Music Department Faculty
Ralf Yusuf Gawlick
Professor, Assistant Chair
Ralf Yusuf Gawlick
D.M.A.
Contact
Telephone: 617-552-2514
Email: ralf.gawlick@bc.edu
Education
- B.M. University of California, Santa Barbara
- M.M. University of Texas at Austin
- D.M.A. New England Conservatory
Courses
MUSA 1200 Introduction to Music
MUSA 1100 Fundamentals of Music
MUSA 2100 Harmony
MUSA 2209 Twentieth Century Music
MUSA3100听 Chromatic Harmony
MUSA 3106 Counterpoint
MUSA 3120 Seminar in Composition
MUSA 3126 Tonal Composition
Office Hours
Fridays 1:00-2:00 p.m. for students, all others by appointment
Department
Biography
Ralf Yusuf Gawlick is a German-American composer of Romani-Kurdish descent. His works include solo, chamber, orchestral, electro-acoustic, film and choral music, traversing a wide range of styles and often exploring aspects of his complex international heritage. His music has been commissioned and championed by a wide range of artists and organizations, attracting international acclaim from audiences and critics. In recent years his electro-acoustic work Herzliche Gr眉脽e Bruno ~ Briefe aus Stalingrad, eight-voice Missa Gentis Human忙, song cycle Kollwitz-Konnex (鈥m Frieden seiner H盲nde), Kinderkreuzzug cantata and autobiographical 听string quartet Imagined Memories have exemplified his remarkably diverse output, with its frequent references to the highlights of the Western musical canon and rigorous compositional standards. Gawlick鈥檚 most recent composition, an oratorio entitled O Lungo Drom (The Long Road), was commissioned by the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien and is dedicated to Romani Rose, Chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma. His music, published by several firms, has been performed internationally (in venues including Konzerthaus Berlin, Vienna鈥檚 Musikverein, New York鈥檚 Carnegie Hall) and is recorded on the Musica Omnia, Perfect Noise and Decca Eloquence labels in composer-supervised performances by the works鈥� dedicatees. Gawlick is currently working on Die Ursitory, an opera based on Mat茅o Maximoff鈥檚 novel of the same name. This opera contains many "firsts": Die Ursitory is the first novel written by a Rom, on a Romani theme, and now set to music by a Romani composer. In this way, Maximoff's seminal story receives a unique realization from within, rather than being viewed through the lens and stereotypes of non-Roma, as in all previous operas with Roma (G*psy) themes. A professor at Boston College, Ralf Gawlick lives in Newton, MA, with his wife and fellow musician, Basia.
Compositions
Bobby ~ Tombeau for an Artist op.23 (2022) Solo cello, 7 minutes.
O Lungo Drom op.22听(2020-2021) Soprano, Baritone, Flute, Clarinet, Cimbalom, Piano, String Quartet, 60 min.听
(Texts drawn from Maya,听Ma虄nus虒, Sch枚pf, Iliaz, Makhotin, Stojka,听Haliti, Smith, Krasnici, Lagrene, Papusza, Loleshyte, Maximoff)听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Commissioned by the Alban Berg Ensemble Wien in conjunction with the Documentation and Cultural Center of German Sinti and Roma in听Heidelberg, Germanny
Herzliche Gr眉脽e Bruno ~ Briefe aus Stalingrad (Eine musikalische Gedenkst盲tte) op.21 (2017-2018);听Baritone, 2 Pianos, Sound Montage, 53 min.
Imagined Memories (Bi虃rani虃ne虃n Xeyali虃) op.20 (2014 - 2016) String Quartet, 46 min.;听Commissioned by the Hugo Wolf Quartet
Kollwitz-Konnex (鈥m Frieden seiner H盲nde) op.19 (2012-2013) Soprano, Guitar, 55 min.;听Commissioned by Anne Harley and the Rose Augustine Foundation
Sorores (Frauenpartita) op.18 (2011) Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Violin , Cello, 26 min.;听Commissioned by Etoile Productions and Boston College
Suscipe Domine op.17a (2011) Alto, Violin, Cello, 9 min.听(Text: St. Ignatius);听Commissioned by T. Frank Kennedy, S.J., and the Jesuit Institute, Boston College
Quando il Fiume Giallo si acchiarar脿 (Frammenti ricciani) op.17 (2011) Alto, Violin, Cello, 28 min.听(Text: Matteo Ricci and St. Ignatius);听Commissioned by 听Jeremy Clarke, S.J., Boston College听
Missa gentis human忙 op.16 (2008-2010) Eight-voice a cappella chorus (CCAATTBB), 53 min.听
Texts drawn from the Ordinary of the Mass, Borges, Virgil, Brecht,听Dostoevsky, Plautus, Herbert, Scott and the听Gospel of St.听John);听Commissioned by Michael Noone and Ensemble Plus听Ultra;听Published by ECS Publishing, Boston, MA
Berlin Suite op.15 (2009) String Quartet, 26 min.;听Commissioned by the German Embassy (Washington D.C.) and Boston College
Ich schreite kaum鈥� op.14 (2006-2007) Small Orchestra, 11 min.;听Commissioned by Kirk Trevor and the Missouri Symphony Orchestra
Kinderkreuzzug (Cantata) op.13 (2004-2005) Children鈥檚 Choir, Sanctus bells, Clarinet, String Trio (Vln,Vla,Vc), Organ, 38 min.听(Text: Bertolt Brecht);听Commissioned by Jacek Sykulski and the Poznan Boys Choir;听Published by ECS Publishing, Boston , MA
Zrodlo (The Source) op.12 (2004) Soprano Solo, Chorus (SATB), Large Orchestra, 12 min.听(Text: Karol Woytyla);听Commissioned by the Moniuszko Society听 听 听 听 听 听听
Glocken-Spiel op.11 (2004) Piano Quartet, 16 min.听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听
鈥e la mas sabrosa y agradable vida鈥� op.10 (2003) Large Orchestra, 16 min.;听Commissioned by Max Hobart and the Boston Civic Symphony Orchestra
At the still point of the turning world op.9 (2001-2002) Solo Cello, 14-50 min.听(variable durations attributed to formal possibilities;听Commissioned by Composers in Red Sneakers听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听
Chamber Triptych opp.6-8:
Sonata-Mazur (Aus der Ferne鈥�) op.8听 (2000-2001) Violin and Piano, 25 min.
Concerto Concertante per Sei Instrumenti op.7 (1998-1999) 2 Pianos and String Quartet,听27 min.
Mysteriun doloris quintae (Tropen-Kreuz) op.6 (1996-1997) Solo Piano, 21 min.;听Published by Brazinmusikanta Publications, Amityville, NY
An die Nachgeborenen (3) op.5 (1995) Low male voice, 3 Oboes, 3 Tenor Trombones,听String Trio (vln, vla, vc), 15 min.听(Text: Bertolt Brecht)
Sinfonietta op.4 (1994) Chamber Orchestra, 25 min.
Trio op.3 (1993) Violin, Cello, Piano, 18 min.
Treny op.2 (1993) Baritone and Piano (Text: Jan Kochanowski) 20 min.听 听 听 听 听 听
Satz f眉r Streichquartett op.1 (1992) String Quartet, 11 min.听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听
Music for Film
Music for 鈥淒ziad i Baba鈥� (DVD) 鈥� Independent animation film by Basia Goszczynska (2011), 7 min.
Music (Berlin Suite) for 鈥淏erlin Holocaust Memorial鈥� (DVD) 鈥� film documentary by John Michalczyk for Jacques Salmanowitz Program (2010), 4 min.
Music (Berlin Suite) for 鈥淲riting on the Wall: Remembering the Berlin Wall鈥� (DVD) 鈥� film documentary by John Michalczyk and Ronald Marsh (2009), 57 min.
Recent Performances
O Lungo Drom (The Long Road), Boston College, Joint US premi猫re, Chestnut Hill, MA, April 2024;听Clara Meloni, soprano; Christoph Filler, baritone; L谩szl贸 R谩cz, cimbalom; Alban Berg Ensemble Wien
O Lungo Drom (The Long Road) , College of the Holy Cross, Joint US premi猫re, Worcester, MA,听April 2024;听Clara Meloni, soprano; Christoph Filler, baritone; L谩szl贸 R谩cz, cimbalom,听Alban Berg Ensemble Wien
Bobby ~ Tombeau for an Artist, Music Azores 2023, Azores, November 2023;听Florian Berner, vc
At the still point of the turning world, Pucker Gallery, Boston, MA, April 2023 Rafael Popper-Keizer, vc
O Lungo Drom, Konzerthaus Berlin, World premi猫re, Germany October 2022 Johanna Zimmer, soprano; Georg G盲dker, baritone; L谩szl贸 Racz, cimbalom;听听Alban Berg Ensemble Wien
Imagined Memories (B卯ran卯n锚n Xeyal卯), BERGfest Ein Festival des Alban Berg Ensemble Wien;听REAKTOR, Vienna, Austria June 2022;听Hugo Wolf Quartet
Imagined Memories (B卯ran卯n锚n Xeyal卯), Palais Prinz Carl, Heidelberg, Germany April 2022;听Hugo Wolf Quartet
Herzliche Gr眉脽e Bruno ~ Briefe aus Stalingrad, German premi猫re, Musiksaal in the Kongresshalle,听N眉rnberg, Germany April 2022
Chi-Chen Wu, piano; Georg G盲dker, baritone
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Audio and Visual Recordings
O Lungo Drom (The Long Road) 鈥� Decca Eloquence (Australia) [CAT #487 5556] - 2024
Herzliche Gr眉脽e Bruno ~ Briefe aus Stalingrad 鈥� Musica Omnia [MO 0712 / PN 1803] 鈥� 2019
Imagined Memories (B卯ran卯n锚n Xeyal卯) 鈥� Musica Omnia [MO 0704] - 2016
Kollwitz-Konnex (鈥m Frieden seiner H盲nde) 鈥� Musica Omnia [MO 0702 CD & DVD] - 2015
Kinderkreuzzug- Chorakademie Dortmund - 2014
Missa gentis human忙 [MO 0605] - 2014
At the still point of the turning world [MO 0603] - 2013
Kollwitz-Konnex (鈥m Frieden seiner H盲nde) - 2013
Sorores (Frauenpartita) - 2011
Music for 鈥淒ziad i Baba鈥� (DVD) 鈥� Independent animation film by Basia Goszczynska - 2011
Quando il Fiume Giallo si acchiarar脿 (Frammenti ricciani) - 2011
Kinderkreuzzug- Musica Omnia [MO 0406] - 2010
Solo and Chamber Works 鈥� Musica Omnia [MO 0309] - 2010
Berlin Suite - 2010
Music for 鈥淏erlin Holocaust Memorial鈥� (DVD) 鈥� film documentary by John Michalczyk for Jacques听Salmanowitz Program - 2010
Music for 鈥淲riting on the Wall: Remembering the Berlin Wall鈥� (DVD) 鈥� film documentary by John听Michalczyk and Ronald Marsh 鈥� 2009
Concerto Concertante per Sei Instrumenti 鈥� Capstone Records [CPS-8712] - 2003