biography.

Dr. J.A. Kawarsky (b. 1959) is Professor of Music Theory and Composition at  Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Princeton, NJ. Dr. Kawarsky  received his B.M. in composition from Iowa State University and his M.M. and  D.M.A. from Northwestern University. At Northwestern he studied with John  Paynter, Alan Stout and Frederick Ockwell. In 1982, Dr. Kawarsky conducted  the Opera Company of the Negev Region in Be’er Sheva, Israel. Before coming  to Westminster in 1989, he taught at Fort Hays State University, the University  of Wisconsin, and Moraine Valley Community College.  

A well-known coach and director/conductor in the theater world, Dr. Kawarsky  conducted the 2007 national tour of Peter Pan and prepared the music for the  2nd national tour of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He has been a music director at  Stagedoor Manor, French Woods, Harand Camp for the Arts, Long Lake Camp  of the Arts in New York, as well as for the Franklin Theatre Works of Clinton,  NJ.  

He was the founding conductor of the New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus (Delaware  Valley Men’s Chorus), and has also served as conductor of the Lehigh Valley Gay  Men’s Chorus, Voices Chorale and was chosen to conduct Sing for the Cure for  the Komen Foundation National Conference in 2002, and transcribe a  new/reduced orchestration of the work.  
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As a composer, he has written for all genres including solo instrument, orchestra,  band, choral, vocal and theater. Recently, he received his 13th Composer Award  from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). His 40-minute composition Prayers for Bobby for choir, orchestra, narrator and  soloists, has received numerous performances throughout the United States and  Canada and was recorded by the New Jersey Gay Men’s Chorus and members of  the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC. Dr. Kawarsky has been  commissioned by numerous ensembles for original works and arrangements. In  October of 2006, he was awarded the Outstanding Alumnus award from Iowa  State University and was presented with a premiere of a new work for wind  ensemble and alto saxophone solo, Fastidious Notes. In 2009, 17 universities  throughout the United States commissioned him to compose a new symphonic band work. The resulting composition, Red Training Reels, was premiered in the  September 2010. From 2010-2014, Dr. Kawarsky collaborated with  lyricist/librettist Francine M. Gordon on the cantata Sacred Rights, Sacred Song,  for choir, narrator and chorus and has been performed throughout the USA and  Israel. Three movements from Sacred Rights, Sacred Song have been translated and  will be performed and recorded this coming November in Havana, Cuba. The  Five Step Program for the Encore Vocal Arts of Indianapolis was commissioned  and premiered in 2016. His choral work Unending Love was commissioned by the  New Jersey Choral Group Sharim v’Sharot and was premiered in May 2016, and  was subsequently recorded by Clarum Sonum as part of the Westminster  Composer’s Project. Recently the Moravian Philharmonic recorded his  symphonic work And We All Waited… having been premiered by Wichita State  University. His composition for piano and orchestra Episodes was recorded with  Peter Laul, piano and the St. Petersburg State Philharmonic conducted by  Vladimir Lande and released this past spring on Navona Recordings (Naxos).  Most recently, Parma recorded his work Grace Dances for string Quartet and  Oboe in Havana, Cuba which is to be released this autumn by Navona, and his  Fastidious Notes for saxophone and orchestra was recorded in Chicago in May,  2017 by the Chicago Arts Ensemble with Jonathan Helton, saxophone. Recently  he completed a new accompaniment to the Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes to be  premiered and recorded in Spring 2018 by the University of Arizona and  members of the Tucson Symphony. Recently Dr. Kawarsky recorded a  commission from the Siberian State Philharmonic, Charlottesville: 12 August  2017. His latest work Charlottesville: 12 August 2017 for chamber orchestra and  mezzo-soprano is to be recorded in the autumn of 2012. His music is published  by Yelton Rhodes Music, Transcontinental Music, Southern Music, G.I.A. and T.U.X. People's Music.

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Societyofcomposers.org/members/JayKawarsky/

PUBLICATIONS.

Unending Love

$3.75

Creed

$3.75