ROBERT POLLOCK - Composer/pianist, Box 1081 , Kula, Hawai’i 96790
Born 7/8/46 (NYC); married to Klazine, one daughter - Esther, two grand daughters - Celeste and Beatrice
Robert Pollock (www.robertemilpollock.com) received a B. A. in Music from Swarthmore College, a M.F.A. in Musical Composition from
Princeton University, and a Guggenheim Fellowship in Musical Composition. He is co-founder of the New York Guild of Composers (1975), where
he was often featured as pianist, and founder/director emeritus of the Composers Guild of New Jersey (1980-1998). Since 1999, Pollock directs
a contemporary music and arts presenting organization, Ebb & Flow Arts, Inc., Inc., in Hawai'i - http://www.ebbandflowarts.org and
www.facebook.com/ebbandflowarts.
He has organized over 500 new music concerts. As pianist he has premiered over 100 compositions by composers from around the world.
He has recorded works by George Walker, Rashid Kalimullin, Stephen Peles, Dina Koston, Sarn Oliver, Edward T. Cone, and others. He
performed solo piano recitals in Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai, Hawai'i; Seoul, Korea, Tokyo, Japan, Kazan, Russia, Xalapa, Mexico,
New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and California. He participated as composer-in-residence at William Paterson University, the Festival for
New American Music, MacDowell Art Colony, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Millay Art Colony, California State University at Sacramento,
and University of Vera Cruz, Xalapa, Mexico.
Some of his over one hundred-forty (140) compositions received performances in Israel, Moscow, Russia, Japan, South Korea,
Honolulu, Italy, Poland, Germany, Austria, Mexico, Russia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Ireland, New Jersey, California and NYC. Several of his works are
recorded for Furious Artisan, CRI, CGNJ, E&FA (MIMM), and Union of Composers, Tartarstan, Russia, labels. Several works are published by
Mobart, E.C. Schirmer, Veritas Musicae and Rosalime Productions.
CREDITS AS COMPOSER
Guggenheim Fellowship
Composers String Quartet Award, first prize
National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship Grant
MacDowell Colony Fellowships (2)
Millay Art Colony Fellowship
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellowships (2)
International Society for Contemporary Music Composition Awards (2)
Martha Baird Rockefeller Fund for Music grant
New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowships (3)
Ingram Merrill Award
Fund for US Artists at International Festivals Grants (3)
Meet the Composer Performance Fund Awards (10)
“....Pollock’s luscious “Cygnature Piece,” in which the first movement - full of beautiful blendings, empty of expressive cliché, splendid and
sonorous - was even better than the ensuing tango...” (Paul Griffiths, New York Times)
"Composer, virtuoso pianist and Maui resident Robert Pollock is represented here with his highly virtuosic and ‘entertwining’ Entertwined. The homogenized word Entertwined (“entertain” and “intertwine”) is the title of Pollock’s piece (for two guitars). It is a terrific, happy piece that seems to delight in its own explorations of material." (Fanfare Magazine)
CREDITS AS PIANIST
Appearance on WQXR’s “Artists in Concert” series
Over thirty (30) performances on Guild of Composers, NY programs in NYC.
Recordings: “Bridgeforms,” (CRI) “Passing Fancies” by Stephen Peles (CGNJ),
“Ballet Mecanique” by George Antheil (CGNJ), “Morning in Istanbul” by
Rashid Kalimullin (Composers Union of Tatarstan), “Perimeters” and "Sonata #5" by George Walker (Albany),
"Silent Noon" by Edward T. Cone (MIMM).
“...performed with urbanity and polish...” (Raymond Ericson, NYT)
“...an accomplished performer...” (Allen Hughes, NYT)
“...a powerful player with no lack of temperament...” (Michael Redmond, Newark Star Ledger)
“...splendid performances...” (Dika Newlin, Richmond Times-Dispatch)
“...performed with passion and inner concentration...” (Bogumila Mika, Musical Movement Warsaw))
“...Pollock, an expert interpreter of new music, took the audience on a wild ride of dramatic chords...” (Liz Janes-Brown, Maui News)
“...Pollock played them (“Sphinxes” by E. T. Cone) engagingly and with obvious enjoyment....”
(Jerry Kuderna, San Francisco Classical Voice)
ROBERT POLLOCK LIST OF WORKS
Recent works composed on Maui, Hawai’i (1998-present):
Piano Synergy #7- in memoriam to victimes of covid-19 (2020 - 6')
Egrets for piano (2020- 8')
Ten Flowers for piano with paintings by Esther Jongeneelen-Pollock (2020 - 10')
Burlesque for tenor banjo and piano (2020 - 5')
Word of the Wind for piano trio (2020 -5')
Piano Synergy #6 for piano (2019 - 9')
Piano Synergy #5 for 2 pianos (2019 - 5')
Serenade for violin and piano (2018 - 6')
Piano Synergy #4 for piano (2018 - 5')
Piano Synergy #3 for piano (2018 - 5')
Enneagram for piano (2018 - 15')
incidental music for Plato's "The Cave" (2018 - 10')
In the Night (Choi Choong) for SATB chorus and piano (2017 - 5')
Violin Synergy for four violins (2017 - 12')
Stabilementa - music video (2017 - 6')
Piano Synergy #2 for piano (2017 - 10')
Metaphor for flute, violin, viola, and piano (2016 - 10')
Piano Synergy #1 for piano (2016 - 6')
Trio #8 for alto saxophone, 'cello, and harp (2016 - 9')
Piano Quartet (2014 - 12') for violin, viola, 'cello, and piano
Chamber Setting #4 (2014 - 10') for narrator/baritone, trumpet, trombone and bass clarinet
Duo No. 6 (2013 - 8’) for violin and piano
Vulture (poem by Robinson Jeffers) (2013 - 6’) for soprano, mandolin, guitar
Log A Rhythms, Volume 6 for piano (2013 - 12’)
Contrast (poem by Robinson Jeffers) (2012 - 9 ‘) for soprano and string quartet
16 for 4 (2011 -5’) 4 pianos, 16 hands
Larchimosa (2011 - 11’) string orchestra
In the Middle of C (2011 - 11’) piano solo
12 Seconds (2010 - 4’) electronic sounds
Duo # 5 (2010 - 12’) violin and piano
Dry Martini (2010 - 4’) for two violins, piano, 4 hands
Escapement (2010 - 11’) two violins
Sounds (2010 - 15’) incidental music
Metaphor for ten instruments (2009 - 12’)
Yet Another Small Song (2008 - 2’) for soprano, piano
Log A Rhythms, Volume 5 (2008 - 11’) for piano
Trio # 7 (2008 - 11’) for clarinet, ‘cello and piano
Romance-Fantasy (2007 - 10’) for guitar and piano
Mana Loa Quartet (2006 - 12’) for cl, vln, vcl and pf, premiered at MACC, 11/30/06
Thief of Fire Waters of Life incidental music (2006 - 45’)
Interplay for two cellos (2006 - 7’)
Organic laughter for organ (2005 - 3’)
Mana for ‘cello and piano (2005 - 9’)
Modalities of Beauty for contrabass solo (2005 - 8’) 6/17/05, Seabury Hall
Three for six for piano, six hands (2005 -2’)
Remembrance of Miracles (poetry by E. E. Cummings) (2005 - 11’), premiered 3/17/05, Maui/MACC
Music for Yellow Sound (2004 - 40’)
Fable (Emerson) for fl, cl, vln, vcl, two guitars (2004 - 4’) premiered 5/04, NYC
Trio # 6 “’Uhane” for fl, cl and vibraphone (2004 - 5’) premiered 6/3/04, Honolulu
Vibiano for vibraphone and piano (2003 - 6’) premiered 3/04, Stony Brook, NY
Five for Four for two pianos, ten hands (2003, 2’)
Trio # 5 for clarinet, violin and piano (2003 - 10’) premiered 10/25/03, Tokyo
Log A Rhythms, vol. 4 for piano (2003 - 11’) premiered 10/23/03, Tokyo
88 for piano (2003 - 1’) premiered February 2003, Maui
Sounds for musicians, dance and lighting (2003 - 30’) premiered March 2003, Maui
Mountain, part 2 for orchestra (2002 - 8’)
Feeling Great for double bass and piano ( 2002 - 8’) premiered March 25, 2002, Honolulu
Maluhia for organ and piano (2002 - 2’) premiered September 7, 2002, Studio Maluhia
Science (on a poem by Robinson Jeffers) for narrator, timpani and piano (2002 - 7’) premiered 11/23/2002 Maui/MACC
Anniversary Piece for piano (2001 - 9'), premiered November 25, 2001 Kula, Maui
Entertwined for 2 guitars (2001 - 9 '), premiered March 7, 2002, Maui
Duo Tonic for flute and guitar (2001 - 3'), premiered October 18, 2001, NYC
Mountain, part 1 for chamber orchestra (2001 - 7'), premiered 3/18/2002, MACC
Trio #4 for violin, cello, pf (2001 - 8') premiered 7/21/01, Kula, Maui
Dimensions of Note for piano, digital animation (2001 - 4') premiered 1/21/01 Merci Madame for clarinet, violin, cello, piano (2000 - 10') premiered 1/11/2001, MACC
Three Studies for piano and color harp (2000 - 5') premiered by composer, 7/14/2000, Kula
Metaphor for Metamorphoses for oboe(s), pf and color harp (2000 - 7') premiered 8/25/00
Trio # 3 for flute, viola and harp (2000 - 5')
Elements for percussion quartet (2000 -18')
Cygnature Piece for flute, oboe, violin, ‘cello, guitar and mandolin (2000 - 10’)
An Other Small Song (Menashe) for baritone and vibraphone (1999 - 2')
Ballad for 'cello and guitar (1999 - 7'), premiered, May 2004, NYC
Chamber Setting No.3 for piano, dancer, poet, and visual coordinator - based on Tarot (1999- 45') premiered, July 11, 1999, Makawao and July 16, Honolulu
Sit Down, Stand Up for solo percussion (1998 - 15') premiered 3/4/99, William Paterson U.
Metaphor for Vibraphone (1998 - 7') premiered 3/4/99, NJ
Song Without Words for oboe, chorus (SATB) with percussion (1998 - 5')
Log A Rhythms, Volume 3 for piano (1998 - 10') premiered 11/20/98, Honolulu.
Composed in New Jersey (1967-1997):
Almost Touching for mezzo soprano and piano (1996 - 4’)
Ballade for piano (1973 - 5’)
Bassoon Variations for solo bassoon (1980 - 8’)
Beyond Ponce for soprano and bongos (1997 - 3’)
Bridgeforms for piano (1976 - 17’)
Chamber Setting No. 1 for baritone, ob, cl, bsn, violin, viola, ‘cello (1972 - 10’)
Chamber Setting No. 2 for narrator and percussion ensemble (1980 -20’)
Chamber Symphony for percussion ensemble (1994 -15’)
Criss-Crossed Carols for piano (1996 - 5’)
Departure for piano (1976 - 7’)
Dominions for piano and chamber orchestra (1984 - 14’)
Duo No. 1 for violin and piano (1969 - 10’)
Duo No. 2 for violin and piano (1971 - 12’)
Duo No. 3 for violin and piano (1974 - 8’)
Duo No. 4 for violin and piano (1990 - 10’)
Five Pieces for piano (1968 - 10’)
Geometrics for string quartet (1974 - 12’)
Impromptu for piano (1994 - 5’)
Interactions for soprano, dancer and prepared piano (1996 - 10’)
Introduction and Dance for 2 pianos (1967 - 8’)
Kovaliov's Nose chamber opera (1972 - 60’)
Log-a-Rhythms, Vol. 1 for piano (1983 -9’)
Log-a-Rhythms, Vol. 2 for piano (1992 -10’)
Mass in Salt Air for soprano and piano (1984 - 5’)
Metaphor (2 Pianos) (1988 -12’)
Metaphor (Cello & Piano) (1986 -14’)
Metaphor (Clarinet and Piano) (1978 - 12’)
Metaphor (Flute and Piano) (1979 -9’)
Metaphor (Guitar) (1995 - 10’)
Metaphor (Guitar, Piano, Percussion) (1988 - 10’)
Metaphor (Piano) (1996 -10’)
Metaphor (String Quartet) (1996 - 15’)
Metaphor (Viola and Piano) (1984 - 15’)
Metaphor (Violin, Viola, Cello) (1972 -18’)
Metaphor (Vibraphone) (1996 - 8’)
Movement and Variations for string quartet (1967 - 8’)
Progressional for piano (1978 -5’)
Revolution for nine instruments (1976 - 12’)
Rhapsody for piano (1969 -6’)
Sand Sketches for piano (1980 -16’)
Septet (1968 - 10’)
Seven Preludes for piano (1975 -12’)
Short Study for piano, right hand (1978 -2’)
Sketches: By the Sea for chorus (SATB) (1976 - 8’)
Small Song for soprano, flute, clarinet (1967 - 4’)
Sonatina for flute and piano (1972 - 8’)
Song Cycle for soprano and piano (1973 - 18’)
Study for flute, horn, violin, ‘cello (1970 -6’)
The Descent for soprano, flute and piano (1976 -5’)
Theatre Piece for chorus (SSA), dancer and prepared piano (1969 -5’)
Three Duos for oboe and bassoon (1990 - 10’)
Three Duos for String Trio (1982 - 10’)
Three Knots for soprano and piano (1980 -10’)
Three Pieces for marimba and vibraphone (1994 -10’)
Three Short Pieces for bassoon and piano (1969 - 4’)
Trio No. 1 for trumpet, oboe, bassoon (1969 -8’)
Trio No. 2 for clarinet, violin, ‘cello (1972 -12’)
Tumbling Hair for mezzo, alto flute, bass clarinet, piano (1975 -3’)
Two Pieces for piano (1982 - 10’)
Violament for viola (1978 -8’)
Waltz-Fantasy for piano, 4 hands (1994 - 8’)
Wind Quintet (1975 -10’)