Compositions

Zlatomir Fung is an emerging composer whose work draws on his deep understanding of instrumental technique, the classical tradition, and the expressive possibilities of string instruments. His compositions range from virtuosic concert works to pedagogical repertoire, including Fantasy on Jenůfa for cello and piano, Seven Intervallic Etudes for Solo Cello, and A Sailor’s Day Off, a suite for cello and piano commissioned by the Cello Teaching Repertoire Consortium. Fung is also expanding his catalogue with new works for solo violin, solo cello, and cello with string orchestra. As both composer and performer, he brings an unusually intimate knowledge of the instrument to his writing, creating music that combines technical imagination with a strong sense of drama and musical narrative.

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Fantasy on Jenůfa

Cello and Piano — 2023

Inspired by Leoš Janáček’s opera Jenůfa, Fantasy on Jenůfa is a virtuosic concert fantasy that reimagines material from the opera through the voice of the cello. Fung conceived the work in the tradition of nineteenth-century operatic fantasies while drawing on Janáček’s distinctive musical language and continuous dramatic flow. The work is structured in four connected sections, framed by an introduction and coda, and unfolds without pause.

Eulogy

Cello and Piano — 2026

Eulogy is an original work for cello and piano by Zlatomir Fung. The piece entered Fung’s recital repertoire in 2026, with performances including Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, Music Academy of the West, and concerts in Austin. The work reflects Fung’s growing activity as both composer and performer and places his own music alongside twentieth- and twenty-first-century repertoire in his recital programs.

Seven Intervallic Etudes

Solo Cello — 2026

Seven Intervallic Etudes is a collection of seven works for unaccompanied cello exploring intervallic relationships through the technical and expressive possibilities of the instrument. Fung performed the cycle at the University of Wyoming Cello Festival in April 2026.

Movements

1. Etude I
2. Etude II
3. Etude III
4. Etude IV
5. Etude V
6. Etude VI
7. Etude VII

A Sailor’s Day Off

Cello and Piano — 2026

Commissioned by the Cello Teaching Repertoire Consortium, A Sailor’s Day Off is a five-movement suite for cello and piano inspired by episodes in a sailor’s day. Designed to function as both concert music and advanced pedagogical repertoire, each movement explores particular aspects of cello playing while maintaining its own musical character.

Movements

1. Red Sunrise
   Double stops, string crossings, and natural harmonics.
2. Promenade
   Pizzicato and arco transitions with an emphasis on rhythm.
3. The Barber
   Perpetual motion, sautillé, and rapid string crossings.
4. The Harbor at Dusk
   Cantilena, vibrato, and playing in the upper registers.
5. Waltz
   A concluding movement drawing together techniques introduced throughout the suite.

The Elves and the Cello Maker

Radio Play / Dramatic Work — 2023

Created as part of WQXR’s Artist Propulsion Lab, The Elves and the Cello Maker is a dramatic radio work written and performed by Zlatomir Fung. The project combines music, performance, and storytelling, extending Fung’s compositional work beyond the traditional recital and concert format.

Scène d’amour from Vertigo

Cello and Piano — Arrangement

Music by Bernard Herrmann
Arranged by Zlatomir Fung

Fung’s arrangement of Bernard Herrmann’s Scène d’amour from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo transforms the original orchestral music into an intimate work for cello and piano. The arrangement has become part of Fung’s recital repertoire and has appeared alongside his original compositions.