
Bio
Howard Levy – Virtuoso performer on the diatonic harmonica, composer & interpreter of orchestral works. Already at home playing numerous styles, including jazz, folk and world music from Latin America to the Balkan Peninsula, his musicianship is further demonstrated in his classical repertoire which includes his Concerto for Diatonic Harmonica and Orchestra.
Howard has performed the concerto and other works with orchestras including The Czech National Symphony, The Nashville Chamber Orchestra, The Illinois Philharmonic, The Chicago Sinfonietta, The Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano, and the Hohner Accordion Orchestra 1927.
Music
HOWARD'S CLASSICAL REPERTOIRE
Classical Harmonica
with PIano Accompaniment
Meditation from Thais- Jules Massenet
The Swan- Camille Saint- Saens *
Rumanian Folk Dances- Béla Bartok *
Suite Modale- Ernest Bloch *
Flute Sonata in Em BWV 1034- JS Bach
Ave Maria- Bach/Gounod
Siciliano from Flute Sonata in Eb BWV 1031- JS Bach *
Adagio from Flute Sonata in Bm BWV 1030- JS Bach *
Orchestral Suite #2 in Bm BWV 1067- JS Bach *
“Sleepers Awake” Chorale from Cantata 140- JS Bach
Spanish Dance #2- Enrique Granados *
2 Gondolier Songs from “Songs Without Words”- Felix Mendelssohn
La Plus Que Lent- Claude Debussy
Arabesque #1- Claude Debussy
Reverie- Claude Debussy
Hebrew Melody- Josef Achron *
Sicilienne- Gabriel Fauré
Prelude in Em- Frederick Chopin *
Valse Triste- Franz Von Vecsey
Forlane, Minuet, and Fugue from “Le Tombeau de Couperin”- Maurice Ravel
Intermezzo in Bbm, Opus 117 #2- Johannes Brahms *
Barafostus’ Dream and Robin- The Fitzwiliam Virginal Book *
Themes from Mvmt 2 (Largo) of The New World Symphony- Antonin Dvorak *
Prelude #15 Opus 87- Dmitri Shostakovich
*: includes some improvisation
Classical Harmonica
with Orchestra
Concerto for Diatonic Harmonica & Orchestra
Composed by Howard Levy in 2001.
For harmonica, strings, flute, clarinet, tympani, percussion.
20 min.
Balkan-American Harmonica Concerto
Composed by Karl A. "Bobbi" Fischer for Howard Levy in 2012.
Premiered in Ulm, Germany in May 2013.
For harmonica and full orchestra.
20 min.
Rumanian Dances
Composed by Béla Bartok. Modified Willner arrangement.
For harmonica and string orchestra.
10 min.
Asleep & Fear (from 5 Tango Sensations)
Composed by Astor Piazzolla.
Arrangements by Arnie Roth.
For harmonica and string orchestra (Asleep).
For harmonica and full orchestra (Fear).
6 min each.
Orchestral Suite #2
Composed by JS Bach.
23 min.
Classical Harmonica
with Chamber Ensemble
Harmonia Mundi, Suite for Harmonica and Chamber Ensemble
Composed by Howard Levy in 1995.
For harmonica, violin, viola, cello, flute, oboe.
15 min.
5 Tango Sensations
Composed by Astor Piazzolla.
For harmonica and string quintet.
25 min.
Rumanian Dances
Composed by Béla Bartok.
Modified Willner String orchestra arrangement for harmonica and string quintet.
10 min.