City. Aaron received his Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, where he studied piano with Frances Larimer and Gui Mombaerts, and composition with Lynden DeYoung and David Noon. He received his Master of Fine Arts Degree from Princeton University, where he studied with Milton Babbitt and James K. Randall.  

Aaron’s new music was first performed in 2015, with the performance of “Homage to Josquin” for two flutes, piano, electric bass and drum set by The New Mexico Performing Arts Society in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “Homage to Josquin” received an Honorable Mention in the 2016 American Prize competition for Chamber Music Composition.  

Works such as "Solar Rays" and "Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry" defy genres and exist in Classical ensemble and Jazz Big Band versions. Both the classical piano trio (piano, violin and ‘cello) and Jazz Big Band versions of “Solar Rays” have received Silver medals at the Global Music Awards. Aaron’s Introspective Blues #1 for Flute and Harp has become his most popular work, with over 16,100 plays on SoundCloud and over 5,200 plays on Jango Internet Radio. Aaron’s music has been featured on the albums “One Minute”, “Two Minutes”, “Gimel” and “Daleth”, by the flutist Iwona Glinka on the Sarton and Phasma Music labels, all of which have won Silver Medals at the Global Music Awards.  

Aaron has received two commissions in the past two years for choral works with an instrumental ensemble from The New Mexico Performing Arts Society.  The first commission, “Together We Create and Sing! (inspired by the music of Franz Joseph Haydn”) was a semi-finalist at the 2018 American Prize competition for Choral Music Composition and received a Silver Medal at the August 2019 Global Music Awards.  The latest commission, “Lo Lanu Ha-Shem” (a setting of Psalm 115) received a Silver Medal from the March 2019 Global Music Awards.  

Aaron is a regular contributor of compositions to the repertoire of the flutist Iwona Glinka, the pianist and Steinway Artist, Susan Merdinger, the pianist Vania Pimentel, The New Mexico Performing Arts Society and Composers Concordance in New York.  

Aaron also serves as an Executive Board Member of the Carlsbad Friends of the Arts.

Cantata of Praise - 3rd movement (Aria) for Soprano soloist and Chamber Orchestra

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