Obituaries -- Pianist Michael Cava Had Passion For Composing Music For Dancers

From spider webs to waterfalls, nature's beauty was reflected in the piano compositions of Michael Cava.

And with his deep interest in shape, form and movement, particularly as expressed by the human body, Cava's passion was making music for dance.

That he became one of Seattle's most respected dance composers shows his interest was well-founded.

"Cava's decision to compose and play for dance was not a fallback day job, but a passionate first choice," wrote former Seattle Times dance critic Jean Lenihan last year in a review of the Cava-Parker Dance group, which Mr. Cava founded with his partner, dancer Rip Parker.

Mr. Cava died Dec. 6 of complications from AIDS. He was 46.

Born in Queens, N.Y., he studied at Juilliard School of Music and graduated from Manhattan School of Music.

Following his graduation, Mr. Cava's work as pianist, composer and teacher took him to some of the country's most-prestigious dance programs, including Mount Holyoke, Juilliard, Harvard, Stanford and New York University.

Mr. Cava came to Seattle in the mid-1980s as an accompanist with a touring dance group.

When he joined the University of Washington Dance Program in 1991 as music director, he also teamed professionally and personally with Parker, a UW dance instructor. They formed a company in 1996.

"Michael naturally brought a form and shape to things," Parker said. "His great loves were honesty and creating beauty. He saw

nature as a manifestation of life. We'd be walking through the park and suddenly throw himself down in the grass and grab a handful of leaves and smash them into his face. He said dance was a physical manifestation of that other world that is without words which he tapped through his music and singing at the piano."

Mr. Cava liked to quote poetry by T.S. Eliot, Dylan Thomas and William Shakespeare.

In 1994 he recorded a CD, "Piano Solos," (released by Deston Entertainment of Miami).

"He just went into the recording studio, sat down at the piano and played," said Parker. "He had an improvisational genius."

Seattle dancer and choreographer Shirley Jenkins calls Mr. Cava's music "a dancer's dream."

"It always makes a dancer want to dance," she said. "His spirit is so huge that if anybody's beauty could bring the dance community together, it's Michael Cava's."

Other survivors include his mother, Laura Cava ; and brother Bob Cava both of Princeton, N.J., and brother Dan Cava of Long Island, N.Y.

Friends are invited to a memorial gathering at noon today at the Century Ballroom & Cafe, 915 E. Pine St., Seattle.

Remembrances may go to Sun Dance/Cava-Parker Dance, 221 13th Ave. E., No. 205, Seattle, WA, 98102.

Carole Beers' phone message number is 206-464-2391. Her e-mail address is: cbee-new@seatimes.com