David Harrington for Aleksandra Vrebalov

Aleksandra spread

Aleksandra Vrebalov

I’ve known Aleksandra Vrebalov since 1995, during her days as a student at the San Francisco Conservatory. During that time, she has blossomed into one of the finest composers currently writing music that I know of.

During the 18 years we’ve been working together, Aleksandra has written 7 major new works for us, including Pannonia Boundless, …hold me, neighbor, in this storm…, and an arrangement of Wagner’s Prelude from Tristan and Isolde. One of her most recent works for Kronos – Babylon, Our Own – will receive its New York premiere on May 3, 2013 at Carnegie Hall with clarinetist David Krakauer.

She is currently researching the period of World War I for a large-scale multimedia work written for Kronos, with vintage war films unearthed by Bill Morrison. This evening-length work is unlike any concert Kronos has ever attempted.

An immigrant to the United States, Aleksandra Vrebalov has an independent compositional voice that frequently refers in clear ways to her native land of Serbia. When I look at the trajectory of her life’s work to date, I’m convinced that she is working at the very top of her field.

a body of work that has an undeniable richness of vision and passion.

Aleksandra Vrebalov has created a body of work that has an undeniable richness of vision and passion. Her work continues to blossom in bold and inspiring ways, and I believe her future work will continue to be among the most gripping music currently being written.
-David Harrington

DAVID HARRINGTON

DAVID HARRINGTON formed Kronos Quartet in 1973. For nearly 40 years, San Francisco’s Kronos Quartet has pursued a singular artistic vision, combining a spirit of fearless exploration with a commitment to expanding the range and context of the string quartet. In the process, the Grammy-winning Kronos has become one of the most celebrated and influential groups of our time, performing thousands of concerts worldwide, releasing more than 45 recordings of extraordinary breadth and creativity, commissioning more than 750 new works and arrangements for string quartet, and collaborating with renowned artists of myriad disciplines and styles from around the globe.
The Kronos Quartet formed the Kronos Performing Arts Association, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco, which has commissioned more than 750 new works and arrangements for the string quartet.

Nominator/Nominee