about Saul Davis Zlatkovski

            SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKI

Teacher:

Saul Davis Zlatkovski offers harp instruction for all ages. His courses of instruction are tailored to the needs of children and young adults, adults, professionals;and he offers a special intensive conservatory preparatory program for beginners and high-school age intermediate-advanced players. College and graduate-level study is available through several institutions in the region of high academic standing. His studio provides intimate instruction in the craft of harp technique, the art of interpretation and performing, and the cultivation of tone quality. Folk harp instruction is provided as well as concert harp. He brings to lessons his devotion to classical music and its traditional methods, and the ideal of creating beauty. Individual lessons and group classes are arranged as needed. As it may not be obvious to all, it bears pointing out that harp study is for boys and young men just as much as for girls and young women. Popular music may be included along with folk music and preclassical music.

His studio is conveniently located in Center City Philadelphia, adjacent to all forms of transportation. His fees are proportionate to the instruction provided and his expertise. Scholarship opportunities are available in special cases. Lessons are provided on a semester basis year-round. There may be additional master classes, concerts, and special events. Please use the contact information for more details. The total hours of teaching are limited to allow for preparation, composing and concert activity, so serious inquiries are preferred. General information may be provided about harps. Lessons may include rental of an instrument when available. Harps are inexpensive to rent, and easily available at most times, including for purchase. The cost is comparable to a car, from used lemon to brand new, from basic compact to deluxe sedan. One fine harp will last fifty years or more, unlike automobiles, and provide good resale value as well.

Instruction is conducted in his studio, exceptions possible in very few circumstances. The students concentrate and learn better there than in their home. They will be expected to practice from one to six hours a day, depending on seriousness of their study. A high school student should expect to practice up to two hours unless preparing for conservatory or professional work, in which case more than three hours are needed. Harp study should be the primary focus aside from school except for other artistic study.

Coaching is available for any instrumentalist or ensemble, in addition to the serious harpist preparing for auditions, competitions or performances. Master classes are also provided, including instruction in the Sonatine by Alberto Ginastera, the performance of music by Carlos Salzedo.

Saul Davis
1929 Chestnut Street, Suite 2F
Philadephia, PA 19103
(215) 563-4848

SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKY
Author

Saul Davis has published many articles about the harp and has also written about dance, and humor. His articles on dance have been published in Dancemagazine and New York Perspectives. He is Harp Editor for String Notes, and contributes to American Harp Journal and Philadelphia Music Makers and American String Teacher. He has had a cartoon published in the New Yorker in collaboration with Bud Handelsman, and contributed to Baby Split Bowling News. He has served as Harp Editor for String Notes, the journal of the Minnesota chapter of ASTA/NSOA since 1999, contributing articles and columns three times a year. He is now contributing to American String Teacher, the national publication of ASTA (American String Teachers Association). He serves as an editorial advisory board member for Philadelphia Music Makers, a new classical music magazine, and has contributed several article about historic harpists in Philadelphia and other topics. He has written about ballerina and teacher Nina Stroganova for Dancemagazine, and also served as the first Music Editor for their Stern's Annual Directory of the Performing Arts. He wrote about the state of dance studios in New York and their future in NY Perspectives, and about performances. He has contributed reviews to CAB magazine as well. He occasionally writes poetry and lyrics. He has written a children's story and is working on a collection of his articles, Harpnotes. He has composed several ballet libretti.

Saul Davis
1929 Chestnut Street, Suite 2F
Philadephia, PA 19103
(215) 563-4848

   SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKI 

Saul Davis Zlatkovski is a professional harpist and composer residing in Philadelphia. He currently studies  composition with Harold Boatrite. While a student at Macalester, three of his compositions were played by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra under William McGlaughlin.

Mr. Zlatkovsky was recently honored with the premieres of two of his compositions for harp at the 2004 National Conference of the American Harp Society at University of Pennsylvania's Irvine Auditorium. His American Pictures: Prairie Night was performed by Emily Halpern Lewis of the faculty of Boston University, and Suite Provencal for harp duo was performed by Sonja Wangensteen and Piper Runnion-Bareford of the Curtis Institute of Music. They are students of Judy Loman at Curtis, where the work was coached by Mr. Zlatkovski and previewed on the 2004 Harp Studio Recital. Mr. Zlatkovski was commissioned by Simpson-Flanagan Harp Duo to arrange for them Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp in a new version for Flute and Harp Duo and Orchestra.

His vocal music includes Haven, an SATB choral setting of a poem by Bradley Steffens, which was premiered at Mayflower Congregational Church in Minneapolis. He has composed and written lyrics for cabaret songs and collaborated with lyricist Rosalie Calabrese.

Harp music by Mr. Davis includes: Suite Provencal for harp duo, Three Barcarolles, Interlude in Locrian mode, Nocturne (published by Harpiana Publications). He has received several awards from ASCAP in recognition of his achievements.

He is a skilled editor of harp music and has edited music by Claude Debussy, Alberto Ginastera, and Harry Hewitt. He has received commissions from the Simpson-Flanagan Harp Duo and from Alison Simpson.

Mr. Davis is included in Penn Sounds, a biographical dictionary of Pennsylvania composers. He is a member of ASCAP, NAC/USA and The Musical Fund Society.

Inquiries for commissions for new works or editing, transcription, and arrangement projects are welcome.

Saul Davis
1929 Chestnut Street, Suite 2F
Philadephia, PA 19103
(215) 563-4848

SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKI
HARPIST

Saul Davis, harpist, has specialized in well-chosen thematic programs of fine repertoire, featuring revivals of rare and neglected works, premieres, and his own compositions and transcriptions. He has been the recipient of grants, awards and fellowships from the Presser Foundation, the Pultusker Fund for Young Musicians, Chautauqua Institution, Macalester College, and the Tanglewood Harp Symposium.

As soloist with orchestra Mr. Davis has performed with New York's Bloomingdale Chamber Orchestra in Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp, and St. Paul's J.C.C. Symphony Orchestra in Nicolai Berezowsky's Concerto for Harp. He has performed several programs in New York City, with faculty recitals for Roosa School of Music, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and Hebrew Arts School; two recitals for the Nicholas Roerich Museum, at the Bloomingdale House of Music and Congregation Habonim in New York City. He performed for Temple Bath Abraham of Tarrytown, New York and in several churches in New York City. He performed with the NYC Gay Men's Chorus at Carnegie and Avery Fisher Halls, and at Avery Fisher Hall in the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra. He has performed at Macalester College as part of a residency in a solo recital program. He has performed many times at Macalester College; and in the Twin Cities at Mayflower and Colonial Churches, Mt. Zion and Temple of Aaron Synagogues, and St. Paul's Jewish Community Center. He appeared on live radio broadcasts from WNYC Around New York and KSJN/Minnesota Public Radio The Morning Show.

In contemporary music Mr. Davis has performed in the premieres of works by composers Robert Moran, Joseph Hannon, Deniz Ulben, Dennis Riley, John David Earnest and others at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Asia Society, Merkin Concert Hall, and St. John the Divine Cathedral. He was personally coached by composer John Cage in two of his works for harp. In 1990 he revived the Concerto for Harp by Nicolai Berezowsky, giving the first performances since its premiere season in 1945, with pianist Frank Daykin, and with St. Paul's Jewish Community Center Symphony Orchestra. His recital programs have featured the world premieres of works by Carlos Salzedo, Mr. Davis, and the U.S. premiere of Four Diatonic Caprices by Alexander Tcherepnin.

Mr. Davis served as principal harpist for Chautauqua Festival Orchestra, Minneapolis Civic Orchestra, and toured with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. As a freelance musician in New York, Mr. Davis performed with ensembles including Concert Royal Baroque Orchestra, New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, Bloomingdale Chamber Orchestra, in the off-Broadway showsThe Fantasticks, and Dodgson, and was musical director for Tabula Spectacula, which toured New York City with his chamber-music group Psyche Ensemble.

After relocating to Pennsylvania Mr. Davis co-founded the Aeolian Harps Concert Harp Duo with Virginia Flanagan, which presented its program Dance Tapestry on the Doylestown Festival of the Arts Series to a standing ovation. He performed with Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra in original solos, with Music Group of Philadephia, and at the Presbyterian Churches of Germantown, Doylestown, Wilmington, and Haddonfield. He has been affiliated with Windgarth Conservatory of Music, and was artist-in-residence at Wilkes University. He has performed with violinist Robin Mayforth, cellist Doug McNames, and tenor Hugh Smith. He performed a solo recital for the Philadelphia chapter of the American Harp Society. He coached harp students of the Curtis Institute of Music in performances of his composition Suite Provencal for Harp Duo which they premiered at the national conference of the American Harp Society of 2004. During that same conference, his composition Prairie Night was premiered by Emily Halpern Lewis of the Boston University faculty.

As a teacher, Mr. Davis served on the faculties of the Roosa School of Music, the Hebrew Arts Center, Lucy Moses School of Music and Dance, and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and maintains a private studio. He has held a residency at Macalester College, performing, guest lecturing and conducting a master class in harp for the students there. He has coached at the Curtis Institute of Music Harp Department in Philadelphia.

Mr. Davis attended MacPhail School of Music, Macalester College, Tanglewood, and Manhattan School of Music, where he received the Master of Music degree, studying with the legendary Lucile Lawrence. He also studied with Miss Lawrence at Tanglewood, with Alice Chalifoux at the Salzedo School, chamber music with Gary Graffman, and performed in master class with Heidi Lehwalder. He has coached with maestro Robert Luther, pianist Earl Wild, and flutist Sue Anne Kahn.

INTERESTS: An interest in dance led to study with ballerina Nina Stroganova and Vladimir Dokoudovsky, and jazz-dance choreographer Betsy Haug, for whom he produced a week-long master class at New York's Broadway Dance Center. As a writer on the arts he has published articles and reviews in Dancemagazine, NY Perspectives, CAB Magazine, and humor in The New Yorker, and Baby Split Bowling News. He is currently Harp Editor for String Notes and a contributor to American Harp Journal, Philadelphia Music Makers magazine (for which he is also a board member) and American String Teacher. He has written many ballet librettos and is also a lyricist. He is a member of ASCAP, the Tcherepnin Society, American Harp Society, and ASTA. He was the first ballet librettist to become a member of the Dramatists Guild.

Contact: Da Costa Music House
1929 Chestnut Street, Suite 2F, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
(215) 563-4848

SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKY
HARPIST
SOLO REPERTOIRE

(selected partial list)

SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKY
HARPIST
CONCERTO REPERTOIRE

BEREZOWSKY, Nicolai	Concerto for Harp, op. 31 (25')
	*3,2,*3,2;4,2,3,0;timp,perc,str
CAPLET, Andre	CONTE FANTASTIQUE "Masque of the Red Death" (15')
	harp and string orchestra
COWELL, Henry	DUO CONCERTANTE for Flute, Harp and Symphony Orchestra (18')
	3,*3,*3,3;4 hn; 3,3,1,0; 2perc, piano, cel, strings
DEBUSSY, Claude	DANSES SACREE ET PROFANE (12')
	harp and string orchestra
DITTERSDORF, Karl Ditters von	CONCERTO for Harp in A (Zlatkovsky edition) (20')
	2 ob, 2 hn, strings
DUSSEK, J.L.	CONCERTO (15')
	2 ob, 2 hn, strings
GINASTERA, Alberto	CONCERTO for harp, op. 25 (20')
	*2,2,2,2;2 hn;2,2,0,0; 4 timp, 4 perc, cel, str: 12, 8,8, 4,4,4
HANDEL, G.F.	CONCERTO for Harp, op. 4, no. 6 (15')
	2 rec (fl), strings
HARTMANN, Thomas de	"LA GUZLA" CONCERTO for Harp and Orchestra op. 72 (world premiere)	(cadenza by Zlatkovsky)
full orchestra
HOVHANESS, Alan	CONCERTO for Harp and Strings, percussion (18')
MOZART, Wolfgang	CONCERTO for Flute and Harp, k.299 (30') (Salzedo edition)
	2 ob, 2 hn, strings
PANUFNIK, Andrzej	SINFONIA CONCERTANTE for flute, harp, and strings (20')
RAVEL, Maurice	INTRODUCTION AND ALLEGRO for harp and chamber ensemble or orchestra
	fl, cl, strings
SAINT-SAENS, Camille	MORCEAU DE CONCERT for harp and orchestra (15')
SALZEDO, Carlos	ENCHANTED ISLE, tone poem for harp and orchestra (15')
	*3,*3,2,*3;4,2,3,1;timp,perc,cel,xyl;strings
	CONCERTO FOR HARP AND SEVEN WINDS (18')
	1,1,2,1;hn,trp
	PREAMBULE ET JEUX FOR HARP AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA (12')
	1,1,0,1;hn; strings
THIRIET, Maurice	INTRODUCTION, CHANSON ET RONDE for harp and orchestra
THOMSON, Virgil	AUTUMN CONCERTINO FOR HARP, STRINGS, PERCUSSION (12')
WHITE, Paul	SEA CHANTY for harp and strings (15')

 

 

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EVENTS & CONCERTS

FEBRUARY 27th, 2005, Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia
American Harp Society presents Saul Davis Zlatkovsky
in a program in remembrance of Lucile Lawrence
featuring selections from the following:

• Dussek: Sonatinas I, IV
• Anonymous: Pavane
• Daquin: L'Hirondelle
• Tambourin
• Debussy: Arabesque
• Handel/Salzedo The Harmonious Blacksmith
• Prokofiev: Prelude in C
• Salzedo: Mirage, Suite of Eight Dances

All contents copyright �2004 by Saul Davis.