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Season Schedule

Performances and Recordings

Current Season

Date Project Venue Location
January 5, 2008 Ljova & the Vjola Contraband, double-bill with the Brooklyn Rider Joe's Pub New York, NY
January 19, 2008 Ljova with Romashka at the Zlatne Uste Festival in New York. Zlatne Uste New York, NY
January 31, 2008 Ljova and Inna Private performance at Ljova's parents 30th anniversary Moscow, Russia
February 23, 2008 Ljova with Romashka! Drom New York, NY
March 8, 2008 Ljova and the Kontraband with Rob Kendt! Barbes Brooklyn, NY
March 9-15, 2008 Ljova teaching at the Winter Career Development Residency The Banff Centre Banff, Canada
April 4, 2008 Ljova as special guest for CD-Release by Alina Simone Joe's Pub New York, NY
April 10, 2008 Ljova performing with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas The Town Hall New York, NY
April 25-May 3, 2008 Cupcake premieres, featuring music by Ljova, performed by Ljova and the Kontraband Tribeca Film Festival New York, NY
May 8, 2008, 1pm Ljova and the Kontraband Trinity Wall Street Church (Concerts at One series) New York, NY
May 10, 2008, 9pm Ljova and the Kontraband DROM New York, NY
May 18, 2008, 12pm Ljova and the Kontraband Philadelphia Book Festival Philadelphia, PA
May 18, 2008, 4pm Ljova and the Kontraband, double bill with the Yiddish Arts Trio Princeton Arts Council Princeton, NJ
June 12-15, 2008 Ljova in collaboration with Freefall Dance Company WalkerSpace / Joyce SoHo New York, NY
July 11, 2008 Ljova and the Kontraband Barbes Brooklyn, NY

2007

December 7, 2007 World on a String Band Waltz Astoria Queens, NY
December 6, 2007 Ljova and the Vjola Contraband, World on a String Band and the Luminescent String Orchestrii Ukranian East Village Restaurant New York, NY
November 28, 2007 Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra) Kennedy Center Washington, DC
November 25, 2007 Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra) Sala Nezahualcoyotl, UNAM Mexico City, Mexico
November 24, 2007 Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra) Palacio de Belles Artes Mexico City, Mexico
November 20, 2007 Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra) >Myerson Symphony Center Dallas, TX
November 15, 2007 Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas (dir. Alondra de La Parra) NYU Skirball Center New York, NY
November 10, 2007 Ljova with Percusia Queens Library Queens, NY
November 7, 2007 Ljova with World on a String Band Goodbye Blue Monday Brooklyn, NY
October 25, 2007 Ljova with Rob Kendt Googie's Lounge, The Living Room New York, NY
October 14, 2007 Ljova and the Vjola Contraband - double feature with the Parker String Quartet Barbes Brooklyn, NY
October 4-7, 2007 Performing in the premiere of Man: Biology of a Fall, an opera by Evan Hause Kumble Theater Brooklyn, NY
August 3, 2007 OPEN REHEARSAL with Ljova and Inna and friends Joe's Pub New York, NY
August 3, 2007 Ljova and the Vjola Contraband Barbes Brooklyn, NY
July 26, 2007 Ljova and the Vjola Contraband Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York, NY
July 12, 2007 Ljova and the Vjola Contraband Arium New York, NY
July 6, 2007 Ljova and the Vjola Contraband Philadelphia Art Museum Philadelphia, PA
June 22, 2007 Ljova with Dawn Upshaw, Osvaldo Golijov, and the Andalucian Dogs Festival Saint Denis Paris, France
June 20, 2007 Ljova with the Gustavo Santaolalla and Guests Festival Saint Denis Paris, France
June 13, 2007 Ljova with Uli Geissendoerfer and Bangalore Breakdown German Consulate New York, NY
June 12, 2007 Ljova with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Paquito D'Rivera Rose Theatre, Lincoln Center New York, NY
June 8, 2007 Ljova and the World on a String Band Banjo Jim's Lower East Side, NY
June 1, 2007 Ljova and the Vjola Contraband BAMCafé, Sundance @ BAM Film Festival Brooklyn, NY
May 31, 2007 | 2 pm Ljova and the Vjola Contraband Soundcheck Live Live Radio appearance on NPR/WNYC, FM 93.39
May 31, 2007 | 6 pm Ljova with Romashka TBD New York, NY
May 22, 2007 | 10 pm Ljova with the Walter Thompson Soundpainting Orchestra Bowery Poetry Club New York, NY
May 21, 2007 | 8 pm Ljova with the SEM Ensemble Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall New York, NY
April 28, 2007 Mahavishnu Project The Forum Theater Metuchen, NJ
April 26, 2007 Ljova with Ingrid Gordon and Demetrius Spaneas The Stone New York, NY
April 19, 2007 Ljova with Uli Geissendoerfer + Group The Stone New York, NY
April 21, 2007 Mahavishnu Project Makor New York, NY
April 20, 2007 Mahavishnu Project IMAC Theater Huntington, NY
April 19, 2007 Ljova with Uli Geissendoerfer The Stone New York, NY
March 27, 2007 Ljova plays with Kate Havnevik Hotel Cafe Los Angeles, CA
March 22, 2007 Ljova plays with Kate Havnevik Joe's Pub New York, NY
March 17, 2007 Ljova performs "Long Island Sound" with Ensemble 212 Good Shepherd Church New York, NY
March 8, 2007 Ljova and the Vjola Contraband Barbes Brooklyn, NY
Feb. 27, 2007 Recording Ljova's original score for Michael DiPaolo's film
Dec 13, 2006
 Ljova with Inna
Barmash (vocals) and David Yengibarjan (accordion) - original and folk
music
Spinoza Haz Budapest, Hungary
Dec 11, 2006
 Kate Havnevnik, Guy Sigsworth
The Regal Room London, UK
Nov 17-Dec 1, 2006
 Assistant Composer and Recording for Francis Ford Coppola's film "Youth without Youth"
   Bucharest, Romania
Nov 15, 2006
 "Ayre" with Dawn Upshaw and the Andalucian Dogs

 (cancelled)
 The New Crown Festival Vienna, Austria
Sep 20-27, 2006

 Jay-Z rehearsals and show
Royal Albert Hall London, UK
Aug 22, 2006
 Vjola Contraband
Barbes Brooklyn, NY
Aug 8, 2006
 Vjola Lounge Duo

 JCC New York, NY
Jul 21, 2006
 Improvisations with Clifton
 5C Cultural Center New York, NY
Jul 20, 2006
 Chassidic Jazz Project with Reuben Hoch
 Makor New York, NY
July 12, 2006
 Ljova & Vjola Contraband
Joe's Pub New York, NY
Jul 9, 2006

 Soundpainting
 Bowery Poetry Club New York, NY
Jun 30, 2006
 Theatro Slovak
Galapagos Brooklyn, NY
Jun 21-25, 2006
 Jay-Z rehearsals and show

New York, NY

 Radio City Hall New York, NY
Jun 16, 2006
 Vjola Contraband
OMFactory New York, NY
Jun 8, 2006
 Mexican American Orchestra
 Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center New York, NY
May 27, 2006
 Soundpainting Recording Session
    
May 7, 2006
 Romashka at Tubapalooza
 Zebulon Concert Cafe Brooklyn, NY
May 5, 2006
 Cassis Recording
    
Mar 24, 2006
 Ljova with Patrick Farrell (accordion), Sarah
Alden (violin)
5C Cultural Center New York, NY
Mar 14, 2006
 Ljova with Patrick Farrell (accordion), Sarah
Alden (violin)

Via Della Pace New York, NY
Mar 3, 2006
 Romashka


 Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia, PA
 Dec 7 and 9, 2005
 Ljova in string trio with Donovan
 The Concert Hall at the New York Society
for Ethical Culture
  New York

Compositions and Arrangements on Tour

  • The Enso Quartet performs Ljova's "Bagel on the Malecon" on tour in 2006-2007. Watch YouTube video of Enso Quartet's performance of "Bagel on the Malecon" at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
  • The Kronos Quartet is performing arrangements on their tours since 2005. Check out their current season page for details about upcoming concerts near you.
  • Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project is performing Ljova's arrangements since 2004. Check out their current season schedule for details about upcoming concerts near you.
  • Bowfire performing Ljova's arrangement of the Khachaturian Sabre Dance since 2004. Check out the performance online, or visit their current season schedule for details about upcoming concerts near you.
  • The Brooklyn Rider String Quartet performs Ljova's works on select performances in New York and on tour.

Film Screenings

please see Ljova's filmography

Radio and Media Highlights

  • WNYC/NPR Soundcheck Live with John Schaefer (May 31, 2007 - 2pm) [Listen to a podcast of this show!]
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    Reviews

    This self-released debut recording from 27-year-old Russian-born Lev Zhurbin (aka Ljova), one of New York's fastest-rising composers and instrumentalists, is something special... Ljova continually delights
    ---Anastasia Tsioulcas, Billboard

    Rustic dances and evocative soundscapes, all crafted from ... the gorgeously grainy purr of his fiddle.
    ---Steve Smith, Time Out New York

    Eclectic with an ear for texture...Throaty melodies supported by pizzicato rhythms, lush chordal figures and counterpoint.
    ---Allan Kozinn, New York Times

    Though he was born in the string quarry of Russia and refined in the purifying precincts of Juilliard, Zhurbin turned out to be a lover of gritty hybrids. The music he writes and plays is full of Brahmsian tone, Bartók lines, hiccupping Hungarian rhythms, Klezmer soul and the sexy plaintiveness of tango and the blues.
    ---Justin Davidson, Newsday

    Best of June 2006 New Releases
    ---John Schaefer, host of WNYC's New Sounds and Soundcheck

    Like many younger musicians, this leader has absorbed a panoply of music and gleefully undermines rigid notions of genre.
    ---Sean Patrick Fitzell, ALL ABOUT JAZZ

    From the poignant to the jolly... a superb player and composer, a Brilliant Debut. (Top 10 Jewish Records of 2006)
    ---George Robinson, THE JEWISH WEEK

    No barriers...Fluid stylistic grace...
    ---Ken Smith, GRAMOPHONE Magazine

    The off-kilter rhythms he favors ... tug and pull at you in strange and mysterious ways, as do Ljova's melodies, which have the tuneful, emotive quality of good pop.
    ---Alexander Gelfand, JAZZIZ Magazine

    Proves that an integration between seemingly different cultures is possible, inevitable, and fruitful
    ---Osvaldo Golijov, composer