Lev Zhurbin

Lev 'Ljova' Zhurbin (born August 18, 1978 in Moscow, Russia) is a composer, violist, and arranger. Ljova is the author of over 70 original compositions for classical, jazz, and folk music ensembles. He has also contributed musical scores to numerous short and feature films. Among recent projects is a string quartet for Brooklyn Rider, arrangements for Gustavo Santaolalla, and collaborations with choreographer Aszure Barton.

Ljova immigrated to the United States in 1990 and currently lives in New York City. He is the son of one of Russia's foremost composers, Alexander Zhurbin, and the poet/lyricist/writer Irena Ginzburg.

Ljova's arrangements and performances on the viola were featured on Sony Classical recording with Yo-Yo Ma, "Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon," and with Dawn Upshaw and the Andalucian Dogs on the Deutsche Grammophon recording "Ayre", featuring the music of Luciano Berio and Osvaldo Golijov. Both recordings were nominated for the Grammy Awards in 2005. His arrangements of music by Kayhan Kalhor can be heard on the "Silent City" album, by Kalhor and Brooklyn Rider. Ljova's composition, "Middle Village", was licensed for Francis Ford Coppola's film, "Youth Without Youth", in a special version with Kálmán Balogh on cymbalom.

As an arranger, Ljova has frequently collaborated Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project Ensemble and the Kronos Quartet, Brooklyn Rider, Gustavo Santaolalla and Bajofondo, Alondra de la Parra and the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Brooklyn Philharmonic and Alan Pierson the chamber orchestra The Knights and many others.

Ljova released his debut solo CD, Vjola: World on Four Strings, in July 2006. The debut album of his ensemble, Ljova and the Kontraband, featuring Frank London, William Schimmel and other special guests, was released on September 28, 2008 on Kapustnik Records. His third album, "Lost in Kino", focuses on his film music, featuring cues from films by Francis Ford Coppola, James Marsh, Robin Hessman, Josef Astor, Lev Polyakov, Roman Khrushch, Sean Gannet and Basia Winograd.

Ljova is married to Inna Barmash, an attorney and musician. They have two sons, Benjamin (born 2009) and Yosif (born 2011).

Discography
as leader (composer / performer / arranger):
 * 2012 - "Melting River" (Kapustnik Records)
 * 2011 – Lost in Kino with Romashka, Wu Man, Tall Tall Trees, Kálmán Balogh and others (Kapustnik Records)
 * 2008 – Mnemosyne with Ljova and the Kontraband, guests Frank London, Uli Geissendoerfer, William Schimmel, Alon Yavnai and Marcus Rojas (Kapustnik Records)
 * 2006 – Vjola: World on Four Strings (Kapustnik Records) - reissued in 2011.

as composer:
 * 2013 - Brooklyn Rider: "A Walking Fire" (Mercury Classics) - includes "Culai" and "Budget Bulgar"
 * 2012 - Spark: "Folk Tunes" (Deutsche Grammophon) - includes "Budget Bulgar" and "Old Lautar"
 * 2011 - Tim Fain and Pei-Yao Wang: "River of Light" (Naxos) - includes "Sicilienne"
 * 2011 - Julia Kogan: "Troika" (Rideau Rouge Records) - includes "The Rain has Flown"
 * 2011 - Keve Wilson: "Pure Imagination" (Composers Concordance Recordings / Naxos) - includes "Plume"
 * 2010 - Spark: "Downtown Illusions" (ARS Produktion) - includes "Tango Heavy"
 * 2009 - The Knights & Jan Vogler: "Experience: Live from New York" (Sony Classical) - includes "Garmoshka"
 * 2008 - Brooklyn Rider: "Passport" (In a Circle Records) - includes "Plume" and "Crosstown"
 * 2003 - Soheil Nasseri: "Soheil Nasseri plays Yedidia, Zhurbin & Zyman" (21st Century Classical) - includes "Sicilienne"

as arranger:
 * 2011 - Alondra de la Parra, Natalia Lafourcade, Ely Guerra Denise Gutiérrez: "Travieso Carmesí" (Sony Classical) -- all arrangements
 * 2010 - Alondra de la Parra: "Mi Alma Mexicana" (Sony Classical) - arrangement of "Sobre las Olas"
 * 2009 - Osvaldo Golijov: "Tetro" (Sony Classical) - arrangements
 * 2009 - The Knights and Jan Vogler: "Experience: Live from New York" (Sony Classical) - all arrangements, except Hendrix
 * 2009 - Kronos Quartet: "Floodplain" (Nonesuch) - arrangement of "Oh Mother, the Handsome Man Tortures Me"
 * 2008 - Brooklyn Rider and Kayhan Kalhor: "Silent City" (World Village) - arrangements of "Silent City" and "Parvaz"
 * 2008 - Jan Vogler and friends: "Tango" (Sony Classical) - arrangement of "Libertango" by Astor Piazzolla
 * 2009 - Osvaldo Golijov: "Youth Without Youth" (Sony Classical) - arrangements
 * 2007 - Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble: "New Impossibilities" (Sony Classical) - arrangements of music by Kayhan Kalhor & Rabih Abou-Khalil
 * 2006 - Matmos: The Rose Has Teeth in the Mouth of a Beast (Matador Records) - arrangement of "Solo Buttons for Joe Meek" with Kronos Quartet
 * 2005 - Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble: "Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon" (Sony Classical) - arrangements of music by Kayhan Kalhor & Sandeep Das
 * 2005 - Kronos Quartet & Asha Bhosle: "You've Stolen My Heart - Songs from R.D. Burman's Bollywood" (Nonesuch) - transcriptions from original sources

as violist:
 * 2013 - Emika: "Dva" (Ninja Tune)
 * 2013 - Magda Giannikou / Banda Magda "amour t'es là?" (Edizioni Musicali Magdalini)
 * 2013 - Fall on Your Sword: "We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks" (Backlot Records / Universal)
 * 2012 - Fernando Otero: "Romance" (Soundbrush Records)
 * 2012 - Ryan Rumery: "Beyond the Horizon" (Independent)
 * 2012 - Fall on Your Sword: "Nobody Walks" (Lakeshore Records)
 * 2012 - Ryan Rumery: "Ivanov" (Independent)
 * 2012 - Sofia Ribeiro: "Ar" (independent)
 * 2011 - Marta Topferova: "The Other Shore" (World Village)
 * 2011 - Petros Klampanis: "Contextual" (Inner Circle Music)
 * 2011 - Fall on Your Sword: "Another Earth" (Lakeshore Records)
 * 2010 - Nina Nastasia: "Outlaster" (Fatcat)
 * 2010 - The Knights: "New Worlds" (Sony Classical)
 * 2010 - Amy Correia: "You Go Your Way" (Junketboy)
 * 2009 - The Knights and Jan Vogler: "Experience: Live from New York" (Sony Classical)
 * 2009 - Ronen Landa: "Picturebooks" (Love the Duck)
 * 2007 - La Mar Enfortuna - "Conviviencia" (Tzadik)
 * 2006 - Marta Topferova: "Flor Nocturna" (World Village)
 * 2006 - Assif Tsahar & KJLA Quartet: "Solitude" (Hopscotch Records)
 * 2005 - Golijov / Berio: "Ayre" (Deutsche Grammophon)
 * 2005 - Angus Martin: "Presqu'ile" (Soluna)
 * 2005 - Yo-Yo Ma & Silk Road Ensemble: "Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon" (Sony Classical)
 * 2003 - Heavenly Lullabies "Heavenly Lullabies" (independent)
 * 2002 - Assif Tsahar: "Fragments" (Hopscotch Records)
 * 2001 - Orchestra of S.E.M. Ensemble / Petr Kotik: "Morton Feldman: The Turfan Fragments" (Dog w/a Bone)
 * 2001 - George Davidson: "Allure" (GDP)
 * 2001 - George Davidson: "With Love" (GDP)
 * 2001 - George Davidson / Eugenio Leon: "Twin Strings II" (GDP)