The Drozdoff Society

The Drozdoff Society The Drozdoff Society’s mission is the preservation, promulgation, publication, performance, and recording of the compositions of Vladimir Drozdoff. Music: potentiating human creativity; healing physical, spiritual, social, and psychological wounds.

This page will post information relating to the Drozdoff Society’s core mission. As works are published and recorded, and as performance are scheduled, we will keep you apprised on this page.

Mission: Our core mission is the preservation, promulgation, publication, performance, and recording of the solo piano and voice compositions of Vladimir Drozdoff, 1882-1960. It is also our intent to support the musicians who strive to bring these and the works of other pianist-composers of Drozdoff’s era to the great concert stages of the world; and to document, celebrate, and instill in a new generation of musicians the cultural and spiritual components embodied in the works of these great composers. We want to bring world-class classical music performances and music appreciation to people who, for socio-economic reasons, have little or no access to them today. We want to bring Drozdoff's music to those ears, yes, but we also see his life and oeuvre as a universal metaphor for the experiences of surviving conflict, oppression, immigration, and resettlement; his music clearly speaks about all those things. We are convinced of music's capacity to potentiate human creativity in all spheres, from the humanities to the sciences, and its ability to heal physical, spiritual, social, and psychological wounds, and do not accept that those who need it the most have the least access to it. We want to support artists like Drozdoff, who, through no fault of their own, may not have the name recognition or financial support their art deserves because of conflict, oppression, politics, or economic depression. We want to pay our performing artists their worth. _____________________________________________ The Society will seek grants, donations, and membership fees to fund these activities: • Publish in a highly polished presentation one or more anthologies of the piano and vocal compositions of Russian-American pianist-composer Vladimir N. Drozdoff; • Launch a high-end website for the Society for the purpose of introducing the Drozdoff story, compositions, and activities of the Drozdoff Society to the world. In addition to being an ongoing source for current information, website would have materials available researchers and performers for free download. • Further promulgate the Drozdoff compositions through performances and recordings; • Research and document the history of Drozdoff through a documentary film and pedagogy; • Identify a domestic or foreign library interested in preserving the physical manuscripts Background Russian-American Composer and Pianist Vladimir Drozdoff, born in 1882 in Saratov, Russia on the Volga River, was accepted by the St. Petersburg Conservatory as an exceptionally gifted student. A student in the piano performance class of the legendary pianist Anna Essipova, and the composition class of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, he graduated in 1905 with the coveted Rubinstein Gold Medal, and, declining an offer of employment from the Moscow Philharmonic, continued his studies with Theodore Leschetizky in Vienna. In 1907, the Conservatory's rector, Alexander Glazounov, recalled Drozdoff to that institution to begin taking over Essipova's classes when her health declined. Among the most successful of his students were Emanuel Bay, Pauline Heifitz, and Marina Yudina. Drozdoff continued to teach there as Professor until the October 1917 Revolution. With the commencement of Civil War and the end of Russia as he knew it, Drozdoff fled with his wife Anna and two children, 9 year-old Pavel and 3 year-old Natalia, to the Crimea, whence he continued to teach and perform for three more years as the war raged. In a 1944 interview in Dance Magazine, he spoke of receiving wine in payment for performances, the use of a milk-cow in payment for lessons, and of walking more than 20 miles some days with his wife and two little children since there were no other means of communication in this period other than to appear in person. In 1920, the family fled to Constantinople, where both Anna and Vladimir continued to live and work for the next three years. From documents in Drozdoff's archives, we know that he traveled to Paris and Vienna during this period, teaching and performing. In September 1923, the family boarded the S.S. Constantinople and sailed for New York. Within two years, Drozdoff had his U.S. premiere with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and he and wife Anna established the Drozdoff Piano Studio in New York's upper West Side. By now, Pavel (now Paul) was also old enough to teach, and by 1928, 14 year-old daughter Natalia (now Nathalie) had earned enough money from teaching piano to buy her own first Chickering studio upright. Within a few years, both children began appearing with their father at concert venues throughout New York City -- Town Hall, Aeolian Hall, The Brooklyn Museum, Steinway Hall, and Carnegie, and Vladimir made numerous live radio broadcasts of his concerts, including an all-Drozdoff program. Drozdoff's pre-1917 compositional legacy has been lost, some known to have been destroyed by the Bolsheviks. In her biography of Jascha Heifitz (Jascha Heifitz: Early Years in Russia), Galina Kopytova said in the chapter about Leopold Auer, "the files of professors still in Russia after the 1917 revolutions were kept, but those belonging to Auer and others who departed, such as Nikolai Malko and Vladimir Drozdov, were discarded.” Drozdoff resumed composing in 1925 and was prolific until very close to his death in 1960, writing exclusively for piano or piano with voice. Many of those compositions were published, and another 150 manuscripts are being digitized for publication now. Sergei Rachmaninoff said of Vladimir Drozdoff, "the melodies in your compositions are so beautiful one wants to sing them.” Today, Drozdoff is enjoying a revival of interest by pianists and pedagogues in over 40 countries. Dr. George Borisov says, “Vladimir Drozdoff represents the last of his generation's best musicians: Scriabin, Medtner, Rachmaninoff, Gretchaninoff -- who emigrated from Russia, and melted into the Western cultural hemisphere."

Beth Levin, concert pianist will perform two works of Drozdoff in this recital.https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Bet...
01/13/2019
Beth Levin Comes to NY Public Library For The Performing Arts At Lincoln Center

Beth Levin, concert pianist will perform two works of Drozdoff in this recital.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Beth-Levin-Comes-to-NY-Public-Library-For-The-Performing-Arts-At-Lincoln-Center-20190110

Cherny Concert & Artist Management Ltd. proudly presents a solo recital with Brooklyn-based virtuoso pianist Beth Levin on Saturday, January 26th at 2:30pm at the Bruno Walter Auditorium of New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. Levin is celebrated as a bold interpreter o...

THIS SATURDAY: Special Drozdoff Society Event at YALE - University presents The Drozdoff Society's documentary-drama i...
10/25/2018
NEW HAVEN | Reflections on the Music of the Russian Exodus: Vladimir Drozdoff

THIS SATURDAY: Special Drozdoff Society Event at YALE - University presents The Drozdoff Society's documentary-drama in music, narrative, and archival photography and recordings telling the story of one Russian pianist-composer's life before and after the Russian Revolution.
http://mailchi.mp/00520cea6679/nnq6nhahi4-6862005

Yale University presents The Drozdoff Society's documentary-drama in music, narrative, and archival photography and recordings telling the story of one Russian pianist-composer's life before and after the Russian Revolution.

BETH LEVIN | Stamford | November 4, 2018 - The great American musician and pianist, BETH LEVIN, comes to Stamford's icon...
10/24/2018

BETH LEVIN | Stamford | November 4, 2018 -
The great American musician and pianist, BETH LEVIN, comes to Stamford's iconic "Fish" Church on November 4th to perform works by Beethoven and Handel. The mighty Hammerklavier Sonata and Handel Suite No. 4 in D Minor, HWV 437 will be heard.https://mailchi.mp/d6ad58a7a030/beth_levin-6861617

FINAL REMINDER NEW YORK: Inna Faliks with Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist this SATURDAY @ Symphony Space -
10/11/2018
INNA FALIKS | Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist

FINAL REMINDER NEW YORK: Inna Faliks with Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist this SATURDAY @ Symphony Space -

Concert Pianist INNA FALIKS tells her own story in music and words in this recital monologue with works by Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, and more. October 13, 2018 at Symphony Space in New York.

NEW YORK: Inna Faliks with Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist -
09/23/2018
INNA FALIKS | Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist

NEW YORK: Inna Faliks with Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist -

Concert Pianist INNA FALIKS tells her own story in music and words in this recital monologue with works by Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, and more. October 13, 2018 at Symphony Space in New York.

NEW YORK: Inna Faliks with Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist -
09/14/2018
INNA FALIKS | Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist

NEW YORK: Inna Faliks with Polonaise-Fantaisie: The Story of a Pianist -

Concert Pianist INNA FALIKS tells her own story in music and words in this recital monologue with works by Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, and more. October 13, 2018 at Symphony Space in New York.

Artist in Residence Mark Steven Doss.
07/25/2018
Mark S. Doss

Artist in Residence Mark Steven Doss.

The magnificent Mark S. Doss in highlights from AIDA at Teatro Regio Torino.

NEW HAVEN: BASS-BARITONE MARK STEVEN DOSS MAY 17! -
05/14/2018
MARK S. DOSS, Grammy Award winning bass-baritone, in NEW HAVEN MAY 17

NEW HAVEN: BASS-BARITONE MARK STEVEN DOSS MAY 17! -

Grammy Award winning bass-baritone Mark S. Doss is joined by pianists Vyacheslav Gryaznov and Reed Tetzloff for a Tri-State recital tour in New Haven, Stamford, New York, and Red Bank. In addition to the public recitals, they will perform eight children's programs from May 11th through May 22nd from...

Our venue today! Thank you BSO OrchKids!
05/14/2018

Our venue today! Thank you BSO OrchKids!

NEW YORK: BASS-BARITONE MARK STEVEN DOSS MAY 16! -
05/09/2018
MARK S. DOSS, Grammy Award winning bass-baritone, Tri-State Tour May 13-19

NEW YORK: BASS-BARITONE MARK STEVEN DOSS MAY 16! -

Grammy Award winning bass-baritone Mark S. Doss is joined by pianists Vyacheslav Gryaznov and Reed Tetzloff for a Tri-State recital tour in New Haven, Stamford, New York, and Red Bank. In addition to the public recitals, they will perform eight children's programs from May 11th through May 22nd from...

STAMFORD: BASS-BARITONE MARK STEVEN DOSS MAY 13! -
05/07/2018
MARK S. DOSS, Grammy Award winning bass-baritone, Tri-State Tour May 13-19

STAMFORD: BASS-BARITONE MARK STEVEN DOSS MAY 13! -

Grammy Award winning bass-baritone Mark S. Doss is joined by pianists Vyacheslav Gryaznov and Reed Tetzloff for a Tri-State recital tour in New Haven, Stamford, New York, and Red Bank. In addition to the public recitals, they will perform eight children's programs from May 11th through May 22nd from...

STAMFORD: NICOLAS NAMORADZE, Pianist-composer: NEW LINK to NAMORADZE PLAYING DROZDOFF. CONCERT THIS SUNDAY @ 3 p.m. -
04/13/2018
NICOLAS NAMORADZE, pianist-composer, TRANSFORMATIONS. Sunday, April 15, 3 p.m. in STAMFORD.

STAMFORD: NICOLAS NAMORADZE, Pianist-composer: NEW LINK to NAMORADZE PLAYING DROZDOFF. CONCERT THIS SUNDAY @ 3 p.m. -

Join pianist and composer Nicolas Namoradze, whose performances have been hailed by critics as “sparkling… sensitive and coloristic” (New York Times) and “simply gorgeous” (Wall Street Journal) in a concert spanning Bach to Namoradze and a great deal in-between.

STAMFORD: NICOLAS NAMORADZE, Pianist-composer: An ANNOUNCEMENT and LISTEN to some new links before Sunday, April 15, 2...
04/09/2018
NICOLAS NAMORADZE, pianist-composer, TRANSFORMATIONS. Sunday, April 15, 3 p.m. in STAMFORD.

STAMFORD: NICOLAS NAMORADZE, Pianist-composer: An ANNOUNCEMENT and LISTEN to some new links before Sunday, April 15, 2018 -

Join pianist and composer Nicolas Namoradze, whose performances have been hailed by critics as “sparkling… sensitive and coloristic” (New York Times) and “simply gorgeous” (Wall Street Journal) in a concert spanning Bach to Namoradze and a great deal in-between.

04/09/2018
Nulla! Silenzio! from Puccini's Il tabarro. Mark S. Doss, bass-baritone

The Drozdoff Society is most honored to present two of its Artists in Residence in a tour this May. Here are Grammy Award winning bass-baritone Mark Steven Doss and Artist of the Московская филармония | Moscow Philharmonic Society, pianist Vyacheslav Gryaznov, in a recording produced last April of the aria "Nulla! Silenzio!" from Puccini's Il tabarro.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfJjOFRPVzI&feature=youtu.be&a=

Aria Nulla! Silenzio! from Giacomo Puccini's Il tabarro. Mark Steven Doss, bass-baritone Vyacheslav Gryaznov, piano Messrs. Doss and Gryaznov are Artists in ...

04/07/2018
Pegasus: The Orchestra

Come hear this fantastic new ensemble on Thursday, April 12th, WINE RECEPTION at 7; CONCERT at 7:30. Pegasus at Mana Orchestra Series: Americana!

Here is a preview from our last concert - Grieg Holberg Suite.
Join us on April 12 for our next concert AMERICANA! Copland, Barber, and Gershwin in Jersey City. Use code PEGASUS for $5 off. http://manacontemporary.com/americana

STAMFORD: NICOLAS NAMORADZE, Pianist-composer: TRANSFORMATIONS on Sunday, April 15, 2018 -
04/03/2018
NICOLAS NAMORADZE, pianist-composer, TRANSFORMATIONS. Sunday, April 15, 3 p.m. in STAMFORD.

STAMFORD: NICOLAS NAMORADZE, Pianist-composer: TRANSFORMATIONS on Sunday, April 15, 2018 -

Join pianist and composer Nicolas Namoradze, whose performances have been hailed by critics as “sparkling… sensitive and coloristic” (New York Times) and “simply gorgeous” (Wall Street Journal) in a concert spanning Bach to Namoradze and a great deal in-between.

STAMFORD: KAREN HAKOBYAN. Pianist as composer: The Art of the Etude on Sunday, March 4th -
02/26/2018
KAREN HAKOBYAN. Pianist as composer: The Art of the Etude on Sunday, March 4th.

STAMFORD: KAREN HAKOBYAN. Pianist as composer: The Art of the Etude on Sunday, March 4th -

Join Karen Hakobyan for a unique concert experience. He has combined an exhilarating musical performance with thought-provoking remarks for each set of Etudes. An exciting combination of traditional and modern virtuoso piano works by renowned pianist-composers, Art of the Etude features pieces rangi...

STAMFORD: KAREN HAKOBYAN. Pianist as composer: The Art of the Etude on Sunday, March 4th -
02/20/2018
KAREN HAKOBYAN. Pianist as composer: The Art of the Etude on Sunday, March 4th.

STAMFORD: KAREN HAKOBYAN. Pianist as composer: The Art of the Etude on Sunday, March 4th -

Join Karen Hakobyan for a unique concert experience. He has combined an exhilarating musical performance with thought-provoking remarks for each set of Etudes. An exciting combination of traditional and modern virtuoso piano works by renowned pianist-composers, Art of the Etude features pieces rangi...

02/18/2018

Music. Superb music.

Mark Steven Doss (a/k/a Scarpia) tonight with the Welsh National Opera, opening night of Tosca.In 3 short months he will...
02/10/2018

Mark Steven Doss (a/k/a Scarpia) tonight with the Welsh National Opera, opening night of Tosca.

In 3 short months he will be here in the New York area for a tour with The Drozdoff Society. A tremendous honor for us, and a fantastic opportunity for all of you. Join us. He will be in your neighborhood soon.

It's opening night with Welsh National Opera!

#Tosca #Scarpia

Russian pianist and composer and Drozdoff Society Artist-in-Residence Vyacheslav Gryaznov will have a performance of his...
01/31/2018
VYACHESLAV GRYAZNOV, Virtuoso Transcriptions. Pegasus at Mana: Piano Series

Russian pianist and composer and Drozdoff Society Artist-in-Residence Vyacheslav Gryaznov will have a performance of his own transcriptions of Borodin, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Glinka in Jersey City in two weeks. He will also perform Rachmaninoff's Sonata No. 2. Please join us.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vyacheslav-gryaznov-virtuoso-transcriptions-pegasus-at-mana-piano-series-tickets-42693863495?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&aff=esfb&utm-source=fb&utm-term=listing

Pegasus at Mana: Piano Series, VIRTUOSO TRANSCRIPTIONS Performed by Vyacheslav Gryaznov Russian pianist-composer VYACHESLAV GRYAZNOV closes Pegasus at Mana: Piano Series’ first season with a virtuosic tour de force. First, he will perform his own transcriptions of universally beloved works by Russ...

The great American bass-baritone Mark Steven Doss has accepted our nomination for a Residency with The Drozdoff Society....
12/29/2017

The great American bass-baritone Mark Steven Doss has accepted our nomination for a Residency with The Drozdoff Society. We are overflowing with pride and anticipation.

Mr. Doss is already slated to perform a multicity tour with another of our Residents, the remarkable Russian pianist and composer Vyacheslav Gryaznov. Their tour will take them from New Haven to Baltimore the week of May 13-May 19, 2018, and if you are in New Haven, Stamford, Manhattan, or Red Bank, check our Facebook Events on the Impromptu Classical Music Recital Series page for the concert nearest you. The Baltimore performances are in conjunction with the stellar OrchKids organization in affiliation with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and we are all very excited to meet these amazing young musicians and present these concerts to them.

Please check back often for news of additional events. Much more to come.

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Louisiana Lullaby, by Vladimir Drozdoff (words James Stuart Douglass) | Mark S. Doss, bass-baritone
Louisiana Lullaby, by Vladimir Drozdoff (words James Stuart Douglass) | Mark S. Doss, bass-baritone

Louisiana Lullaby, by Vladimir Drozdoff (words James Stuart Douglass) Mark S. Doss, bass-baritone Vyacheslav Gryaznov, pianist The Drozdoff Society's Impromptu Classical Music Recital Series May 16, 2018 Baruch Performing Arts Center

The Drozdoff Society: The Drozdoff Society's Mission and its Artists-in-Residence
The Drozdoff Society: The Drozdoff Society's Mission and its Artists-in-Residence

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