Elena Kats-Chernin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elena Kats-Chernin
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Kats-Chernin, 2018
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| Born | 4 November 1957 |
| Nationality | Soviet, Australian |
| Occupation | Composer, pianist |
Elena Kats-Chernin (born 4 November 1957) is an amazing Australian composer and pianist. She was born in Uzbekistan, which was part of the Soviet Union back then. She is most famous for her ballet Wild Swans.
Becoming a Musician
Early Life and Learning
Elena Kats-Chernin was born in Tashkent, a city that is now the capital of Uzbekistan. She started studying music at a young age. When she was 14, she went to the Gnessin State Musical College in Moscow.
In 1975, Elena moved to Australia. She continued her music studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. There, she learned about composing music and playing the piano. She also got involved in the exciting underground theatre scene in Sydney, sometimes using the name Elena Kats.
Studying in Europe
After her studies in Australia, Elena went to Germany to learn even more about composing. She stayed in Europe for 13 years. During this time, she wrote music for many theatre shows and ballets in big European cities like Berlin and Vienna.
In 1993, she wrote a piece called Clocks. This musical work became very popular and has been performed all over the world.
Music in Australia and Beyond
Returning Home
Elena Kats-Chernin came back to Australia in 1994. Since then, she has written many different types of music. She has composed several operas (musical plays), two piano concertos (pieces for piano and orchestra), and music for many famous musicians and groups.
Her music was even played at the opening ceremonies of big events! This includes the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Famous Works
Elena has also created music for old silent films. Imagine watching a movie from the 1920s or 30s with her music playing alongside it! Some of these films include The Phantom Carriage and People on Sunday.
One of her most well-known works is the ballet Wild Swans. She worked with a choreographer named Meryl Tankard on this project. A special part of Wild Swans is a piece called "Eliza Aria". You might have heard it before, as it was used in TV advertisements and as the theme music for a radio show called Late Night Live.
Elena has also written many fun ragtime pieces for the piano. One of these, "Russian Rag," was also used as theme music for Late Night Live. It was also featured in the animated film Mary and Max.
Awards and Recognition
Elena Kats-Chernin has won many awards for her music in Australia. Her compositions are often played on the radio. In 2009, she was asked to write a special piece for the National Museum of Australia. It was called Garden of Dreams, named after a beautiful part of the museum.
In 2019, a portrait of Elena, painted by artist Wendy Sharpe, was added to the National Portrait Gallery (Australia). This shows how important she is in Australian culture.
Awards and Honours
Elena Kats-Chernin has received many important awards for her amazing contributions to music.
Officer of the Order of Australia
In January 2019, Elena was given a very special award called the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). This honour recognizes her outstanding work in the performing arts, especially as a composer of orchestral, opera, and chamber music.
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards are big music awards in Australia. Elena has been nominated for several of these:
- In 2005, her ballet Wild Swans was nominated for Best Classical Album.
- In 2008, her album Slow Food was also nominated for Best Classical Album.
- In 2017, her album A Piece of Quiet (which she made with Lior and The Idea of North) was nominated for Best Children's Album.
Australian Women in Music Awards
These awards celebrate the achievements of women in the Australian music industry.
- In 2022, Elena Kats-Chernin won the Artistic Excellence Award. She was also nominated for the Excellence in Classical Music Award.
Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards
These awards recognize great achievements in different performing arts.
- In 2013, Elena Kats-Chernin won the Individual Award.
Selected Works
Elena Kats-Chernin has created a huge amount of music. Here are just a few examples of her different types of works:
Operas
- Iphis (1997)
- The Divorce (2015), made for Australian TV
- Whiteley (2019)
- The Wind in the Willows (2021), based on the famous children's book
Ballets
- Wild Swans (includes "Eliza Aria")
Music for Voices
- Land of Sweeping Plains, for choir and piano (uses words from the poem My Country)
- Rockhampton Garden Symphonies, for singers, choirs, and orchestra
Instrumental Music
- Blue Silence (2006)
- Charleston Noir
- Clocks
- Russian Rags
- Still Life, for viola and piano
- Velvet Revolution, for horn, violin, and piano
Orchestral Music
- Garden of Dreams
- Piano Concerto (Displaced Dances)
- The Witching Hour, a special concerto for 8 double basses and orchestra
Music for Films
- The Phantom Carriage
- People on Sunday
- The Devious Path
