Menachem Zur was born in Israel in 1942. He is a graduate of the Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem. In the United States he received degrees from the Mannes College of Music, Sarah Lawrence College, and Columbia University, where he was awarded the D.M.A. degree in 1976. Prof. Zur has taught at Queens College, CUNY, and New York University, and is on the faculty of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.  
     Prof. M. Zur has composed numerous works, including chamber, vocal, symphonic and electronic music, and one full-scale opera. He was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1981, and has received other commissions and awards as well.  
     In 1991-1992 M. Zur received four national prizes. Most of his works have been published in the United States and in Israel. His orchestral works have received numerous performances by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Jerusalem Radio Symphony Orchestra.  
     In 1992-1994, he served as the chairman of the Israeli Composers' League, and again from 1999-2003. From 1992-1996 he served as the official Israeli delegate to the ISCM. 
 
     In 2002, the composer's 60th birthday celebrations were held in Israel. Over the course of a few months, the works performed included two premieres: "Concerto for Orchestra ()", was commissioned and played by the Jerusalem Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the composer's nephew, conductor Noam Zur. The Cadenza" for viola solo, was played by Rivka Golani.

Prof. Zur has spent the 2003-2004 season in New York. He has enjoyed numerous chamber music performances, including an evening devoted entirely to these works at the Guggenheim Museum in its series, “Works and Process”. He was also a visiting scholar at Columbia University.

Menachem Zur is represented by ArtPro. 
 
 
 

Concert Works Published 

* Cartoons for Voice Artist and Ensemble of 14 instruments. Video streaming
* Cartoons for Voice Artist and Ensemble of 14 instruments. Audio MP3 downloaf

Cartoons  for Voice Artist and  Ensemble (14 musicians) , Sound Text by Anat Pick, 2005-8  17 min., Anat Pick- voice, The Contemporary Israel Players, Zsolt Nagy – cond.
Recorded in a live performance at the Tel Aviv Museum 8/11/08 . Recording engineer & editing :Avi Elbaz .

* Psalm 23 for choir and Marimba, 2003

* Translations for Percussion and Electronics 2002-3

* "Threads of The Heart" for a large ensemble (15 players) 2003 , commissioned by The Israeli Contemporary Players supported by The Joshua Rabinowitz Foundation for The Arts, Tel Aviv


* Concerto for Orchestra , August 2001 - premiered in March 2002 **

* And A Whisper Will Be Heard - for solo Violin, 2001 (recorded by David Grimal)

* Alleluia - for vocal sextet and magnetic tape 1999

* A Note For A Neighbor - for quartet - Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano - 1999

* Mittersil Quintet - for clarinet, French Horn, Guitar, Cello, Vibraphone - 1999

* Discussions #6 for Saxophone quartet and magnetic tape - 1998

* String Sextet in Two Movements - 1998 ( Version for String Orchestra - Feb. 1999)

Seesaw Music Corporation, 2067 Broadway,  
New York, New York 10023 

* Aria Da Capo  for Bassoon Solo   1983 
* Discussions #6 for saxophone Quartet and Electric Tape
* Prisma  for Piano Duo   1999  
* String Sextet 1998  
* Pygmalion - Operatic Scene for Singer and Pianist   1981 
* Discussions No. 2  for Viola and Bassoon  1979 
* Chamber Symphony in Two Movements   1974-75 
* Two Sabbath Songs for Voice and Piano   1974 
* 3 + 2  for Five Instruments   1974 
* Variations for Cello Solo   1974 
* Sonata for Cello and Piano #1   1973 
* Concertino for Woodwind Quintet   1973 
* Fantasy for Piano  1972 
* Discussions for Violin and Clarinet   1972 
* Affairs - Theatrical Piece for Soprano, Conductor and Eight Musicians   1970 

Israel Music Institute, P.O.B. 11253, Tel-Aviv 

* Concerto Grosso for Violin,Viola Cello and Chamber Orchestra 1992 
* Sonata for Violin and Piano   1984 
* Lamentations - Cantata for Alto and Chamber Orchestra   1982 
* Short Symphony (#1)  1981 
* Four for Four - Wind Quartet   l980 
* Centers  for Piano   1979 
* Quartet for Flute and Strings   1979 
* Clarinet Quintet   1978 
* Violin Concerto   1978 
* Double Concerto for Bassoon, French Horn and Chamber Orchestra  1978 
* And There Arose a Mist- Cantata for Choir, Magnetic Tape,  Percussion and Brass Quartet   1972 

Israel Music Center,  
Publishing House of Israeli Composers' League 
32 Dafna St. Tel Aviv 64920, Israel Tel:+972-3-6953887 Fax:+972-3-6964691 

* Neighbors  - opera in 3 acts  1986 

* Concerto for Orchestra , August 2001 - premiered in March 2002 **


* And A Whisper Will Be Heard - for solo Violin, 2001 (recorded by David Grimal)


* Alleluia - for vocal sextet and magnetic tape 1999
* String Sextet in Two Movements  1998 
* Concerto for Piano Four Hands & String Orchestra  1997 
* Cadenza for violin Solo 1997 
* On The Wings of An Echo for piano solo  1997 
* Discussions #5 for Clarinet & Piano  1996 
* Syncopa  for Wind Octet  1995 
* Symphony #2 - Letters: 
    A Letter to Schoenberg - for Orchestra  1988 
    A Letter to Stravinsky - for Orchestra  1990 
    A Letter to Alban Berg - for Orchestra  1994 
* Sonata for Two Pianos 1994 
* Symphony #3     1994 
* Gesang Eines Hundes for soprano and piano (after F.Kafka) 1994 
* Discussions #3 for Flute & Piano  1994 
* Discussions #4 for Trumpet & Piano  1994 
* Discussions #4a for Trombone & Piano  1994 
* Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra 1992 
* Prelude for Violin solo 1991 (version for viola -'92, for guitar -'98) 
* Sonata No. 2 for Cello and Piano     1991 
* Circles Of Time for Piano   1990 
* Akedat Ytzchak (The Sacrifice Of Isaac) for children's choir or women's choir 1989 
* The Golem - for Baritone and  Ensemble   1988 
* Sonata for French Horn and Piano   1988 
* Sonata for Oboe (English Horn) and Piano 1988 (also available as a version for saxophones) 
* Fantasy for Brass Quintet   1988 
* Piano Trio - for Piano, Violin and Cello   1987 
* Shiluvim (Combinations) for Children's Choir and Magnetic Tape 1986 
* Prelude for Band   1986 
* String Quartet   1985 
* Hallelujah (Psalm 150) for mixed choir   1984 
* Piano Concerto  1983 
* A Tale of Two Sandals - for Children's Choir   1983 
* Sim Shalom - for Children's Choir and Organ   1983 
* Kedusha - for Baritone Solo, Vocal Quartet and Organ   1983 
* Clarinet Trio   1981 
* Horn Trio   1976 
 
 
 
 

Recorded Works

CD & LP recordings: 
* Sonata #1 for Cello & Piano released in 1990  on Music In Israel 
* Clarinet Quintet, recorded by E. Chefetz,  released in 1994  on Music In Israel 
* Quartet for Flute and Strings  released in January 1997  on Music In Israel 
* Chants  for Magnetic Tape - Columbia Odyssey Recording  Y34139,  winners ISCM 1975 
* Horizons  for Magnetic Tape - Folkways Recording  FSS33878 

The following were recorded on tape by the Israeli Radio Broadcast Authority: 
* Four For Four for Woodwind Quartet 
* Double Concerto for Bassoon, French Horn and Chamber Orchestra 
* Discussions for Violin and Clarinet 
* Two Sabbath Songs 
* Violin Concerto 
* Clarinet Quintet 
* Fantasy for Piano 
* Circles of Time, for piano 
* Sonata for Cello and Piano 
* Quartet for Flute and Strings 
* Short Symphony (no.1) 
* Lamentations  - Cantata for Alto and Chamber Orchestra 
* Prisma for Piano Duo 
* Centers for Piano 
* Piano Concerto 
* String Quartet 
* A Tale of Two Sandals 
* Sonata for Violin and Piano 
* Piano Trio 
* A Letter To Schoenberg 
* A Letter to Stravinsky 
* A Letter to Alban Berg 
* Prelude for Violin Solo 
* Prelude for Viola Solo 

* Concerto for Orchestra, commissioned by the Jerusalem Radio Symphony Orchestra, premiered in March 2002, as part of the composer's 60th birthday celebrations. 

* Invited by the UPIC electronic music center in Paris as a composer in residence , in Sept '98 to create there a new work. 
* Tel-Aviv Foundation for the Arts, Discussions #5 for Clarinet & Piano, 1996 
* The Danish Wind Octet, Syncopa for Wind Octet, 1995 
* Tel-Aviv Foundation for the Arts, for Discussions #3 for Flute & Piano , 1994 
* The Israel Sinfonietta Beer-Sheva, Uri Mayer cond. Symphony #3 1994 
* Tel-Aviv Foundation for the Arts, Concerto Grosso  1992, for The Kibbutz Chamber Orchestra 
* Tel-Aviv Foundation for the Arts,  Sonata No. 2 for Cello and Piano  1991, for the cellist Alexander Kaganovsky, 1988 
* The Jewish Museum of N.Y City The Golem for the Heritage Symphony Orchestra, Yaakov Bergman cond., 1988 
* Israel National Foundation for Culture and Art, Shiluvim,  (Combinations) for children's choir and magnetic tape, 1986 
* Tel-Aviv Foundation for the Arts, Sonata for Violin and Piano, 1984 
* Israel National Foundation for Culture and Art, A Tale of Two  
   Sandals for children's choir '83 
* The Rena Schenfeld Dance Company, Silk, electroacoustic piece 1983 
* Congregation Rodeph Shalom, New York City, Sim Shalom, for  children's choir and organ; Kedusha, for baritone solo, vocal quartet and organ  1983 
* Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra Gary Bertini cond. Short Symphony 1981 
* Meet the Composer  1981, 1989 
* Tel-Aviv Foundation for the Arts, Quartet for Flute and Strings 1979 

* Recipient of the 2001 Israeli Prime Minister Prize. 
* ACUM (Israeli ASCAP) award for life-time achievements in composition and education. 
* Judges' Prize , ACUM (Israeli ASCAP)  1992
* Municipality of Tel Aviv,  Engel Prize  1991
* ACUM Prize  for A Letter to Stravinsky  1991
* Municipality of Haifa, the Mark Lavri Prize for The Golem   1991 
* Guggenheim Fellowship for composition  1981 
* The Brooklyn College Opera Theater Chamber Opera Composition  Contest, special award '81 
* ACUM  Prize, stipend for completion of Violin Concerto   1977 
* Composers' Conference Felloship, Johnson, Vermont  1974, 1975 
* ISCM Electronic Music Competition  1975 
* Orr Prize, Jerusalem, And There Arose a Mist - Cantata for Choir, Magnetic Tape, Percussion and Brass Quintet