Alfred Momotenko-Levitsky
| Alfred Momotenko-Levitsky | |
|---|---|
 Alfred Momotenko ConcertzaalT Wikipedia.jpg | |
| Born | 7 August 1970 Lvov, Ukrainian SSR, USSR |
| Other names | Fred Momotenko |
| 🏫 Education | |
| 💼 Occupation |
|
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Babette Appels |
| 🌐 Website | alfredmomotenko.com |
Alfred Momotenko-Levitsky (Russian: Альфред Момотенко-Левицкий; born 7 August 1970), also known as Fred Momotenko, is a Russian and Dutch composer, percussionist, and sound engineer.[1] Born into a musical family, he pursued studies in music in the Soviet Union before eventually settling in the Netherlands. His early works were electronic and multimedia pieces, but a commission led him to discover Alfred Schnittke's Choir Concerto, which influenced his later works with elements of Znamenny and Byzantine chant.
Early life and education[edit]
Momotenko was born in Lvov, Ukrainian SSR on 7 August 1970.[2] His father was a military doctor, choirmaster, and pianist, while his mother was a singer and actress. This musical background shaped his interest in vocal music.
Due to a sibling's illness, his family moved to Sochi, Russian SFSR, exposing him to diverse cultures that influenced his musical development. He began studying percussion and conducting in Sochi and later graduated from the Moscow State Institute of Culture. During this time, he explored electronic music and the works of Karlheinz Stockhausen and György Ligeti.
In 1990, Momotenko was invited to perform in the Netherlands, leading to his enrollment at the Brabant Conservatory. There, he studied composition under Willem Jeths, Alexandru Hrisanide, Vinko Globokar, and Roderik de Man.
Career[edit]
Momotenko's early career focused on jazz and light music before shifting to contemporary classical music. He explored combining acoustic and electronic instruments and studied sonology at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. His works during this period included multimedia compositions, but he eventually returned to vocal music, influenced by Alfred Schnittke's Choir Concerto.
In recent years, Momotenko has studied Znamenny and Byzantine chant, incorporating these styles into his compositions. He regrets not having learned chant earlier, noting that Soviet composition students were limited by socialist realism.
Personal life[edit]
Momotenko is a sound engineer and has criticized the Dutch government's lack of arts funding. He is married to Babette Appels and identifies as a Dutch composer, admiring Dutch ingenuity and their approach to land reclamation.
Compositions[edit]
Some of Momotenko's notable compositions include:
| Title | Instrumentation | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menuetto | Organ | 2001 | |
| Drinklied | Voice and vibraphone | 2002 | Based on a poem by Gerrit Krol |
| Na Strastnoy | SATB choir | 2017 | Based on a poem from Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago |
| Our Father | SATB choir | 2019 | Setting of the Lord's Prayer in Old Church Slavonic |
| Earth's Prayers | Orchestra | 2021 | Companion to Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde |
References[edit]
- ↑ "Fred Momotenko". Donemus.
- ↑ "7 Августа в истории". Классическая музыка [Classical Music].
External links[edit]
This article "Alfred Momotenko-Levitsky" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Alfred Momotenko-Levitsky. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
