Sergiu Natra

Sergiu Natra

Sergiu Natra (born 12 April 1924) is an Israeli composer of Romanian birth.

He is particularly well known for his compositions for the harp, including Music for Violin and Harp (1960), Sonatina (1964), Prayer (1970), Divertimento (1976), Music for Nicanor (1988), Trio in One Movement nr. 2 (2006), Sonata for Four Harps (1993), and Cantosonata 2011. [1]

Life and work

Natra was born in Bucharest, he began particular music studies in 1932, continued at the Jewish conservatory (1942) and graduated from the Music Academy of Bucharest (1954).[2] He studied, among others, theory, composition and orchestration with Leon Klepper and modern music with Michael Andricu.

He began composing at a the age of 16 and his work in 1944 for orchestras, called "March and Chorale", earned him the status of a modernist in Romania. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra performed this work in 1947 under the direction of Edward Lindenberg. For this work and for the "Divertimento in ancient style" from 1943, he received the Enescu prize.

In 1961, Natra and his wife, Sonia, a sculptor and a multidisciplinary artist, emigrated to Israel.[3] A year later, conducted by Sergiu Comissiona, the Israel Philharmonic performed the "Symphony for strings", which was the last piece he had written in Romania; and the "Music for violin and harp", performed by the violinist Miriam Fried and the French harpist Françoise Netter.

Besides composing music, professor Natra taught music. In 1975, Natra was a guest professor at Tel-Aviv University, where he taught music of the 20th century, composition, and analysis of forms. He was a professor at the Tel-Aviv Music Academy until 1985. Among his hundreds of students were the conductor Lior Shambadal, composers Erel Paz, Ella Milch-Sheriff, Deborah Rothstein Schramm, Dror Elimelech, violinist Yehonatan Berick, pianists Sally Pinkas, Eugene Alcalay, Sivan Silver and Gil Garburg, Dr. Eran Lupu and many others.

Natra and his wife Sonia, have two sons, Danny and Gabi

Main works

-- Most of the above related scores were published at IMI [6] Tel-Aviv or at Harposphere, Paris [7]

Awards

References

  1. ↑ Toeplitz, Uri and Seter, Ronit. "Natra, Sergiu [Nadler, Serge]". In Macy, Laura. Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. (subscription required) (Print version: Sadie, Stanley (ed.), The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Macmillan, 1980, Vol. 13 p. 76. ISBN 0-333-23111-2)
  2. ↑ Cummings, David (ed.), "Natra, Sergiu", International Who's Who in Classical Music, Routledge, 2000, p. 261. ISBN 0-948875-53-4
  3. ↑ Ben, Itzhak (ed.), "Natra, Sonia", Who's Who in Israel and Jewish Personalities from All Over the World, Bronfman, 1985, p. 237
  4. ↑ Oestreich, James. R., "A Harp Commands the Spotlight", New York Times, 10 May 1990
  5. ↑ International harp Contest in Israel
  6. ↑ The Israel Music Institute
  7. ↑ Harposphere Paris
  8. ↑ World Harp Congress

External links