Shie Rozow

Film and television composer Shie Rozow announces the release of his first classical CD Musical Fantasy on 4Tay Records (CD 4047). The album features performances by the Lyris Quartet, violist Luke Maurer, pianist Robert Thies and French horn player Brian O'Connor's final recording.

'I've always been drawn to and intimidated by writing for solo instruments', says Rozow. 'When writing for a solo instrument or a small chamber group like a string quartet, there is nothing to hide behind. The spotlight is on the singular voice.'

Musical Fantasy features Fantasia Appassionata for solo piano, Expedition for string quartet, Esmé's Moon for solo piano, Old Friends for viola, and Ananke for French horn. Fantasia Appassionata was inspired by the story of Alice Herz-Sommer. 'Arrested by the Nazis during World War II, she was sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp, where she would be imprisoned until the end of the war', Rozow explains. 'Being a musician, her life was spared and she was forced to play concerts for guards and fellow prisoners during Red-Cross visits as part of Germany's propaganda effort to hide their crimes against humanity. After her release, she continued to play piano daily for the rest of her long life, passing in 2014 aged 110. When I first heard her story, I was so taken by her beautiful spirit that I stopped what I was doing and immediately wrote this piece.'

Shie Rozow is a composer, music editor and music supervisor for film, TV and interactive media. Born in Tel-Aviv, he was introduced to the piano at five years old. As his affair with music evolved, he became fascinated with the technology of producing music, throwing himself into the world of synthesis, sampling and sequencing. Following his high-school graduation, he spent three years serving with distinction in the Israeli Defense Force before attending Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Ramat HaSharon, a northern suburb of Tel-Aviv, where he began his formal musical training. Shie went on to earn a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he completed his bachelor's degree majoring in film scoring and graduating Magna Cum Laude. Following his graduation, he moved to Los Angeles and built a career as composer, music editor and music supervisor for film, TV and interactive media. Shie's Expedition, a four-movement string quartet, was premiered by the Lyris Quartet in January 2016 as part of Los Angeles-based Contemporary Performance Collective's CPC II concert. His classical works include his scores to Bonneville, for ten strings, flutes, piano, guitar and percussion and to The Remembering Movies for chamber ensemble, the orchestral works Immortal Beloved, The Road Not Taken, For King & Country, Warrior and Staredown, orchestra and choir works Self-Sacrifice and Battle Cry, Endless Horizon for orchestra and acoustic guitar, Off Road for orchestra, choir and synths, Cat & Mouse and Chaos Theory for orchestra and synth percussion and Michelangelo for small orchestra and choir. Many of these have been used as film cues.

His film and TV work has earned him thirteen Golden Reel Award nominations, including two wins - the first as assistant music editor for the hit musical Chicago, and the second as music editor for IMAX: Deep Sea. He lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, two sons and their pets.

Over the many years Shie spent working primarily as a music editor for film, he explains that he was able to form friendships with some of the world's finest musicians:

'During breaks I'd often go and talk to the musicians, ask questions and try to learn and absorb as much as I could. One of these incredible musicians was Brian O'Connor. One of the top horn players in Hollywood, he played on thousands of scores for legendary composers like Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Danny Elfman and countless more, often as principal horn. Whenever I'd see him on a scoring stage we'd end up talking, and inevitably he would show me new techniques, discuss musical ideas and generally enhance my knowledge of the French horn and what it can do.'

Rozow wrote Ananke for Brian to perform. Sadly, it would turn out to be the final recording by O'Connor, who succumbed to brain cancer earlier this year. 'I will forever be grateful for his kindness, generosity and outstanding musicality', Rozow stated.

4Tay Records will release Musical Fantasy - Works by Shie Rozow (CD 4047) on 24 May 2016.

Information: www.shierozow.com

Posted: 14 May 2016

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