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Contributor


Jonathan Besser

Composer

Born: 1949 Died: 2022

Biography

Composer/Pianist Jonathan Besser was born in New York City in 1949, and studied composition in New York at the Mannes College of Music with David Loeb. Resident in New Zealand since 1974, he created acoustic and electronic music in collaboration with leading writers, choreographers, musicians, artists and film makers, including Gaylene Preston, Mary Jane O’Reilly, Warwick Broadhead, Keri Hulme, Ross Harris, Michael Parmenter, Philip Mann and Allen Brunton, Don McGlashan, Billy Apple and Australian author Roger McDonald. He composed original music for many film, radio, stage and T.V. productions.

Jonathan was commissioned by organisations including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the Wellington Sinfonia, and the New Zealand String Quartet (touring schools with them in 1994). He was leader of his own New Music groups—most notably the ‘Besser Ensemble’ (1987-1997)—touring schools throughout N.Z. with major support from Creative NZ as well as making numerous recordings. He was also founding member of Free Radicals (electronic music) and Triphonics, touring China with Triphonics in March 1996. In 1997 he performed at the WOMAD festival (Auckland), and he had his orchestral piece No Riff premiered by the Wellington Symphonia. In June 1997 he collaborated with Warwick Broadhead on a huge movement music theatre spectacle at Downstage theatre ‘The life and Times of Constance Flux’.

In 1998, Jonathan travelled to New Caledonia to produce original film music for the new Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center in Noumea and in the 1998 Wellington International Arts Festival he performed solo (piano) nightly at the Dans Paleis. In 1998 he was composer-in-residence with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and director of the New Romantics. His new performance group ‘Bravura’ performed around Australia and New Zealand. He was a finalist in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Music 2000 Prize and composer for Mary Jane O’Reilly’s ‘Te Rangi Marie’ Millennium dawn event collaborating with Waihirere Kapa Haka group.

In 2012 Jonathan toured New Zealand with his group Gimel, performing his Gimel Suite, a work composed especially for the group. Jonathan's group The Zestniks performed in 2015 as part of the Auckland Jazz Festival, which included some of his original compositions.

Information about Jonathan Besser and his music for film and television can also be found on the NZ On Screen website.

Jonathan Besser passed away peacefully on Wednesday 9th February 2022 in Auckland Hospital, aged 72.


Composed (202)

...and the hills will start their chanting

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


3 Pieces for Orchestra

for orchestra, 14m


5757 A Symphonic Tone Poem

for orchestra, 22m


A Man Digs a Hole

for singer, accordion, guitar, violin, 2 violas and double bass, 4m 30s


A Soft Peace

for voice and chamber ensemble, 4m 14s


A Storm in a Teacup

for cello and piano


African Legacy

for acoustic guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass guitar, drums and taonga puoro with Maori and English vocals, 3m


Around

for 12 unspecified instruments, 1m


Art of the Sail

large-scale installation music/sculpture, Whangarei


Ascent

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 2m 43s


Baghdad Egg Face

for actor and improvising musicians


Ballet Music

for accordion, violin, viola, guitar and double bass, 10m


Bass Polka

for chamber sextet, 4m


Bird Without Wings

for female voice and ensemble, 14m


Blues for Dad

for violin and piano, 7m


Borderlines

a multi-media theatre work, 10m 38s


Bosnia

for string quartet


Bosnia Trio

for harpsichord trio, 11m


Brass Call

5m 9s


Caucasian Blood

for violin and piano


Celebrating Differences

for acoustic guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass guitar, drums and taonga puoro with Maori and English vocals, 2m


Chessboard Cowboy

for soprano saxophone and piano, with live processing, 4m


Circus Tango

for flute, clarinet, saxophone, guitar and percussion


City Raga

for violin and piano


Classical Challenge

for (improvising) chamber quintet, 4m


Cloud Formation Microscope

for soprano saxophone and piano, 4m


Coldwater Light Bulb

for bass clarinet and piano, 3m


Colonial Parade

for acoustic guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass guitar, drums and taonga puoro with Maori and English vocals, 2m


Dance of the Zestniks

for clarinet, 2 violins, percusssion, piano and double bass, 7m


danceabout

educational resource for dance (levels 1–6), 52m


Dark Wind

for violin and piano, 45m


Decision Time

for string quartet, 2m 45s


Dharti Ki Sair

for chamber orchestra, 25m


Dissent on Tone Row

for oboe, violin, viola and cello, 15m


Drive it

11m 40s


Duet for Soprano and Cello

for soprano and cello, 22m 15s


Duo for Violin and Piano

for violin and piano, 18m


Dust Bunny Meditation

for soprano saxophone and piano, with live processing, 3m


Earth Mix

electronic music performance work


Earthmix

7m 14s


Ecstasy

for chamber music septet


Effort

for (improvising) chamber quintet


Engaged

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 4m 4s


Eve of Yum Kippur

for string quartet


Falling in Love

for orchestra


Finale (1998)

for (improvising) chamber quintet, 6m


Finale - Stepping Over

for chamber ensemble, 7m


Five candle boats

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


Five New York Tone Rows

for piano, violin, accordion, guitar and acoustic/electric bass, 5m


Forever, unrequited

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


Four Symphonic Dances

for orchestra, 19m


From Knowledge

for voice and chamber ensemble, 3m 41s


From Knowledge Love Grows

for female voice and ensemble


Fruit Cake

for soprano saxophone and piano, 6m


Gamjam 1

improvisation for ensemble, 11m


Gamjam 2

improvisation for ensemble, 14m


Gamjam 3

improvisation for ensemble, 11m


Geosynchronous Hibernation

for soprano saxophone and piano, 1m


Gimel 1

for violin, accordion, clarinet, guitar and double bass, 3m


Gimel Piece

for clarinet, trumpet, accordion, vibraphone, drums, violin, viola, guitar and double bass, 5m


Going Up East Cape (Atmosphere 1)

for orchestra, 7m 15s


Grand Piano

for solo piano, 1m


He iti no, na te aroha

for acoustic guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass guitar, drums and taonga puoro with Maori and English vocals, 3m


He wai ma papa

for acoustic guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass guitar, drums and taonga puoro with Maori and English vocals, 2m


Hearth

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 2m 9s


Hiatus

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 2m 3s


His Hands Are Golden Rods

for voice and chamber ensemble, 5m 16s


Hokianga

for string quartet, 15m


Homage to Morton

for orchestra, 9m 30s


How You Love to Gaze

for voice and chamber ensemble, 3m 26s


Hudson River Pieces

for orchestra


Hudson River Pieces

for string quartet


I Do

4m 29s


I Sleep but My Heart Waketh

for voice and chamber ensemble, 7m 10s


Immaterial Elements

electronic work


In Seven Heaven

for string quartet, 1m 30s


Inferno

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 16m 37s


Introduction for an Unfinished Sweet

for soprano, lute, viol and recorder, 3m


Invention I

for prepared piano and violin, 4m


Invention II

for prepared piano and violin


It's My Belief

for voice and chamber ensemble, 4m 18s


Jaywalking

for violin and piano, 4m


Jean

ballet in three acts for full orchestra, based on the life of Jean Batten, 1h 30m


Jewish Symphony

for orchestra, 15m


Jupiter Rain

for (improvising) chamber quintet


Kiss Me My Darling

for voice and chamber ensemble, 3m 18s


Klez

for chamber quintet, 5m


Klez

for chamber septet, 5m


Klez

for string quartet, 5m


Klezmorim

for violin and piano, 4m


Lazy Sunday

for orchestra, 2m


Lazy Sunday Afternoon

for orchestra, 7m


Life is a Spider

music for film


Light Pressure Building

for voice and chamber ensemble, 6m 5s


Living Past

for solo violin, 10m 30s


Lonely Sunday

for (improvising) chamber quintet, 7m


Longing for the near horizon

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


Lovalova

for violin and piano


Lunear

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 4m 47s


Magnificent Photon

for soprano saxophone and piano, 2m


March

for (improvising) chamber quintet, 4m


March

for violin and piano


March Vivo

for violin and piano


Memorial to Marti

for string quartet, 7m 58s


Middle East

for (improvising) chamber quintet


Migration Music

for nonet and string orchestra


Miriam's dance

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


Mitzvah Round

for piano, violin, accordion, guitar and acoustic/electric bass, 4m


MND Violin and Viola Duo 1

for accordion, violin, viola, guitar and double bass, 3m


Monkey Monk

for violin and piano, 3m


Mr. Darwin's Dances

for octet, 24m


Mr. Darwin's Dances

for orchestra, 12m


Mr. Darwin's Dances (Suite)

for full orchestra, 16m


N-Trance

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 5m 9s


Niu Tireni

music composed to accompany an exhibition, 24m


No Riff

for orchestra, 10m


No Tango Today

for violin and piano, 3m


Noche Flamenco

for violin and piano


Oh Solomon

for voice and chamber ensemble, 4m 32s


Old Jewish Dance

for violin and piano


Orchestra Chromatica

for orchestra, 6m 30s


Orua Bay

for orchestra, 8m


Passing

for string quartet, 2m 30s


Passover Dance

for orchestra, 8m 16s


Piano Trio No. 1

for violin, cello and piano


Play-On

educational resource for young musicians


Ponsonby Road 1

for string orchestra, 4m


Precious Legacy

for chamber quintet


Precious Legacy

for piano, guitar, vibraphone/percussion and cello, 7m 20s


Precious Legacy Suite

for chamber ensemble, 30m


Predawn Meditation

for string orchestra, 10m


Predawn Meditation

for orchestra, 10m


Prime Minister Suite

for chamber sextet, 8m


Re-entry

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 2m 7s


Red Shift

5m 26s


Reflections in Thirds

for orchestra


Resolution

for piano, violin, accordion, guitar and acoustic/electric bass


Road to Outram

music for video, 25m


Romantic Rite

for violin and piano, 9m


Ruins (2084)

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 10m 40s


Sail ' Till the Seas Run Dry, Fiddle and Hornpipe

for clarinet, accordion, violin, viola, guitar/banjo/mandolin and double bass, 7m


September

for string quartet, 5m


Septet

for 3 violins, viola, cello, piano and electric bass, 12m


Shimmering Stillness

for piano, violin, accordion, guitar and acoustic/electric bass, 3m


Shine

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


Shine

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 3m 11s


Six Short Pieces

for electronic tape, 12m


Sleeping Wheel

for soprano saxophone and piano, 5m


Solemnity

for piano, violin, accordion, guitar and acoustic/electric bass


Space Music

4m 14s


Spinner

an improvised work for pipe organ and electric guitar, 2m 14s


Spring Rain Before Blossom

for violin and piano, 2m


Steam Engine Love Letter

for soprano saxophone and piano, with live processing, 3m


Stillness

for violin and piano


Stretto and Round

for piano, violin, accordion, guitar and acoustic/electric bass, 6m


Summer Riffs

for chamber sextet, 8m


Sun Rise

for string quartet, 2m 15s


Sunday Night

for (improvising) chamber quintet, 3m


Suzy-in-Spain

semi-improvised pieces


System Piece 1

for chamber orchestra with ad lib. musicians


System Piece 2

for chamber orchestra with ad lib. musicians


The 12

for orchestra, 9m


The day becomes what you are

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


The Fried Judge

for bass clarinet and piano, 4m


The Manukau Heads

for orchestra


The mourning tree

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


The Muslin Room

music theatre, 40m


The Sea

incidental music


The sweet perfume, the mysterious air

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


The Watch Bells

music for 22 bells for gallery installation, 13m


Three Choral Pieces

for women's choir, 8m


Three Ecstasy Pieces

for chamber orchestra with optional ad lib. musicians


Three Impressions

for violin and piano, 15m


Three Pieces from ‘Ecstasy Suite’

for oboe, clarinet, violin, viola and double bass


Time and Place

for vocalists and ensemble, 12m 30s


To remake the night for fish

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


Tomato Blade

for bass clarinet and piano, 2m


Travelling Music

for chamber sextet or chamber quintet, 5m


Tribute to Bali

for mixed chamber sextet, 5m


Tuesday from a Musical Diary

for clarinet, 2 violins, percusssion, piano and double bass, 8m


Turn

for piano, violin, accordion, guitar and acoustic/electric bass, 4m


Une chikonzero

for acoustic guitar, keyboard, percussion, bass guitar, drums and taonga puoro with Maori and English vocals, 4m


Waitemata Harbour

for violin and piano, 6m


Waltz For

for chamber septet or chamber quintet, 7m


Water Music

6m 21s


We go without language

for chamber ensemble and gamelan ensemble


Wellington Harbour

for violin (or other feature instrument) and piano, 7m


Wellington Harbour

for bass clarinet and piano, 6m


Woodwind Quintet

for woodwind quintet


Would Not Let Him Go

for voice and chamber ensemble, 3m 54s


Wynyard Quarter

for string quartet, 1m 30s


Yiddish Dance. Blues

for violin and piano


You Got Your Wish

for violin, accordion, guitar, electric bass, piano, percussion and singer


Zelanian Music

for flute, clarinet, viola and piano, 9m


Zesty

for string quartet, 10m



Performances (2)

Jonathan Besser and The Zestniks

The Zestniks are a band of leading Auckland musicians performing Jonathan Besser's contrapuntal B...


Creative Jazz Club Aotearoa | Jonathan Besser & The Zestniks

__Jonathan Besser__ | piano __Peau Halapua__ | violin __Sophie Buxton__ | viola __Finn S...