Osvaldo Golijov

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Osvaldo Golijov: a short, easy-to-understand overview

Osvaldo Noé Golijov, born December 5, 1960, is an Argentine composer known for merging classical music with Jewish liturgical influences, klezmer, and tango. He has written operas, song cycles, choral works, and film music, and he has taught and held prominent composer-in-residence roles in major institutions.

Early life and education
- Golijov grew up in La Plata, Argentina, in a Jewish family with ancestors from Romania and Ukraine. His mother was a piano teacher.
- He studied piano as a child and began composing with Argentine composer Gerardo Gandini.
- In 1983 he moved to Israel, studying at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem with Mark Kopytman.
- He later studied with George Crumb at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his PhD.
- He began his teaching career at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and was named Loyola Professor of Music there in 2007. He also held the Debs Composer’s Chair at Carnegie Hall during the 2012–13 season.
- As of 2016, he lived in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Personal life
- Golijov has been married three times. He was married to Silvia Golijov (with whom he has three children), then to architect and designer Neri Oxman, and is now married to author Leah Hager Cohen.

Career highlights
- Golijov’s music draws on chamber music, Jewish liturgical and klezmer traditions, and the nuevo tango of Ástor Piazzolla.
- Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind was an early influential work inspired by Jewish mysticism.
- Oceana (1996) is a large cantata for soloist, choir, and expanded ensemble.
- La Pasión según San Marcos (St. Mark’s Passion) from 2000 is one of his best-known works and helped bring him international attention.
- He collaborated long-term with soprano Dawn Upshaw, premiering and writing pieces for her, including Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra and Ainadamar, his opera premiered in 2003.
- Since 2000 he has also written music for films, including The Man Who Cried, Youth Without Youth, Tetro, Twixt, and Megalopolis (a Coppola project). Megalopolis began as a soundtrack and was developed into a full orchestral work premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2024, with Coppola present at the world premiere.
- Golijov has written chamber works for ensembles like the Kronos Quartet and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. His song cycle Falling Out of Time drew on David Grossman’s novel.
- He has expressed that his approach often uses collaboration and cross-genre ideas, blending different musical languages.

Notable works
- Yiddishbbuk (1992) for string quartet
- The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind (1994) for klezmer clarinet and string quartet
- Oceana (1996) for mixed forces including voices and electric guitar
- La Pasión según San Marcos (St. Mark’s Passion) (2000)
- Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra (2001)
- Tenebrae (2002) for soprano, clarinet, and string quartet
- Ainadamar (2003), an opera with words by David Henry Hwang
- Ayre (2004), a song cycle for soprano and ensemble
- Azul (2006), for cello and orchestra
- She Was Here (2008), orchestration of Schubert songs
- Sidereus (2010), an orchestral work commissioned by many American orchestras
- Megalopolis (2024), a symphonic work connected to Coppola’s project

Awards and recognition
- Guggenheim Fellowship (1995)
- MacArthur Fellowship (2003)
- Musical America Composer of the Year (2006)
- Grammy Awards (2007): two awards for Ainadamar (Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Contemporary Composition)
- Vilcek Prize in Music (2008)

Selected roles and honors
- Composer-in-residence roles at various major venues and festivals around the United States
- Debs Composer Chair at Carnegie Hall (2012–13)
- Notable academic and performance appointments and honors throughout his career

Style and influence
- Golijov is known for blending high-level classical writing with folk, Jewish, and regional influences.
- He often writes works specifically for particular performers and uses vocal lines that highlight text and storytelling.
- His music frequently bridges concert hall performance, dramatic staging, and cinematic sensibilities.

Recent developments
- His Megalopolis project, associated with Francis Ford Coppola, marked a significant late-career milestone with a major orchestral premiere in 2024.
- He continues to compose, teach, and influence a new generation of musicians and audiences with his cross-cultural approach.

In brief
Osvaldo Golijov is a versatile Argentine composer who has created a distinctive voice by mixing classical music with Jewish, klezmer, and tango elements. From operas and oratorios to film scores and orchestral works, his career has included prominent teaching roles, celebrated premieres, and world-class awards.