Jeff Manookian is a talented contemporary American composer of Armenian descent who was a child prodigy (he began composing at age 12 and won his first piano competition at age 14). Albany has recorded two excellent discs of his orchestral music which display his lyrical, neo-romantic style. His music is also spiced with dissonance that brings to mind, say, Bartok or Prokofiev. But his music hardly gets more modern than that. I came across the extended first movement of his Piano Concerto on YT and was quite stunned-it is further proof that modern music can indeed be quite beautiful:
Part 1:
Part 2:
You may listen to the remaining three movements on the pianist Gary Barnett's website:
http://www.garybarnett.info/Piano%20Concerto%20notes/video%20and%20audio.htmlYou can also listen to some more of Manookian's compositions on YT:
Piccolo Concerto:
(also on Albany disc but in different performance)
Carminos Argentinos for orchestra:
String Quartet
Dances of St. Gregory:
Armenian Suite for strings: Part 1:
Part 2:
Lux for orchestra:
Suite Energico for strings:
Piano Sonata no. 3: I:
II:
III:
All are wonderful compositions, but the Piano Concerto is a real must-hear :) Even just the first movement is a masterpiece in itself :) Please give his music a try-I'm sure most members of this forum will like it!