Michael Karasis

Physician and Composer

Michael Karasis began studying the violin and composition while in surgical training in Springfield, Illinois during the mid-1970s. Over the ensuing years, he has composed a number of works for both chamber groups and full orchestra.  These works include six string quartets, violin and piano sonatas, a wind and string octet and Elegy for solo voice and string orchestra, dedicated to the tragedy of September 11th.

Larger works include a two-act musical drama entitled Cathedral; an orchestral tone poem Ozymandias; Images, a set of six orchestral tone poems; Missa Gloria, a Roman Catholic Mass; eleven symphonies; two concerti for violin and orchestra, and a concerto for four strings and orchestra. A recent work is a set of orchestral variations on an original theme.

His work has been set to ballet by the Berkshire Ballet of Chrystal Lake. His most recently completed works include: Tyger, Tyger for soprano and orchestra, Quartet for Four Recorders, Symposium (from Plato's Dialogue) for soprano, narrator, and orchestra, String Quartet No. 7, Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra, his 10th Symphony, The Russian, 11th Symphony, Phantasm for soprano and orchestra,  and To Life, a six-song cycle for soprano and bass voices and orchestra.

Dr. Karasis is composer in residence of the Orchestra of St. Vincent in Chicago. He is a violinist in the Harper Symphony, the Orchestra of St. Vincent, and the Fox Valley Symphony.

Karasis' An American Civil War Memorial(a 2-CD set)and Government Issue, both complete oratorios for full orchestra, chorus, and narrators concerning the United States of America in her two greatest conflicts, has been performed live at the Chicago Historical Society with the late Senator Paul Simon narrating the works. Government Issue was premiered in Chicago by the Orchestra of St. Vincent in 2002, making use of four narrators depicting stories of World War II America.  It was performed at the Chicago Historical Society in November 2003, again with Senator Paul Simon.

Works List

Orchestral Works

• Symphony No. 1 
• Symphony No. 2
• Symphony No. 3 
• Symphony No. 4 
• Symphony No. 5 
• Symphony No. 6 
• Symphony No. 7 
• Symphony No. 8 
• Symphony No. 9 
• Symphony No. 10 (The Russian)
• Symphony No. 11 
• Concert for Two Violins and Orchestra
• Violin Concerto No. 1 
• Violin Concerto No. 2
• Cathedral 
• Ozymandias; Images 

Vocal and Choral, and Narrated Works

• An American Civil War Memorial 
• Government Issue
• Missa Gloria 
• Phantasm 
• To Life 
• Elegy 
• Tyger, Tyger 
• Symposium (from Plato's Dialogue) 

Chamber Works

• String Quartet No. 1 
• String Quartet No. 2
• String Quartet No. 3 
• String Quartet No. 4 
• String Quartet No. 5 
• String Quartet No. 6 (The Heather) 
• String Quartet No. 7 
• Quartet for 4 Recorders