Osvaldo N. Golijov

Osvaldo N. Golijov

Music Department

Loyola Professor of Music

Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania

Fields: Composition, World Music, Film Scoring


 

Email: ogolijov@holycross.edu
Office Phone: 508-793-2761
Office: Brooks 140
PO Box: 151A

Biography

Osvaldo Golijov grew up in an Eastern European Jewish household in La Plata, Argentina. Born to a piano teacher mother and physician father, Golijov was raised surrounded by classical chamber music, Jewish liturgical and klezmer music, and the new tango of Astor Piazzolla. 

Defined by The New York Times as "a musical alchemist (who) conjures up new worlds," Golijov takes gestures and sound imagery from his own background as the points of departure for his compositions. Music from the Judeo-Christian liturgy, the western repertory of many periods, folk traditions from around the world, and the inevitable tango and other Latin American genres, appear in his work in different stages of transformation, often metamorphosing into something else entirely or even disappearing altogether from the surface. His music is regularly performed by major ensembles in America and Europe. He is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, among several other awards.

He is the Loyola Professor of Music at 51小黄车, where he has taught since 1991. 

Works

Some of Golijov鈥檚 notable works include: 

  • 鈥淔alling Out of Time鈥 (2019), written for Silkroad Ensemble, based on the novel by David Grossman
  • 鈥淪ign of the Leviathan鈥 (2017) for French Horn and Orchestra, commissioned for the Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration 
  • 鈥淒rag Down the Sky鈥 (2016) for Baritone and String Quartet, commissioned by the Spoleto Festival USA 
  • 鈥淨ohelet鈥 (2012), commissioned by the St Lawrence String Quartet 
  • 鈥淭wixt鈥 (2011), soundtrack to the film by Francis Ford Coppola 
  • 鈥淪idereus鈥 (2010), for orchestra, commissioned by a consortium of 36 orchestras 
  • 鈥淭etro鈥, soundtrack to the film by Francis Ford Coppola
  • 鈥淪he Was Here鈥 (2008), an orchestration of four songs by Schubert, premiered by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra 
  • 鈥淵outh Without Youth鈥, soundtrack to the film by Francis Ford Coppola.
  • 鈥淎zul鈥 (2006), for cello and orchestra, premiered by Yo-Yo Ma at Tanglewood 
  • 鈥淎yre鈥 (2004): a song cycle for soprano and ensemble, premiered by Dawn Upshaw and The Andalucian Dogs 
  • 鈥淎inadamar鈥 (2003), Golijov's first opera, libretto by David Henry Hwang 
  • 鈥淭enebrae鈥 (2002), for soprano, clarinet and string quartet 
  • 鈥淭hree Songs for Soprano and Orchestra鈥 (2001), L煤a Descolorida from this set was later repurposed as the 鈥淧eter's Tears鈥 aria in 鈥淟a Pasi贸n seg煤n San Marcos鈥 
  • 鈥淟a Pasi贸n seg煤n San Marcos鈥 (St. Mark Passion) (2000) 
  • 鈥淥ceana鈥 (1996), cantata for soloist, boys choir, chorus, electric guitars, and orchestra 
  • 鈥淭he Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind鈥 (1994), for klezmer clarinet and string quartet (and later for clarinet and string orchestra)
  • 鈥淵iddishbbuk鈥 (1992), for string quartet 

Awards

  • Vilcek Prize (2008)
  • 2 Grammy awards for 鈥淎inadamar鈥 in the categories of Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Contemporary Composition (2007)
  • Musical America Composer of the Year (2006)
  • MacArthur Fellowship (2003)
  • Grammy nomination for 鈥淪t. Mark Passion鈥 (2002)
  • France's Diapason D'Or (1997)
  • Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's Stoeger Prize for Contemporary Music (1996)
  • Guggenheim Fellowship (1995)
  • First Prize at Kennedy Center鈥檚 Friedheim Awards for 鈥淭he Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind鈥 (1995)
  • BMW prize for music-theatre composition awarded by the jury of the Munich Biennale for 鈥淣ovember鈥 (1994)
  • First Prize at Kennedy Center鈥檚 Friedheim Awards for 鈥淵iddishbbuk鈥 (1993)
  • Paul Fromm Award (1992) 

Commissions

Golijov has received, among others, commissions from: 

  • Hans Werner Henze for the city of Munich 
  • New York's Lincoln Center 
  • The Minnesota Orchestra 
  • London's South Bank Centre
  • Birmingham (UK) Contemporary Music Group 
  • Lisbon's Expo '98 
  • Schleswig-Holstein Festival 
  • Tanglewood Music Festival
  • Spoleto USA 
  • Oregon Bach Festival
  • Chicago Symphony
  • Boston Symphony
  • Carnegie Hall

Golijov has also received commissions and grants from:

  • Koussevitzky Music Foundation
  • Guggenheim Foundation
  • Barlow 
  • Fromm Foundations 
  • Chamber Music America 
  • Meet the Composer 
  • National Endowment for the Arts

Performances

Golijov鈥檚 music is regularly performed in many places of the world, including: 

  • New York's Lincoln Center and Brooklyn Academy of Music
  • Washington's Kennedy Center
  • Boston's Jordan Hall
  • Chicago's Orchestra Hall
  • Paris' Theatre de la Ville
  • London's Royal Festival Hall and Barbican Centre
  • Vienna's Konzerthaus
  • Frankfurt's Alte Opera
  • Amsterdam's Concertgebow
  • Tokyo's Suntory Hall 
  • Sidney Opera House
  • Los Angeles Philharmonic Disney Hall
  • Carnegie Hall

Residencies

Golijov has been composer in residence at:

  • Carnegie Hall
  • Chicago Symphony
  • Marlboro Festival
  • Ravinia Festival
  • Holland Festival
  • Lincoln Center Mostly Mozart Festival
  • Lincoln Center Golijov Festival
  • Finland's Kuhmo Festival (upcoming)
  • Norway鈥檚 Trondheim Festival

Other Teaching

  • Carnegie Hall workshops with Dawn Upshaw
  • Tanglewood Music Center
  • Sundance Film Composers Lab

Recordings

Golijov's works have been released on many labels, including Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Hansler, Warner Records, In a Circle, and BBC. His music is published by Boosey and Hawkes, Ytalianna, and Narrow Bridge Songs.

NPR鈥檚 鈥楬ere & Now鈥 Gets Inside Look at Osvaldo Golijov鈥檚 New Work 鈥楩alling Out of Time鈥

Robin Young of NPR spoke with Golijov about Her conversation with Golijov explored music, grief and the process of creating the song cycle.