Studied at Hunter College (1975-78)

Mark Kyrkostas was raised in Astoria, Queens where he began piano study at age four. He was exposed to the musical sounds of Asia Minor through his Armenian grandfather, a "Daf" percussion player, who jammed with other musicians on weekends. On many occasions Mark was invited to join the "combo" with his accordion. These early childhood impressions that helped create and express the lyrical sounds unique to his compositions, remain at the core of his inspirational motifs.

Kyrkostas graduated magna cum laude from Boston University in 1974. He had his formal musical training under Louis Martin (Hunter College), Neils Ostbye (Columbia University) and Susanna Nason. He studied orchestration with Ronald Caltabiano. He appeared in numerous concerts as soloist and accompanist, and made his first television appearance in 1980 in a program featuring the music of Bela Bartok, his idol.

He created an ethno-classical fusion built upon his training as a concert pianist and inspired by his Greek-Armenian roots and the works of Bartok, Khachaturian, and Prokofiev. In 1989 he formed the Kyrkostas Quartet of piano, flute, bass and percussion to realize his work.

Kyrkostas was a recipient of a Meet The Composer grant in December 1989. He performed his original works at The William Saroyan Festival in Fresno, California in 1990, and in Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall in March 1989, as well as Merkin Hall, Town Hall, St. Vartan Cathedral and St. Peter's Church, all in New York. He appeared on the nationally-syndicated radio show New Sounds with John Schaefer as well as on National Public Radio stations in New York, Boston and San Francisco.

In 1987 Kyrkostas captured the attention of the legendary record producer John Hammond, who intended to produce a recording of his music. Unfortunately Hammond died before completing the project.

Kyrkostas was at work on a musical, Generations, at the time of his death. His mother, Marge Kyrkostas, is working on a book for the musical's completed songs. She also leads the scholarship fund named for him and produces an annual concert of his music at Queens College.

Mark Kyrkostas died of AIDS in New York at the age of 38 on December 29, 1990.

—Joseph Dalton

WORKS:
Most works are for solo piano or jazz ensemble.
Works indicated with * exist in scores at the American Music Center; most others exist only on recording.

Beirut Concerto Op. 2 (1987)*
Blissful Sorrow (1986)*
Crooked Camel (1985)
Eastern Reflection
Ellis Island, Op. 3 (1987)*
Fantasy in Phrygian Mode
Firelight (1986)*
Greek Dances, Op. 5 (1988) for piano*
Habaytak B'Saif (I Loved You in the Summer) (1984)
I Can't Stop Loving You
If I Were A River (1985)
In Oasis (1985)*
In Oasis (II) (1985)
Medievil Prelude in Phrygian Mode
Notes on a Byzantine Empress, Op. 1 (1986) for piano and percussion*
Shifting Sands (1985)*
Tribute to a Peacemaker (1986)*
Turkish Harvest Song
Wizard of Realms (1988) for oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, bass*
A Thousand Nights (1987) for piano*
Afghan Freedom Fighters March (1986)

SONGS

From the musical Generations (1989)
    I Know
    Greeks Invented
    Love Is All
    Ninth Avenue Walk
    Opening Chorus
    Our Home To Be
    We Are Sons Of Fathers
    When You Marry For The Money

FOLK SONG ARRANGEMENTS

Dabka (1985)
Sixteenth Century Turkish Sama'I
Takseem in Andalusian Style
Tenth Century Arabic Ballad — Muwashu

UNCOMPLETED WORKS:
Generations (musical) — act III remains incomplete.

WRITINGS:
Unknown

DISCOGRAPHY:

"Beirut" (second movement from Beirut Concerto), adapted and arranged by flutist Anne Pollack and cellist Beverly Au, Anne Pollack and Magica: Worlds Collide, Magica Axe Music (www.magicaaxemusic.com).

The following are available from Mark Kyrkostas Composers' Education Foundation:

Meet The Composer: Mark Kyrkostas (video)
Lecture/performance including Beirut Concerto, Op. 2, Ellis Island, Op. 3. Recorded 12/3/89, Rathaus Hall, Queens College.

The Mark Kyrkostas Jazz Quartet: Live At Eric's (cassette 3956)
I Love You In The Summer - La Fiesta - If Only I Could Tell You Dabka Adalouna - Caravan - Muwashahat -Well You Needn't - Tribute To A Peacemaker - In Oasis - If I Were A River - Crooked Camel

Remember Me with Music: The Memorial Tape with Eulogies and Music (cassette 3952) Firelight - Akhalkha Bar - Recitation in a Phrygian Mode - Muwashahat Abasa El Choq - If I Were A River - Ellis Island - I Know - Tribute To A Peacemaker

Mark Kyrkostas Plays the Classics (cassette 3953) Bach: Five Little Preludes - Bartok: Mikrokosmos - Chopin: Prelude

Mark Kyrkostas Plays Carnegie (cassette 3954) Beirut - Armenian Dances - Ellis Island - If I Were A River - Wizard of Realms - Notes on a Byzantine Empress

Mark Kyrkostas Plays Classical Arabic (cassette 3955) With Joe Zeytounian on oud and dumbeg.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Unknown

PERFORMING RIGHTS AFFILIATION:
ASCAP

RESOURCES:
Most scores available at:
American Music Center Collection
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
40 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023-7498
www.nypl.org

American Music Center
30 West 26th Street
Suite 1001
New York, NY 10010
Tel: (212) 366-5260
Fax: (212) 366-5265
www.amc.net

Mark Kyrkostas Composers Education Foundation
Anthropology Museum of the People of New York
Queens College
Queens, NY 11367
Tel: (718) 428 5650 or Department of Anthropology: (718) 997-5510
Fax: (718) 428-5610

MUSICAL EXECUTOR:
Marge Kyrkostas (mother)
5710 Hewlett Street.
Little Neck, NY 11362
(718) 428-5650

OTHER CONTACTS:
Unknown

ARCHIVES:
with Marge Kyrkostas

OTHER INFORMATION: