David Amram Opens Tonight At The Ark

David Amram Opens Tonight At The Ark

Most musicians think of themselves in terms of their particular musical genre: they are jazzmen, “folkies,” bluesmen, or whatever. But for David Amram, there are no such boundaries.

Amram, who appeared at this year’s Mariposa Folk Festival in Toronto, brings his talents to the Ark Coffeehouse tonight and Saturday night.

Described by music critic Nat Hentoff as “uniquely himself," David Amram has composed over 100 orchestral and chamber music works, has written two operas, and has done scores for more than 30 productions of the New York Shakespeare Festival. He has also written scores for several films, including' “Splendor in the Grass" and the “Manchurian Candidate.” He also composed the score for the Elia Kazan production of Arthur Miller’s "After the Fall."

Born in Philadelphia, the 44-year-old Amram, who was the New York Philharmonic’s first composer-in-residence, began playing piano at the age of seven and then went on to learn the many other instruments he now plays, including French horn, guitar, Pakistani flute, Irish tinwhistle and bazookie. He draws upon jazz, folk, and ethnic music to give audiences a multifaceted musical experience.