photo by Shaleah Feinstein
Theodore Haber (b. 1999) is a composer and violinist living in New York. He combines recorded sound and digital media to explore his interests in theatrics, social media, and music production. His enjoyment of crossmodal collaboration has led him to work with filmmakers, actors, dancers, visual artists, and a beloved toy rubber chicken that he carries with him everywhere. Recently Haber had three world premieres at the Aspen music festival where he attended as a composition fellow. His second studio album, The Man From There, was released in December.
Haber has also participated in the Lake George Music Festival, the soundSCAPE Composition and Performance Exchange, The Yellow Barn Young Artists Program, and John Adams Young Composers Program. His compositions have been premiered by the The Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, The Rhythm Method, the Friction Quartet, the USC Thornton Symphony, the Now Ensemble, SF Sound, The Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Baumer String Quartet, and by himself in his room. As a performer, Haber has played with the Kronos Quartet, in the Other Minds Music Festival, and in the Switchboard Music Festival, and was a member of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra.
He holds a bachelor's degree from the USC Thornton School of music and is a student at the Schulich School of Music studying composition. Previous teachers include Nina C. Young, Donald Crockett, Ted Hearne, Samuel Carl Adams, John Adams, and Matthew Cmiel.
Education
McGill University, Schulich School of Music, MMus Classical Composition, Graduating May 2024
University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music
B.M. Classical Composition, Graduated May 2021
Ruth Asawa High School of the Arts
Orchestral Studies, Graduated 2017
Recorded works
“The man from there” Album, 2021 (to be released 2023)
“Floating fields” Album, 2020
Orchestral Works
“What it’s like out there”, for Full Orchestra, 6:30, premiered at the Aspen music festival, July 2023
“Talk to Someone”, For Full Orchestra, 3:00, premiered by the USC Thornton Symphony 2019
“End of Youth”, for Full Orchestra, 4:30, premiered by the USC Thornton Symphony 2019
“As It Fell It Was There, When It Stopped It Was Gone”, for String Orchestra, 08:15, premiered by the Bay Area Youth Chamber Ensemble; 2016
Chamber Works
Piece for Carrie Frey, solo viola and electronics, in progress 2023
Piece for 9 players and toy chicken, in progress 2023
“Each endless hour” for 2 voices, violin, bass, and piano, premiered august 2023
“What it’s like up close” for 8 players, premiered by the Aspen Contemporary ensemble 2023
“If we return” for string quartet, premiered by The Rhythm Method, 2022
“Auburn” for Clarinet and Electronics, premiered September 2020 by Max Opferkuch
“2000 Miles of space” for the Friction Quartet, premiered December 2021
“Meditation on Embers”, for String sextet, premiered as part of the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program, Putney VT, July 2019
“For the sake of Forgetting”, for Piano, Violin, Cello, and Percussion, premiered as part of the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program, Putney VT, June 2019
”Scattered Flashcards”, for mixed ensemble, premiered by musicians from the Albany Symphony, Troy NY, 2019
“Modern Era” Collaboration with the USC Kaufman School of Dance, for String Quartet, 2019
“Too Spruce”, for Violin and Cello, 12:00, premiered at The Big Barn, Putney Vt., as part of the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program; July 2018
“Entrances at Bay”, for String Quartet and Vibraphone, 6:00, premiered at The Big Barn, Putney Vt., as part of the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program; June 2018
“Grand Lake Ratio”, for Violin and Piano, 8:15, premiered in Cesena Italy, as part of the soundSCAPE Composition and Performance Exchange, July 2018
“Ferrebit”, for the NOW Ensemble, 3:30, February 2018
“PAN”, for Oboe, Bassoon, Cello, and electronics, 3:40, November 2017
“The strings they stretch” , for Piano Quartet, 9:00, premiered at The Big Barn, Putney Vt., as part of the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program; July 2017
“Pulse” , for String Quartet, 8:00, premiered at The Big Barn, Putney Vt., as part of the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program; June 2017
“Some sort of therapy”, for String Quartet and two Vocalists, 5:00, premiered at the Crowden Music Center as part of the John Adams Young Composers Program Spring Composition Recital; May 2017
“Kick off your shoes” , for Violin, Piano, and Electric Bass, 4:30, commissioned by the San Francisco Ballet School, premiered at the San Francisco Ballet School, February 2017
“From Vinyl Mists” , for Piano Trio, 08:00, premiered at The Big Barn, Putney Vt., as part of the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program; June 2016
“Times Square” , for Piano Trio + Clarinet, 04:33, premiered in Newfane Vt., as part of the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program Gala Inside/Out; June 2016
“Cellular Shorts” , groupings of Violin, Vibraphone, Clarinet, Oboe, Trombone, and Cellular Phone, 09:00, premiered at the Crowden Music Center as part of the John Adams Young Composers Program Spring Composition Recital; May 2016
“9.8 m/s^2 ” for Percussion, Viola, Cello, and Bass, 08:15, Crowden Music Center John Adams Young Composers Program Recital; December 2015
“The Spoonsil” for String Quartet, 07:31, Crowden Music Center John Adams Young Composers Program Summer Workshop Recital; August 2015
“Thought Process” for Violin, Accordion, Voice, Bass, and Percussion, 11:32, Crowden Music Center John Adams Young Composers Program Recital; May 2015
“Trumpet Duo” for two Trumpets, 04:33, Crowden Music Center John Adams Young Composers Program; December 2014
“Busking in BART” for Percussion and Saxophone, 05:14, Spring 2014
“Gathering” based upon “Hine Ma Tov” Vocal composition for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass, 02:22, Crowden Music Center John Adams Young Composers Program Recital; December 2013
“Jazz Parody” for Piano, Flute, and Bass, 03:10, premiered by the Left Coast Ensemble at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music; May 2013, reviewed in the San Francisco Classical Voice, June 3, 2013
Composition for Cello and Electronics; Crowden Music Center John Adams Young Composers Program; Summer 2012
“A Journey Home” for String Quartet, 04:45, Crowden Music Center John Adams Young Composers Program; November 2012
“Stages” for Flute and Guitar, 6:30, Crowden Music Center John Adams Young Composers Program; May 2012
Film works
Music for “Railroad Magic”, a short film (5:00) by Ethan Bresnick for USC School of Cinematic Arts 2018
Music for “Unconditional”, a short film (12:00) by Ethan Bresnick, String Quartet; Premiered at SOTA Media Night; 2017
Music for “Flint” , a video installation (02:00) by Ethan Bresnick, Violin and Electronics; premiered at SOTA Media Night; 2016
Music for “Storytellers” , a short film (12:00) by Ethan Bresnick, various instruments, screened at San Francisco International Film Festival; 2016
