Biography 8/30/06

Attn presenters: this bio may be reprinted until Aug. 2007

Saxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky has appeared as soloist with leading orchestras and ensembles throughout the world, including the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Kurt Masur, Dresden Staatskapelle, Boston Pops, Taipei and Taiwan Symphonies, New World Symphony, BBC Concert Orchestra, Oregon Symphony, Marlboro Festival, Portland String Quartet, and Moscow Autumn, a Russian new music festival.

Mr. Radnofsky made his New York Philharmonic debut in 1996, also under the direction of Maestro Masur, having made his Carnegie Hall debut some years earlier with the NY premiere of Gunther Schuller's Concerto with the Natl. Orchestral Assn. The world premiere of the Schuller was also given by Radnofsky, with the Pittsburgh Symphony, with both of the highly acclaimed performances conducted by the composer. David Amram's Concerto, 'Ode to Lord Buckley,' is also dedicated to Radnofsky, who premiered the work with the Portland Symphony, under Bruce Hangen's direction.

Other American composers commissioned by Radnofsky, have included, Chris Theofanidis, Larry Bell, Donald Martino, Milton Babbitt, Ezra Sims, Roger Bourland, Michael Horvit, John McDonald, Allen Johnson and an innovative commission of Pulitzer Prize winning composer John Harbison for a Sonata, premiered Dec. 3, 1995 by 43 saxophonists in different locations around the globe in an effort organized by Radnofsky, entitled World-Wide Concurrent Premieres, Inc. (WWCP). Mr. Radnofsky is Exec. Dir. of WWCP, and has created a network of musicians commissioning today's finest composers. Vincent Plush (Australia), and Georgy Dmitriev (Russia) have also written for Radnofsky.

Current solo cd releases include Debussy Rhapsody with the NY Philharmonic (Teldec 13133), 'Radnofsky.com' (Boston Records 1043, w/conductor Hangen), 'Fascinatin' Rhythms' (Boston Records 1044), Donald Martino's Saxophone Concerto (New World 80529-2), Michael Colgrass' Sax Concerto 'Dream Dancer,'( Mode 125), and Elliott Schwartz ' Mehitabel's Serenade (Sax Concerto) on Albany-Troy 646. In 1991 he was featured soloist with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, performing Franz Waxman's 'A Place in the Sun,' under John Mauceri's direction (Philips 4321092).

During the last few years, Kenneth Radnofsky, remarkably, has commissioned and premiered solo works by Gunther Schuller, Yang Yong, David Amram, Michael Colgrass (2), John McDonald (5), Armand Qualliotine (3), Jaime Fatas, Pasquale Tassone (2), Shih-Hui Chen(2), Andy Vores, Lei Liang, Jakov Jakoulov(2), Donald Martino, and Elliott Schwartz, all while celebrating over 30 years of teaching, with concerts in Rome, Taipei, Havana, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Mexico City, Montreal, Caracas, Manchester, UK, Beijing, Shanghai and elsewhere. His recently formed Radnofsky Saxophone Quartet (2003) performs the works of Schwartz, Wuorinen and Donatoni, as well as vintage saxophone works by Glazounov and Pierne.

2006-7 includes the world-premiere of a newly commissioned work (WWCP) by Halim El-Dabh for saxohone and darabuka, and performances of works celebrating the 95th birthdate of Alan Hovhaness. 2005-6 included numerous performances of Rachmaninoff and Chopin Cello Sonatas, on the saxophone, while 2004-5 featured premieres of new works by Chen, McDonald, Qualliotine. Concurrent with his performing and 60 hour teaching week, Radnofsky has designed and implemented a saxophone program for Venezuela. Radnofsky is committed to outreach on an international scale, nationally and locally; his editorial on such was published in the Christian Science Monitor. Radnofsky has given literally thousands of outreach performances as a member of Affiliate Artists and for the Selmer Company. They include a teaching component and investment in community to which he is deeply committed.

Kenneth Radnofsky's principal teachers were Joseph Allard, Jeffrey Lerner, David Salge, Terry Anderson and Duncan Hale. Kenneth Radnofsky is currently teaching at Boston's three conservatories- The Boston Conservatory, New England Conservatory, The Longy School as well as The Community Music Center of Boston and Salem High School. Kenneth Radnofsky performs exclusively on Selmer Instruments. Please visit his website at: www.KenRadnofsky.com; e-mail: ken@kenradnofsky.com

 

Scrapbook

            2004 Performance of Bernard Hermann's 'Taxi Driver' (Sax soloist), with John Williams, Tanglewood Film Night
Jordan Hall Debut - Radnofsky Quartet Mar. 2003
           
 
   
     
 
    Performance at Cuban New Music Festival with daughters

Letter from President Clinton
         
          Tanglewood, Berio Sequenza 9B (Solo alto sax), Ozawa Hall, Berio 75th Birthday tribute
American Academy in Rome performance of Shih-Hui Chen Twice Removed (solo sax)
         
          World Saxophone Congress, Montreal; Longy School, Boston: program of works written for Radnofsky by Harbison, Colgrass, Martino, Schuller, Amram, Chen, Liang, Jakoulov
Beijing Central Opera Theater Orchestra w/Steven Lipsitt (Premiere Y.Yong Sax Concerto) 1999 Boston Pops w/John Williams
Waxman A Place in the Sun
         
           
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Cover Page of Gunther Schuller's new Saxophone Sonata dedicated to Radnofsky
         
         

US Holocaust Museum
American Premiere Ullmann Rhapsody (sax/piano version)

Taipei Symphony
Debussy Rhapsody and Glazounov Concerto
         
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John Williams' 'personal' ending for Ken's performance at Tanglewood
           
        World Saxophone Congress, (Larry BellTrio )
Valencia, Spain
World-Wide Live Internet Broadcast on Real Audio
Larry Bell Trio
         
        New York Philharmonic w/Kurt Masur
Debussy Rhapsody
Everybody Plays it First
Chamber Music Article
       

 

          New England Conservatory Symphony w/Richard Hoenich American Premire of Ullmann Rhapsody
Portland Symphony w/Toshi Shimada
Martino Concerto
         
          New World Symphony w/Tania Leon
Martino Concerto
Knoxville Symphony w/Kirk Trevor
Premiere Dmitriev Concerto
         
          Omaha Symphony w/Bruce Hangen
World Premiere Theofanidis Concerto
Taiwan Wind Ensemble and Taiwan Symphony five City Tour
         
          Hollywood Bowl Orchestra w/John Mauceri
Waxman A Place in the Sun
Boston Pops Orchestra w/John Mauceri
Waxman A Place in the Sun
         
       

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Ken with soprano sax at National Concert Hall, Taiwan

   
     
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Early letters from Rudolf Serkin after Ken's first appearance as saxophonist and bass clarinetist, Marlboro Festival
   
 
   

 

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Correspondence from Aaron Copland, the first of many composers Radnofsky approached for commission works!

Letter from Karel Husa commenting on Ken's performance of his work.
         
          Moscow Autumn, Soviet New Music Festival
1st ever American soloist
BBC Concert Orchestra w/ Ashley Lawrence
Schuller Concerto and Debussy Rhapsody
         
          Hartford Symphony w/ Michael Lankester
John Lennon Concerto
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra w/ Kurt Masur
Ibert and Debussy Concerti
         
          Dresden Staatskapelle Orchestra
Ibert and Debussy Concerti
New Hampshire Symphony
World Premiere of Don Martino Concerto
         
          National Orchestra Assn. Carnegie Hall
Debut in Schuller Concerto
Akron Symphony in Karel Husa Elegie et Rondeau, Alan Balter conducting
         
          USAF Orchestra in Schuller Concerto, composer conducting World Sax Congress
Philharmonic Orchestra of Florida
Amram Concerto
         
       

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
World Premiere of Schuller Concerto, composer cond.

   
     

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Ken's very first Boston Symphony appearance (age 24) at Symphony Hall in David Del Tredici's Final Alice, Seiji Ozawa conducting