Edward Kalendar spent his early years in Lvov, Ukraine. It was there, at the age of eight, that he heard jazz music for the first time. The appreciation and performance of jazz in the Soviet Union in the 1950s was considered to be an unpatriotic activity. Despite official disapproval, Kalendar nurtured his love for the genre by memorizing jazz performances from late night “Voice of America” radio broadcasts.  He received his musical training at the Tashkent and Moscow Conservatories, where he studied classical composition under Albert Malakhov, Boris Zeidman and Aram Khachaturian.  Kalendar also participated in a seminar conducted by Pierre Boulez during his residency at The Moscow Conservatory in 1990.

During his conservatory years, Kalendar dreamed of a time when playing jazz publicly would be accepted in the Soviet Union. He formed and conducted an underground big band made up of fellow jazz enthusiasts. At one point, the Dean of the Conservatory warned him that “practicing a western genre alien to Soviet youth” might have a negative impact on his musical future.  Edward continued to lead the band clandestinely for another six years.

The Soviet government began to relax its attitude towards jazz music in 1970.  Kalendar proceeded to introduce jazz to the public and to young musicians through his inspired teaching and numerous performances at newly organized jazz festivals.

Mr. Kalendar composed for his first feature film, entitled Autumn Novella in 1973. He scored twenty-five more documentary, feature and animated films from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. During that time, he achieved widespread popular acclaim as a songwriter and composer and his music was frequently broadcast throughout the Soviet Union and in Europe.

Mr. Kalendar was a conductor of the Tashkent Radio Orchestra from 1968 to 1976.  He continued to make regular appearances as a guest conductor of the Orchestra until 1993.

In 1994 he and his family moved to New York, where he continued his multi-faceted musical life.

Mr. Kalendar has made concert appearances at the Alice Tully Hall, Rockefeller Center, the Kremlin Palace Concert Hall, Vail Jazz Festival, Theatro Gran Via Madrid, the United Nations and many other prominent venues.  He has performed with saxophonists Bob Berg and Larry McKenna, composer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Brubeck, bassist James Cammack, vibraphonist Ray Alexander, clarinetist Giora Feidman, the New York Big Band with Joe Battaglia and many more.

Edward Kalendar is an insightful and dedicated instructor with over thirty-five years of teaching experience. His classical composition, theory and jazz performance students have continued their music education at the Oberlin Conservatory, Princeton University, Harvard University, the Moscow Conservatory, the Jerusalem Academy of Music, Mannes College of Music and The Julliard School. Many former students of Edward Kalendar have become successful composers (classical, film and songwriters), jazz singers and instrumentalists.

Mr. Kalendar’s music and arrangements have been performed by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra, the Youth Chamber Orchestra at Temple University in Philadelphia, the Manhattan Symphonie Orchestra, the Bachanalia Chamber Orchestra in NYC, the Medicine Show Theatre in Manhattan, the clarinetist Giora Feidman, the Jerusalem Saxophone Quartet, the Lopes Latin Jazz Group, and musicians of the Delaware Chamber Music Festival.  Five volumes of his piano, vocal and string quartet arrangements have worldwide distribution through Hal Leonard Corporation

Articles on Edward Kalendar appear in the following books: “Soviet Jazz: Issues, Events, Performers” (A.Medvedev & O.Medvedeva, Moscow, 1987), “Jazz in the XX Century” (V.Feiertag, St.Petersburg, 2001), “Jazz Encyclopedia” (St. Petersburg, 2008).

Mr. Kalendar is a member of the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP).  He and his wife, Asya, reside in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania