Elena Kats-Chernin

Short bio Elena Kats-Chernin

Birthday: 1957 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Active: 1990s - 2010s

Genre: Classical,Electronic,Jazz

Period: 20th Century, Contemporary

Full biography Elena Kats-Chernin

Elena Kats-Chernin is a prominent Australian classical composer who has made a name for herself on the international stage. Born in Uzbekistan in 1957 to Russian parents, Kats-Chernin grew up in Moscow before relocating to Australia in 1975.

Kats-Chernin's musical career began in earnest in the early 1980s, when she first started entering composition competitions and receiving commissions for her work. In 1986, she was awarded the prestigious DAAD scholarship to study at the Institute for New Music in Berlin, where she was mentored by fellow composers Mauricio Kagel and Hans Werner Henze.

Since then, Kats-Chernin has gone on to become one of Australia's most celebrated composers, with a vast catalogue of works that span genres from classical to jazz, opera to circus music. Her signature style is characterized by a playful sense of whimsy, intricate rhythms, and an unabashedly joyful approach to melody.

Some of Kats-Chernin's best-known works include "Wild Swans," a ballet based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen; "Rituals," a suite for solo piano; and "Blue Silence," a concerto for saxophone and orchestra. She has also collaborated with a diverse array of artists, including the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Sydney Dance Company, and the Australian Ballet.

In addition to her work as a composer, Kats-Chernin is also known for her advocacy on behalf of other composers and for the arts in general. She has served as Chair of the Music Board for the Australia Council for the Arts, as well as the Artistic Director of the Canberra International Music Festival.

Over the course of her career, Kats-Chernin has received numerous awards and accolades for her work, including the Order of Australia in 2019. Today, she continues to compose and perform around the world, leaving audiences enchanted by her unique and captivating musical voice.

Compositions featuring Elena Kats-Chernin

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Absynthe Cocktail, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 9)	3:29 min	Keyboard	2017
2	Behind Your Pearls, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 3)	2:35 min	Keyboard	2017
3	Big Rhap, for orchestra	9:54 min	Orchestral	2017
4	Biqui, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 24)	3:54 min	Keyboard	2017
5	Dance in 7/4, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 23)	4:46 min	Keyboard	2017
6	Darkness, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 25)	3:24 min	Keyboard	2017
7	Eggshell, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 12)	7:30 min	Keyboard	2017
8	For Whom It Tolls, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 26)	1:45 min	Keyboard	2017
9	Garden Gothique, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 7)	1:55 min	Keyboard	2017
10	Imaginary Building, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 13)	2:02 min	Keyboard	2017
11	Le Chat Noir, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 4)	2:58 min	Keyboard	2017
12	Love Token, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 1)	1:24 min	Keyboard	2017
13	Maple in the Evening, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 17)	2:48 min	Keyboard	2017
14	Modern Romantic, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 16)	2:43 min	Keyboard	2017
15	Moon Feather Magic, for string orchestra	4:26 min	Orchestral	2017
16	Notebooks, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 21)	2:45 min	Keyboard	2017
17	One table, One Chair, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 11)	1:26 min	Keyboard	2017
18	Patchouli, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 20)	1:22 min	Keyboard	2017
19	Phonometrician, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 15)	5:23 min	Keyboard	2017
20	Piano Tower, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 14)	1:53 min	Keyboard	2017
21	Postcard to a Critic, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 22)	3:02 min	Keyboard	2017
22	Roses in a Box, for piano	3:41 min	Keyboard	2017
23	Sarabande, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 6)	2:25 min	Keyboard	2017
24	The Gymnast, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 10)	3:02 min	Keyboard	2017
25	Threads of Grey Velvet, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 5)	1:30 min	Keyboard	2017
26	Tuesday Suit, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 18)	5:01 min	Keyboard	2017
27	Unsent Love Letters - meditations on Erik Satie, for piano	52:06 min	Keyboard	2017
28	Very Shiny, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 8)	1:01 min	Keyboard	2017
29	Wonder about Yourself, for piano (Unsent Love Letters No. 19)	1:06 min	Keyboard	2017
30	Black Tie, for piano	2:05 min	Keyboard	2015
31	Conversation, for piano, 4 hands	2:33 min	Keyboard	2015
32	Sunshine Journal, for piano, 4 hands	14:03 min	Keyboard	2015
33	The Witching Hour, concerto for 8 double basses & orchestra	24:57 min	Concerto	2015
34	Zerno, for piano, 4 hands	2:46 min	Keyboard	2015
35	Marcato, for piano, 4 hands	2:46 min	Keyboard	2014
36	Prelude and Cube, for chorus & orchestra	13:23 min	Choral	2014
37	The Rain Puzzle (Many Hands Remix), for piano, 4 hands	3:43 min	Keyboard	2014
38	The Rain Puzzle, for piano	1:13 min	Keyboard	2014
39	The Three Dancers, ballet	14:43 min	Ballet	2014
40	Adrift, for piano	5:44 min	Keyboard	2013
41	Blue Tears, for piano	3:06 min	Keyboard	2013
42	Russian Toccata, for piano, 4 hands	3:01 min	Keyboard	2013
43	Afterwards, version for piano, 4 hands	4:35 min	Keyboard	2012
44	All Things Conspire, version for piano	2:38 min	Keyboard	2012
45	Land of Sweeping Plains, for chorus	4:48 min	Choral	2012
46	Scherzino, for piano, 4 hands	5:48 min	Keyboard	2012
47	For Richard, for piano, 4 hands	7:12 min	Keyboard	2011
48	The Little Green Road to Fairyland, ballet for soprano & chamber orchestra	50:17 min	Ballet	2011
49	Vocalise, for piano	10:12 min	Keyboard	2011
50	Waltz of Things Past, for piano	4:30 min	Keyboard	2011
51	Violet's Etude, for marimba	3:17 min	Chamber Music	2010
52	Golden Kitsch, concerto for percussion & orchestra	17:44 min	Concerto	2009
53	Cinema, for piano	1:20 min	Keyboard	2008
54	Fast Blue Village 2, for string quartet	5:36 min	Chamber Music	2007
55	Ornamental Air, for basset clarinet & orchestra	22:07 min	Concerto	2007
56	Phoenix Story, for cello & piano	15:26 min	Chamber Music	2007
57	Village Idiot, for electric guitar, accordion, harpsichord, strings & percussion	16:47 min	Chamber Music	2007
58	Autumn, for piano	3:37 min	Keyboard	2006
59	Blue Silence, for cello & piano	6:51 min	Chamber Music	2006
60	Silver Pearls, for flute, cello & piano (From Silver Poetry Suite)	2:46 min	Chamber Music	2006
61	Cocktail Rag for violin & piano	2:36 min	Chamber Music	2004
62	Colours of the Sea, for alto flute, cello & piano	11:16 min	Chamber Music	2004
63	Nonchalance, for bassoon & piano	6:10 min	Chamber Music	2004
64	Peggy's Minute Rag for violin & piano	1:45 min	Chamber Music	2004
65	Re-Inventions, for recorder & string quartet (or string orchestra)	23:58 min	Concerto	2004
66	Sapphire Rag for piano	3:44 min	Keyboard	2004
67	Eliza's Aria (from Wild Swans), for soprano & orchestra	3:43 min	Vocal Music	2002
68	Memorial Rag, for children's chorus & string quartet	5:30 min	Choral	2002
69	Piano Concerto No. 2	18:23 min	Concerto	2002
70	Torque, for accordion & chamber orchestra	14:57 min	Concerto	2002
71	Play Properly, for piano	0:36 min	Keyboard	2001
72	Still Life, for viola & piano	11:34 min	Chamber Music	2001
73	Un-Labelled, for chorus	6:31 min	Chamber Music	2001
74	Charmer's Apprentice, for oboe & piano	11:53 min	Chamber Music	2000
75	Displaced Dances, for piano & orchestra	31:09 min	Concerto	2000
76	Heaven Is Closed, for orchestra	13:35 min	Orchestral	2000
77	Page Turn, for piano	5:37 min	Keyboard	2000
78	Revolving Doors for violin & piano	1:49 min	Chamber Music	200?
79	Backstage Rag for piano	3:52 min	Keyboard	1999
80	Chorale, for piano	2:41 min	Keyboard	1999
81	Faded Curtains, for bassoon & piano	3:07 min	Chamber Music	1999
82	Velvet Revolution, for horn, violin & piano	14:29 min	Chamber Music	1999
83	Sunday Rag for piano	4:39 min	Keyboard	1997
84	Zoom and Zip, for string orchestra	12:12 min	Orchestral	1997
85	Charleston Noir, for 4 double basses	9:07 min	Chamber Music	1996
86	Gypsy Ramble, for viola, cello & piano	11:21 min	Chamber Music	1996
87	Purple Prelude, for piano	7:02 min	Keyboard	1996
88	Russian Rag, for piano	4:20 min	Keyboard	1996
89	Russian Rag, for piano, 4 hands in A minor	3:20 min	Keyboard	1996
90	Wedding Suite, for flute & violin	6:23 min	Chamber Music	1996
91	Wild Rice, for solo cello	8:10 min	Chamber Music	1996
92	Cadences, Deviations and Scarlatti, for orchestra	13:45 min	Orchestral	1995
93	Chamber of Horrors, for harp	6:52 min	Chamber Music	1995
94	Concertino, for violin & orchestra	18:39 min	Concerto	1994
95	Clocks, for chamber orchestra & tape	21:18 min	Orchestral	1993
96	Tast-En, for piano	10:31 min	Keyboard	1991
97	Lullaby for Nick, for piano, 4 hands	3:23 min	Keyboard	1963
98	After Dinner Rag, for piano	1:58 min	Keyboard	-
99	Alexander Rag, for piano	2:58 min	Keyboard	-
100	Ballade for clarinet, cello, marimba & piano	9:19 min	Chamber Music	-
101	Birthday Rag for violin & piano	1:47 min	Chamber Music	-
102	Blue Rose, for violin & piano	3:18 min	Chamber Music	-
103	Bucharian Melody for violin & piano	2:44 min	Chamber Music	-
104	Butterflying, version for chorus & piano	3:43 min	Choral	-
105	Butterflying, version for violin & piano	4:18 min	Chamber Music	-
106	Calliope Dreaming, for piano trio	7:22 min	Chamber Music	-
107	Dance of the Paper Umbrellas, for orchestra	4:13 min	Orchestral	-
108	Dance of the Paper Umbrellas, for violin, viola, cello & piano	3:58 min	Chamber Music	-
109	Deep Sea Dreaming, for chorus & piano	4:35 min	Choral	-
110	Fantasy on an Anthem, for piano & orchestra	3:49 min	Concerto	-
111	Fleeting Moment No. 2, for soprano & string quartet	2:07 min	Vocal Music	-
112	Fleeting Moment No. 4, for soprano & string quartet	4:08 min	Vocal Music	-
113	Get Well Rag, for piano	3:46 min	Keyboard	-
114	Kwong Song, for ensemble	2:33 min	Chamber Music	-
115	Melancholic Piece for violin & piano	2:50 min	Keyboard	-
116	Mythic, for orchestra	11:28 min	Orchestral	-
117	Naïve Waltz, for string quartet	2:42 min	Chamber Music	-
118	Nostalgic Piece for violin & piano	2:55 min	Chamber Music	-
119	Pitter Patter, for oboe, string quartet & piano	2:48 min	Chamber Music	-
120	Plavno Slovo, for men's chorus, violin, piano & percussion	5:50 min	Choral	-
121	Rags (4) for IM, for piano	11:14 min	Keyboard	-
122	Re-Invention for recorder No. 1 (after Bach's Invention No. 8)	14:12 min	Chamber Music	-
123	Reflections for violin & piano (from Mr. Barbecue)	2:22 min	Chamber Music	-
124	Removalist Rag for piano	3:08 min	Keyboard	-
125	Schubert Blues, for piano	10:50 min	Keyboard	-
126	Sky Blue, for speaker, voices & ensemble	3:03 min	Vocal Music	-
127	Slicked Back Tango for violin & piano	2:01 min	Chamber Music	-
128	Sonata Lost and Found, for piano	21:47 min	Keyboard	-
129	Stairs	5:54 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
130	Stur in Dur, for piano	2:08 min	Keyboard	-
131	Suburban Rag, for piano	3:51 min	Keyboard	-
132	The Food Chain, for vocal quintet & body percussion	2:29 min	Vocal Music	-
133	The Landing, for orchestra (Movement 5 of collaborative "Gallipoli Symphony")	6:26 min	Orchestral	-
134	Tranquil Interlude, version for vioiln & piano	2:03 min	Chamber Music	-
135	Variations in a Serious Black Dress, for piano	10:02 min	Keyboard	-
136	Victor's Heart, for piano, 4 hands	7:12 min	Keyboard	-
137	Wild Swans Suite for violin & piano		Chamber Music	-
138	Wild Swans, concert suite for orchestra	36:46 min	Orchestral	-
139	Zee Rag, for piano	2:37 min	Keyboard	-

Albums featuring Elena Kats-Chernin

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Lillian’s Aria(File, AAC, Single)	2020	Deutsche Grammophon
2	Blake, Bussi, Kats-Chernin, Pelecis, Secco, Voogt, Whitbourn, Habemus Quartet, Eduardo Frias, Stamen Nikolov – Whispering Colors(CD, Album)	2020	Non Profit Music
3	Charlton, Houghton, Kats-Chernin, Westlake, Guitar Trek – Bluetongue - Australian Guitar Quartets(CD, Album)	2020	Naxos
4	Elena Kats-Chernin & Tamara Anna Cislowska – Unsent Love Letters (Meditations On Erik Satie)	2017	ABC Classics
5	Tamara-Anna Cislowska, Elena Kats-Chernin – Butterflying: Piano Music By Elena Kats-Chernin(2×CD, Album)	2016	ABC Classics
6	The Idea Of North, Elena Kats-Chernin, Lior – Hush Volume 16: A Piece Of Quiet(CD, Album)	2016	ABC Music
7	Del Sol String Quartet - Gabriela Lena Frank, Lou Harrison, José Evangelista, Reza Vali, Elena Kats-Chernin – Zia(CD, Album)	2013	Sono Luminus
8	Mozart / Copland / Kats-Chernin / Swedish Chamber Orchestra / Michael Collins (3) – Works For Clarinet And Orchestra(CD, Album)	2013	Chandos
9	Acacia Quartet, Elena Kats-Chernin – Blue Silence: Complete Works For String Quartets By Elena Kats-Chernin(2×CD, Album)	2012	Vexations840
10	Slow Food(CD, Album)	2008	Tall Poppies
11	Claude Bolling \| Alan Weinberg (4) \| Elena Kats-Chernin - Baroque And Blue – Silver Poetry(CD, Album, Stereo)	2007	Profil Edition Günter Hänssler
12	Hilary Tann . Elisenda Fábregas . Elena Kats-Chernin - Meininger-Trio – Gardens Of Anna Maria Luisa De Medici(CD, Album)	2005	Profil Edition Günter Hänssler
13	Kats-Chernin, Sheldon, Munro, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Rudner – Wild Swans	2005	ABC Classics
14	Elena Kats-Chernin - Sarah Nicolls ⬩ Nicola Sweeney – Ragtime & Blue(CD, Album)	2005	Signum Classics
15	Elena Kats-Chernin / Lisa Moore – Purple Black & Blues(CD, Album)	2000	Tall Poppies
16	Unceremonious Processions(CD, Album)	1999	WERGO
17	Elena Kats-Chernin - Sydney Alpha Ensemble – Clocks	1997	ABC Classics
18	Donna Coleman - Joplin, Matthews, Lamb, Bolcom, Ives, Kats-Chernin – Rags To Riches: A Syncopated Century	1996	ABC Classics
19	Michael Ende, Elena Kats-Chernin, Susanne F. Wolf – Jim Knopf Und Lukas Der Lokomotivführer(CD, )	-	Silberfisch