A Life in Music

Education

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While Lazarof studied music his whole life, his formal music training as an adult began in Israel. He moved to Tel Aviv in 1949, where he studied with prominent Israeli composer Paul Ben-Haim. While in Israel, Lazarof composed and organized choral concerts for the soldiers throughout the country. He was awarded Israel’s first musical scholarship, which allowed him to pursue further studies in composition with Goffredo Petrassi at the Saint Cecilia Academy in Rome.

Having earned another scholarship, Lazarof was able to complete his musical education at Brandeis. Beginning in 1957, he studied under Arthur Berger and Harold Shapero, two of the musical giants who helped establish the Brandeis Music department, and earned his MFA in 1959. During his time at Brandeis, Lazarof eagerly pursued musical opportunities and was already gaining attention, acclaim, and honors for his talent. His Cantata was performed at the first Student Compositions Concert at Brandeis’s Arts Festival, and his works were featured in Brandeis’s Helmsley Interfaith Concerts. In addition, Lazarof directed the Cambridge Jewish Community Center Choral Group, was contracted for a musical piece by the Harvard Musical Association, and was granted an award for his string quartet by the Brookline Library Music Association. Lazarof was also involved in the French Club at Brandeis, and gave a lecture about the music of Debussy during his studies.

Israel

Lazarof stands before a group of young men and women on a stage

Lazarof conducts choir in Israel

Left side: text in Hebrew, right side: text in French

Lazarof’s Carte de Sociétaire (front and back covers)

Identification card for the Society for Authors, Composers, and Editors in Israel

Transcript

[Left side]

אקום בע"מ אגודת קומפוזיטורים מחברים ומולי"ם בישראל מאוגדת בקונפדרציה הבין לאומית של אגודות קומפוזיטורים ומחברים בפריס תל־אביב ישראל כרטיס חבר מס' 272 | 1

[Right side]

ACUM Ltd.
Société des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Éditeurs en Israel
Membre de la CISAC, Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Auteurs et Compositeurs, Paris

Tel-Aviv   Israel
Carte de Societaire
No. 1|272

Formal photo of Lazarof in suit, French and English, stamped in purple ink with official seal

Carte de Sociétaire (inside)

Dated May 16, 1954, issued to Aaron/Aharon Lazar (the name Lazarof went by in Israel)

Transcript

Mr./Mme.Aaron Lazar מר/ת לזר אהרון

Residence / כתובת רח' משה בן עזרא 4 תל־אביב. הוא/היא חבר/ה באגודת אקום בע"מ Est membre de la Société ACUM Ltd.

תאריך / Date 16.5.54 חתימת בעל התעודה / Signature [Henri Lazarof signature in Hebrew and English] מנהל / Directeur

Blurry photo of young man writing at desk

Lazarof composing

Hebrew and English on newsprint

Poster of Lazarof (solo piano) performance with Kol Israel Orchestra

Dated June 10, 1952

Transcript

אולם ימק"א / Y.M.C.A. Auditorium תזמרת "קול ישראל" / “Kol Israel” Orchestra

יום שלישי / Tuesday 10.6.52 9 p.m. / בערב המנצח / Conductor סטן פריקברג / Stan Frykberg הסוליסט / Soloist אהרן לזר פנסנתר / Aharon Lazar, piano

א. פתיחה לקומדיה - טרפ / a. Comedy Overture - Tarp

ב. קונצרטו בלה־מינור לפסנתר ולתזמרת - גריג / b. Concerto in a-minor for Piano and Orchestra - Grieg

ג. סויטה מתוך ˃הסוחר מונציה˂ - ניסטרים
/ c. Suite from "The Merchant of Venice" - Nystroem

ד. סרנדה לכלי מיתר - ווירן
/ d. Serenade for Strings - Wiren

ה. מחול מתוך הבלט ˃מלכי ההרים˂ - אלפון
/ e. Dance from the Ballet "the Mountain Kings" - Alfvén

Hebrew and English text and stylized drawing of a dancer, on orange background

Poster of dance recital featuring Lazarof on piano

Dated April 14, 1955

Transcript

14.4.55

אולם אהל בשעת 6:30 בערב
Ohel Hall at 6:30 p.m.

רנה שחם
Rina Shaham

ערב מחול מודרני
A Modern Dance Recital

בהשתתפות:
With
רות פוזנר - אברהם דוד
Ruth Posner - Avraham David

ליד פסנתר: אהרן לזר
At the piano: Aharon Lazar

כרטיסים להשיג אצל: "רוקוקו" דיזנגוף 93 ובערב ההצגה בקופה
Tickets available at ,,Rokoko” 93 Dizengoff Str. and at the night of the performance at the box office

Italy

Text in Italian, Coat of arms of Republica Italiana near top

Lazarof’s Conservatorio identification card, front

Transcript

Republica Italiana Conservatorio Di Musica “S. Cecilia„

Roma

Text in Italian; attached formal photo of young Lazarof; stamped seal of the Conservatory

Conservatorio identification card, inside page 1

Transcript Firma dell’alunni Henri Lazarof

La presente tessera va esibita a qualsiasi richiesta Degli Insegnanti, del Direttore di Segreteria e dell’Ispet- tore didattico.

Essa attesta la regolare iscrizione dell’alunni al- l’Istituto per l’anno scolastico in corso se munita del Timbro relativo. NON SI RILASCIANO DUPLICATI.

[Inked stamps] Conservatorio Di Musica “S. Cecilia„ Roma

Printed form filled out in black ink

Conservatorio identification card, inside page 2

Dated November 15, 1955

Transcript

Conservatorio Di Musica “S. Cecilia„ Roma

Matricola N. 1147

L’alunni Lazarof Henri di Efraim Hohor e di Bouka Azaria Koen nato a Sofia il 12 aprile 1932 è iscritto regolarmente, dall’anno scolastico 1955/56 in seguito ad seame di ammissione, alla Scuola di Composizione Classe del M.o Antonio Ferdinandi E ai relativi insegnamenti complementari retro Specificati.

Roma, lie 14 Nov. 1955
Il Direettore di Segreteria
[signature illegible]

Charts with roman numerals, purple-inked stamp indicating academic year

Conservatorio identification card, back

Academic year 1955-56

Transcript

Corso Degli Studi

A table with 2 rows, 5 columns, no heading cells. Each data cell contains a single roman numeral 1 through 10 in sequence left to right: 1-5 in the first row, 6-10 in the second row.

Insegnamenti Complementari

A table with 4 rows, 3 columns, no heading cells. Each data cell contains a single roman numeral. The first column consists of all 1s, the second: all 2s and the third: all 3s. To the left of the table, the text “Solfeggio...” is aligned with the first row, “Materi letterari” is aligned with the second. Below this text are two dotted lines.

A table with 4 rows, 2 columns, no heading cells. Each data cell contains a single roman numeral. The first column consists of all 1s, the second: all 2s. To the left of the table, the text “Storia della musica” is aligned with the first row, “Cultura musicale generale” is aligned with the second. Below this text are two dotted lines.

Photo negative (white text, black background); text in Italian

Letter documenting Lazarof’s education at St. Cecilia’s

Transcript

Geffrede Petrassi
Via Germanico 184 -- Roma
Roma 16 Febbraio 1957

Io sottoscritto, Professore del corso Superiore di Composizione nel Conservatorio di Musica di S. Cecilia in Roma, dichiaro che il Signor Henry Lazarof ha frequentato il mio Corse al Conservatorio negli anni scolastici 1955-56 a 1956-57.

Il Signore Lazarof ha studiato in questi due anni con molto profitto e diligenza, ottenendo dei risultati molto soddisfacenti. Ha progredite nella tecnica musicale, in tutti gli aspetti, ed ha sviluppate in misura notevole il senso della costruzione musicale nella composizione.

Sono lieto di rilasciare la presente dichiarazione perché ho fiducia nel talento del Signor Lazarof, e nel suo avvenire.

[nome olografo illeggibile]

Young man in trench coat and hat, smoking a cigarette, sitting on a bench

Lazarof on a bench

Young man in suit, standing in front of a house

Young Lazarof in Rome

Young man standing by a sculpture fountain in a garden

Lazarof by fountain

Brandeis University

Black text on cream paper, embossed school seal

Lazarof’s diploma from Brandeis

Master of Fine Arts in Musical Composition

Transcript

The Trustees of Brandeis University upon the recommendation of the Faculty have conferred on Henri Lazarof the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Musical Composition

and all the rights and privileges thereunto appertaining in witness thereof, they have issued this diploma duly signed and have affixed the seal of the university. issued at Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, on the seventh day of June, 1959

[signed] Abraham Feinberg President, Board of Trustees

[signed] Abram L. Sachar President of the University

[signed] Norman S. Rabb Secretary, Board of Trustees

[Seal:] Emet Truth Unto Its Innermost Parts

Formal photo of Lazarof