LIFE AND WORK
Maestro SERGIU NATRA of international reputation is one of the greatest and best classical composers in the world in all times.
His creations belong to the best, most creative and greatest symphonies, orchestral and chamber music works, created in the world since ever, among which the works mentioned bellow. He is the best composer in Israel in all times.
NATRA born in 1924 (Bucharest) in a family- NADLER, LÖEW and LUSTGARTEN, originating in Germany, Czech Republic and Austria.
Been exposed in his childhood, especially at home, to serious classical music and to its sounds ambience, the ambition to become a composer and to compose music was lighted up in him. At the age of six he had began particular music and piano studies that included analyzing musical texts, which were followed by studies at the Jewish conservatory (1942) and at the Music Academy of Bucharest (1953). His studies were at the highest level and included all the courses, among which, theory, composition, orchestration, conducting, jazz, modern music, with prominent composers such as Leon Klepper and Michael Andricu. Shortly afterward he started to teach modern music, been one of the most modernist and revolutionary composer.
NATRA began composing at an early age and already in his youth he was considered a genius in composing music, very innovative, revolutionary, modernist and a pioneer. His works were performed frequently by symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles in East Europe. For the works March and Coral for symphony orchestra and Future In The Past for symphony string orchestra (short symphony) he was awarded (at the age 21) the very prestigious award, at that period one of the most important award in the world, the Enescu composition award, personally by Enescu himself who predicted a "very bright future" to the young composer. Shortly afterward he was awarded (age 27) the Country National Award. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra performed March and Coral already in 1947 under the baton of Edward Lindenberg.
During the horrors of the Nazis and afterward during the communist regime, NATRA SERGIU and his family, Holocaust survivors and who were considered part of the "elite", suffered from persecution, forced labor, prison time and confiscation of all their properties. Some of the composer's music creations were not preserved and destroyed.
The symphony Earth and Water for symphony orchestra, was his last work that was performed in Romania before immigrating to Israel. A period of three years after submitting the emigration request to the authorities and until emigrating to Israel in 1961 he and his wife Sonia- well known sculptor and artist worldwide, had been under a ban from publishing and exercising any professional activities.
A year after immigrating to Israel the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sergiu Comissiona, performed the Horizons Symphony for string orchestra. Music for Violin and Harp was performed by the violinist Miriam Fried and the French harpist Francoise Netter afterwards.
Although the fact that NATRA is the best and most prominent composer in Israel, incredibly he had suffered, as others, from the actions and attempts by incompetent, incapable, unprofessional and corrupted individuals, including low quality composers who have been heavily involved in music politics and organization, of suppressing talented composers and preventing the performances of excellent and high quality creations.
For sixty years the composer is involved in important frameworks which are related to music and the harp, to which he has a special affinity, as a senior management member, a judge and an important composer. This includes activities in the well known International Harp Contest in Israel and in the World Harp Congress.
Alongside composing music, Prof. NATRA had taught outstanding students and between 1975 -1985 he lectured as a professor at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv University, the 20th century music, composition and forms analysis. Over the years, he nurtured, outlined the way and left his mark on generations of students. With many of his students he kept excellent personal and professional relations to this very day. Prof. NATRA important contribution in the field of musical study, theory and composition in Israel and abroad was for forty years. As an excellent lecturer and a professor with a very extensive knowledge and deep understanding in the fields of classical music and its sources, in the study of theory, shape analysis and composition, he lectured and taught with a great devotion all his students. With some of them he maintains rare friendships and professional relations. As always he was unstinting with his time and attention and uncompromising in his insistence on excellence, though always had patience and gentility.
The extent of his knowledge and the quality of his teaching is undoubtedly also manifested in the fact that his students had reach excellent achievement, some had turned to be successful composers, conductors and musicians all over the world. Many of those who were fortunate and had the opportunity to study with him, had attest that they understood later on the tremendous importance of what they had received and learned from NATRA as well as about the significant advantage they had obtained due to him, relative to others. They had also realized the feasibility of the ideas expressed by him, among others, that music - composition and performance, must be treated as a living organ. He had an exceptional and rare ability, as well as willingness, to teach and work with gifted students at their early age and in their most formative stage of musical development, a period when it is the most difficult to communicate with them. Few composers in NATRA's status, were unselfish in dedicating their precious time to very young musicians.
NATRA had created over 130 music works, including 15 symphonies, which belong to the greatest symphonic, orchestral and chamber music works in the world. This despite the ordeal and restrictions from which he and his family had suffered over the years. There is no doubt that if this composer had been active in different places and times, the world of music would have been enriched by hundreds additional wonderful and diversified creations of this exceptional composer.
He continues to create and in the recent years he had composed several new works, including Nehemiah Symphony for orchestra which was performed (partially) with great success by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (2010), the symphonic orchestras in Germany and Russia, Cantosonata for Harp premiered in Taiwan (2012), Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (2011) and Esquisses for Flute and Piano (2013) premiered in 2016, Konzertstuck for Two Pianos and symphony orchestra, Future In The Past for Piano in Four Hands, premiered in 2016 USA, A Dialog with Gabi for piano, Symphony in Red, Blue, Yellow and Green- the best symphony ever written by an Israeli composer, was premiered in 2015 and would be performed in Europe and in the USA, Memories Symphony, Ode To The Harp which would be performed at the World Harp Congress and USAHIC and 2020 Symphony.
He continues to create and in the recent years he had composed several new works, including Nehemiah Symphony for orchestra which was performed (partially) with great success by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (2010), the symphonic orchestras in Germany and Russia, Cantosonata for Harp premiered in Taiwan (2012), Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (2011) and Esquisses for Flute and Piano (2013) premiered in 2016, Konzertstuck for Two Pianos and symphony orchestra, Future In The Past for Piano in Four Hands, premiered in 2016 USA, A Dialog with Gabi for piano, Symphony in Red, Blue, Yellow and Green- the best symphony ever written by an Israeli composer, was premiered in 2015 and would be performed in Europe and in the USA, Memories Symphony, Ode To The Harp which would be performed at the World Harp Congress and USAHIC and 2020 Symphony.
Composing and creating classic music with the highest quality - which is by far the most difficult, complicated and challenging task in music and in art, at an age of 96, is extremely rare and is a virtue of only extremely talented and very professional composers.
NATRA SERGIU and his wife SONIA, have two sons, Danny and Gabi.
ANOTHER VIEW
Additional information at THE COMPOSER page
ANOTHER VIEW
Additional information at THE COMPOSER page
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