Lev Zhurbin (born August 18, 1978, in Moscow, Soviet Union) is a composer and violist, and a champion of the fadolín.https://www.ljova.com/2023/07/all-of-the-questions-about-the-fadolin-answered/
Biography Lev Zhurbin immigrated to the United States in the year 1990. He is often credited simply as "Ljova", the diminutive of his formal name. He is the son of the composer Alexander Zhurbin and the poet/lyricist/writer Irena Ginzburg. He is the author of over 70 original compositions for classical, jazz, and folk music ensembles. He has also contributed musical scores to numerous documentaries, features, shorts and animated films.
Zhurbin received commissions from the Louisville Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, a string quartet for Brooklyn Rider and a commission for Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project; arrangements for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Brooklyn Philharmonic, tenor Javier Camarena, conductor Alondra de la Parra, songwriters Natalia Lafourcade and Ricky Martin, composer/guitarist Gustavo Santaolalla, The Knights, and collaborations with choreographers Aszure Barton, Damian Woetzel, Christopher Wheeldon, Katarzyna Skarpetowska (with Parsons Dance Company), and Eduardo Vilaro (with Ballet Hispanico). In 2018, he was on the faculty of the Atelier program at Princeton University, teaching a course on collaboration with the puppeteer Basil Twist
Ljova released his debut solo CD, Vjola: World on Four Strings, in July 2006 on his own label, Kapustnik Records. "Mnemosyne", the debut album of his ensemble, Ljova and the Kontraband, featured Frank London, William Schimmel and other special guests. His third album, "Lost in Kino", focuses on his film music, featuring Ljova's cues from collaborations with films by Francis Ford Coppola, James Marsh, Robin Hessman, Josef Astor, Lev Polyakov, Roman Khrushch, Sean Gannet and Basia Winograd.
In 2012, Ljova released his fourth album, "Melting River", featuring music created for a dance piece by choreographer Aszure Barton. It was initially released as a download-exclusive on Bandcamp, but has since been issued on limited edition vinyl with bonus tracks.
2014 saw the release of "No Refund on Flowers", the second album by Ljova and the Kontraband, crowdfunded through a 34-second campaign on Kickstarter.
2015 and 2016 saw the releases of soundtrack albums to Ljova's scores for "Finding Babel" and "Datuna: Portrait of America". 2017 saw the release of "Footwork", dedicated to Ljova's collaborations with Parsons Dance Company and Ballet Hispanico. In 2019, he released his tenth album, "SoLò Ópus", focusing on music for the fadolín and looper effects.
During 2020-2021 pandemic, he has released a number of works for the solo fadolín through his website and social media channels. In 2022, he released two albums -- "Enter The Fadolín" (focusing on solo music for the fadolín, including music by J.S. Bach and Ljova's father, composer Alexander Zhurbin, and a second collection of film scores, "Lost in Kino 2". He is presently performing and developing new repertoire with Trio Fadolín, a new chamber group featuring the violin, fadolín, and cello.
Ljova is married to Inna Barmash, an attorney and musician.
Selected Compositions
Orchestral and Soloists 2019 Cellostatus 2017 "Pulse" 2016 Current 2016 Elegy 2015 Throw The Book
Vocal Chamber Music 2013 The First Rite 2010 Niña Dance 2005 By the Campfire
Instrumental Chamber Music 2018 Meditation on Kol Nidrei 2017 Clarinet Quintet: The Refugee 2016 Rockaway Baby 2015 An Appalachian Wind 2014 Gi-gue-ly 2013 Lullaby & Memory 2013 Click 2012 String Quartet: Culai 2011 Everywhere is Falling Everywhere 2005-2008 The Vjola Suite 2000 Sicilienne
Music for Solo Instruments 2020 Voices (for piano and historical recordings), an expansion of Sirota 2012 Greenway (for violin) 2011 Sirota (for piano and cantorial recording)
Music for Dance 2017 Do You Like Me Now? 2016 Atlas Kid (co-composed with Mikael Karlsson) 2015 Almah 2014 Emin 2013 Hogar 2013 Budget Bulgar (Memphis Hora) 2012 Awáa (co-composed with Curtis Macdonald) 2009 Tales of Offenbach 2009 Busk 2004 White
Filmography
Feature Film Scores 2020 Alberto and the Concrete Jungle 2009 Black Lamb 2006 Mother 2003 Daddy 1999 Serpent's Breath
Documentary Film Scores 2026 An Instrumental Start: A Model for the Nation https://www.imdb.com/title/tt40619461 2025 Searching for Satyrus https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37091289 2019 Big Lies 2015 Finding Babel 2015 Datuna: Portrait of America 2011 Lost Bohemia 2010 My Perestroika 2009 Alienadas 2007 Three Soldiers 2005 The Team
Short Film Scores 2022 Before Dawn, Kabul Time https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19638134 2017 Do You Like Me Now? 2016 How You Look At It 2015 Grace 2014 America 1979 2014 6-Minute Mom 2013 Penny Dreadful 2012 The Visitors 2012 For The Love of Nothing 2011 Fantastic Plastic 2010 Dottie's Thanksgiving Pickle 2009 American Hero 2009 Spleen 2009 The Heart of Battle 2009 The One That I Want 2008 Only Love 2008 Cupcake 2008 New People in Six Days 2007 Transience 2007 Dear Lemon Lima 2005 Dinner at Marvin's 2003 The Playground 2003 Red Wagon 2003 Gardening Tips for Housewives
Discography Vjola: World on Four Strings, 2006 Kapustnik Records "Mnemosyne", featuring Frank London and William Schimmel "Lost in Kino", (film music) "Melting River" 2012 "No Refund on Flowers" 2014 "Finding Babel" 2015 "Datuna: Portrait of America" 2016 "Footwork" 2017 "SoLò Ópus" 2019 "Enter The Fadolín" 2022 "Lost in Kino 2" 2022
References
Sources Ljova Catalogue of Works Ljova Discography
External links Ljova's Official Website Ljova and the Kontraband, Ljova's performing ensemble. Ljova and the Kontraband on NPR Tiny Desk Concert Ljova's releases on Bandcamp Ljova's releases on Soundcloud Review of Ljova's debut solo CD in New York Times Zhurbin on NPR Zhurbin on WFMU Inna Barmash, Ljova Zhurbin Interview with Lev "Ljova" Zhurbin