Born in Roumania on 21st February 1934, his studies in Budapest included composition with Ferenc Szabo and Endre Szervansky. He came to Sweden in 1956 and studied composition with Lars-Erik Larsson, Karl-Birger Blomdahl and Ingvar Lidholm (all three at the State Academy of Music in Stockholm). Gaal has taught music at folk high schools and on several courses, added to which he has taken part in Operastudio-67. He is now a resident producer with Rikskonserter in Gothenburg
Zoltan Gaal’s output includes several choral compositions, e.g. Pelagon, which employs graphic notation. He also has a distinctive profile in electro-acustic music and has worked a great deal at the Electronic Music Studio in Stockholm/EMS. Collabo ration with the theatre has also played an important part in his career as composer, and special mention can here be made of Musikteatern in Värmland, for whose productions he has frequently composed incidental music (Don Quijote mitt ibland oss, The Wind on the Moon). SJ

Photo: Lars Torndahl