SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKY
HARPIST

Saul Davis, harpist, has specialized in well-chosen thematic programs of fine repertoire, featuring revivals of rare and neglected works, premieres, and his own compositions and transcriptions. He has been the recipient of grants, awards and fellowships from the Presser Foundation, the Pultusker Fund for Young Musicians, Chautauqua Institution, Macalester College, and the Tanglewood Harp Symposium.

As soloist with orchestra Mr. Davis has performed with New York's Bloomingdale Chamber Orchestra in Mozart's Concerto for Flute and Harp, and St. Paul's J.C.C. Symphony Orchestra in Nicolai Berezowsky's Concerto for Harp. He has performed several programs in New York City, with faculty recitals for Roosa School of Music, Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and Hebrew Arts School; two recitals for the Nicholas Roerich Museum, at the Bloomingdale House of Music and Congregation Habonim in New York City. He performed for Temple Bath Abraham of Tarrytown, New York and in several churches in New York City. He performed with the NYC Gay Men's Chorus at Carnegie and Avery Fisher Halls, and at Avery Fisher Hall in the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra. He has performed at Macalester College as part of a residency in a solo recital program. He has performed many times at Macalester College; and in the Twin Cities at Mayflower and Colonial Churches, Mt. Zion and Temple of Aaron Synagogues, and St. Paul's Jewish Community Center. He appeared on live radio broadcasts from WNYC Around New York and KSJN/Minnesota Public Radio The Morning Show.

In contemporary music Mr. Davis has performed in the premieres of works by composers Robert Moran, Joseph Hannon, Deniz Ulben, Dennis Riley, John David Earnest and others at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Asia Society, Merkin Concert Hall, and St. John the Divine Cathedral. He was personally coached by composer John Cage in two of his works for harp. In 1990 he revived the Concerto for Harp by Nicolai Berezowsky, giving the first performances since its premiere season in 1945, with pianist Frank Daykin, and with St. Paul's Jewish Community Center Symphony Orchestra. His recital programs have featured the world premieres of works by Carlos Salzedo, Mr. Davis, and the U.S. premiere of Four Diatonic Caprices by Alexander Tcherepnin.

Mr. Davis served as principal harpist for Chautauqua Festival Orchestra, Minneapolis Civic Orchestra, and toured with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra. As a freelance musician in New York, Mr. Davis performed with ensembles including Concert Royal Baroque Orchestra, New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, Bloomingdale Chamber Orchestra, in the off-Broadway showsThe Fantasticks, and Dodgson, and was musical director for Tabula Spectacula, which toured New York City with his chamber-music group Psyche Ensemble.

After relocating to Pennsylvania Mr. Davis co-founded the Aeolian Harps Concert Harp Duo with Virginia Flanagan, which presented its program Dance Tapestry on the Doylestown Festival of the Arts Series to a standing ovation. He performed with Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra in original solos, with Music Group of Philadephia, and at the Presbyterian Churches of Germantown, Doylestown, Wilmington, and Haddonfield. He has been affiliated with Windgarth Conservatory of Music, and was artist-in-residence at Wilkes University. He has performed with violinist Robin Mayforth, cellist Doug McNames, and tenor Hugh Smith. He performed a solo recital for the Philadelphia chapter of the American Harp Society. He coached harp students of the Curtis Institute of Music in performances of his composition Suite Provencal for Harp Duo which they premiered at the national conference of the American Harp Society of 2004. During that same conference, his composition Prairie Night was premiered by Emily Halpern Lewis of the Boston University faculty.

As a teacher, Mr. Davis served on the faculties of the Roosa School of Music, the Hebrew Arts Center, Lucy Moses School of Music and Dance, and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and maintains a private studio. He has held a residency at Macalester College, performing, guest lecturing and conducting a master class in harp for the students there. He has coached at the Curtis Institute of Music Harp Department in Philadelphia.

Mr. Davis attended MacPhail School of Music, Macalester College, Tanglewood, and Manhattan School of Music, where he received the Master of Music degree, studying with the legendary Lucile Lawrence. He also studied with Miss Lawrence at Tanglewood, with Alice Chalifoux at the Salzedo School, chamber music with Gary Graffman, and performed in master class with Heidi Lehwalder. He has coached with maestro Robert Luther, pianist Earl Wild, and flutist Sue Anne Kahn.

INTERESTS: An interest in dance led to study with ballerina Nina Stroganova and Vladimir Dokoudovsky, and jazz-dance choreographer Betsy Haug, for whom he produced a week-long master class at New York's Broadway Dance Center. As a writer on the arts he has published articles and reviews in Dancemagazine, NY Perspectives, CAB Magazine, and humor in The New Yorker, and Baby Split Bowling News. He is currently Harp Editor for String Notes and a contributor to American Harp Journal, Philadelphia Music Makers magazine (for which he is also a board member) and American String Teacher. He has written many ballet librettos and is also a lyricist. He is a member of ASCAP, the Tcherepnin Society, American Harp Society, and ASTA. He was the first ballet librettist to become a member of the Dramatists Guild.

Contact: Da Costa Music House
1929 Chestnut Street, Suite 2F, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
(215) 563-4848

SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKY
HARPIST
SOLO REPERTOIRE

(selected partial list)

SAUL DAVIS ZLATKOVSKY
HARPIST
CONCERTO REPERTOIRE