Karel Volniansky

Karel Volniansky (1965) was born in St.-Petersburg, Russia. At the age of ten he began his music studies. In 1978 his family immigrated to Israel, where he continued his music studies at the The Jerusalem Rubin Academy College, which were accompanied by scholarships of Keren-Sharet American-Israeli Foundation.

He holds a degree from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance in Clarinet with Prof. Ilan Shul (B.Mus:1989), Theory and Composition with Prof. Mark Kopytman (B.Mus:1991), and Diploma in Composition and Music Education from S.-Petersburg State Conservatory named after N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, Russia, where he studied with Prof. Sergei Slonimsky (M.A.Mus:2000). Recently, he is studying towards PhD at the Musicology Department of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Volniansky is one of the active Israeli composers. His music includes Choral, Chamber and Symphonic compositions, which were commissioned and perfromed by various perfroming groups like: Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion; Jerusalem Symphony Orch., IBA; Philharmonic Singers; Israel Contemporary Players; Jerusalem Academy of Musicand Dance; and others.
His music was conducted by maestro Mendi Rodan; Dan Ettinger; Ronen Borshevsky; Leonti Wolf, Nicklas Carthy (England); Miguel Ramos (Sweden), and recordings were made by IBA in halls like: Henry Crown Hall of The Jerusalem Theatre; Mishkenot Sheananim Music Center in Jerusalem, and Tel-Aviv Museum.

He participated in several festivals in Israel and abroad, including: The Israel Festival (1993); The Israeli Music Celebration (2003); The 10th “Sound Ways” (1999) and the 36th (2000), 41th (2005) “Music Spring” International Festivals in S.-Petersburg, Russia; Kiev International Festival (1994) and others.

He is a winner of the Prime-Minister Prize for an Israeli Composer (2002), and other composition prizes, including: Tel-Aviv Philharmonic Choir Prize (2004); Audience Prize in the 1st Seoul International Composer’s Competition (2001); "Klon Prize" of the Israel Composers’ League (1995); “Braun-Roger-Siegl Prize” for symphonic piece (1993).

Volniansky considers himself a Jerusalem composer. In his series Jerusalem Soundscapes, he dedicates his pieces to Jerusalem. One of other directions of his creative work is a series of Elegies (Lamentations) on biblical and other subjects.
In 2005, his Elegy #5: Lamentation for Auschwitz written after poem by Itzhak Hafouta (Hofi) which was chosen for a performance on a special ceremony dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Auschwitz concentration camp liberation. It was performed by the Israel Philharmonic Singers (The Israel Philharmonic Choir) under maestro Ronen Borshevsky eve of The Holocoust Day (4th May 2005) in Krakov, Poland in presence of about eight thousand people and broadcasted live by Educational channel of the Israeli Television.

His music is being published by "Mali" – Israel Composers' League publishing house.
In 2003, a CD of his chamber music was issued by Ein-Kerem Targ Music Center-Jerusalem and this year a CD of his symphonic and chamber music is being released with the support of Israel Composer's League.
Member of the Israel Composer’s League since 1993 and the ACUM since 1994.

Contact address:
POB 39170
Jerusalem 91391
TEL: 972-544-792390 m
karelvol@yahoo.com
karelvol@yahoo.com