Badinski, Nicolai
Badinski, Nicolai
Badinski, Nicolai, Bulgarian-born German composer, violinist, and teacher; b. Sofia, Dec. 19, 1937. He studied mathematics at the Univ. (1955) and pursued music training at the Bulgarian State Cons. (diploma, 1961) in Sofia, and then attended the master classes in composition of Wagner- Régeny at the Academy of Arts in East Berlin (1967–70), worked with Ligeti, Stock-hausen, Xenakis, and C. Halffter in Darmstadt (summers, 1974–78), and studied with Dallapiccola and Donatoni at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena (summers, 1975–76). In 1971 he was a visiting prof. at the univs. of Stockholm and Copenhagen. In 1976 he settled in West Berlin, and in 1979 he became a naturalized German citizen. In 1977 he won first prize in the Viotti composition competition in Vercelli, in 1978 the Stockhausen composition competition in Bergamo-Brescia, in 1979 the Trieste Prize for symphonic music, in 1980-81 the Prix de Rome, and in 1982 the Prix de Paris. He served as composer-in-residence of the Djerassi Foundation in Calif. in 1987. Badinski is a member of the European Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities in Paris.
Works
ORCH.: 3 syms. (1967, 1978, 1981); 3 violin concertos (1970–71; 1971–72; 1971–72); Viola Concerto (1975); Homage to Stravinsky for 12 Solo Strings or String Orch. (1978–79); Drang zum Ausdruck (1981–82); Connections for Violin, Piano, and Orch. (1982–83); Scherzo électroacoustique (1984–85); Die “trunkene” Fledermaus (1991–92); Erleuchtung for Violin and Orch. (1992–93); Signals for 8 Trumpets and Orch. (1993–94); Seven Memorial Stones: In Memoriam of the Holocaust Victims (Requiem) for String Orch. (1993–94). CHAMBER: 3 string quartets (1965, 1973, 1978); Octet (1972); Pitture for Violin, Viola, and Cello (1975); Decipio, 7 Pieces for Various Instruments (1976 et seq.); Disegni for Flute and Instrumental Ensemble (1984); Jesus Christ for Violin, Viola, and Double Bass (1996). VOCAL: Widerspiegelungen der Weisheit for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1983–84).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire