Linda Dusman

for orchestra

ca. 11'15"

What Remains constitutes the second piece in a series of works embodying the concept of pis aller—“paths of last resort,” for me a fitting metaphor for our time of great immigrations, political extremes, and sudden local disruptive violence. What Remains explores specifically the human trait of obsession that often drives individuals to this final recourse, and that path’s potential for leading toward both great good and great evil.

What remains at its end? The air we breathe, the lives that air enables, our shared potential for good, and the possibility of an arrival at that end, rather than its opposite. What Remains stands as a reminder of humanity’s collective responsibility to walk a path away from obsessive violence and ugliness toward intentional peace and beauty.

A recording was made by the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jed Gaylin. 

Click here to view the score and listen to the recording.

Linda Dusman

for wind ensemble

ca. 7'15"

Solstice was commissioned by the Hanover, Pennsylvania Southwestern High School Symphonic Band, Carey Crumling, director, in 1997. The title refers to my inspiration for the piece, which I found in the often turbulent weather changes that characterize the change from season to season. As a larger metaphor this reflects the emotional turbulence that characterizes the change from childhood to adulthood, which I expressed in the often bi-tonal language of the piece.

A recording of the piece was performed by New England Conservatory Wind Ensemble, with William Drury, Director.

Click here to view the score and listen to the recording.

Sofia Kamayianni

for youth symphony orchestra

ca. 2'50"

This piece was premiered in 2015 by the UMBC Symphony under the direction of E. Michael Richards, and the video recording is linked below.

Click here to view the score and listen to the recording.

Click here to view the performance.

Ruth Lomon

for flute, B-flat clarinet/bass clarinet, bassoon, trumpets in C, trombone/bass trombone, solo soprano, and SATB chorus

Songs from a Requiem are inserts in the setting of a Requiem Mass which Ruth Lomon composed in 1977 and dedicated to the memory of her sister. The Mass proper is set for chorus (SATB) accompanied by trumpets and trombones. The songs, settings of poems she wrote between 1970 and 1972, are orchestrated for soprano, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, and bassoon. The version for soprano with piano accompaniment was written in 1982.

The premiere of the entire Requiem took place in Boston, February 22, 1997, performed by Choro Allegro under the direction of David Hodgkins.

Click here to view the score.

Ruth Lomon

for bassoon and orchestra

ca. 17'15"

"Throughout the work Lomon shows a deft hand at orchestration, supporting the solo bassoon with a subtly balanced ensemble that highlights individual instruments in delightful combinations. Her masterful use of color lends a kaleidoscopic landscape to the work." 

- Luna Pearl Woolf, IAWM Journal

The Bassoon Concerto was composed in 1978-79 during breaks from teaching composition, piano, and solfege. The 1st movement was composed in August 1978 during a residency at the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation in Taos, NM. The 2nd movement was completed in November at the Ossabaw Island Project, an arts colony off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. The 3rd was composed a year later while Lomon was living in Paris.

The Concerto is written in a freely atonal style that eschews strict serialism. The 1st movement is strongly influenced by a quote from Lomon's setting of 'Oh, Rose' for contralto and viola that was published 15 years earlier in her song cycle based on the poetry of William Blake. The song's opening rising motive, B-D-Bb, becomes a pivotal gesture in this movement.

The musical form of this work owes much to elements of timbre and sonority. Lomon's attention to detail is evident in the delicate and ever changing effects she achieves with this "chamber music" style of orchestration.

Two musical quotations play a role in the structure of the 2nd movement: a hymn, "Lead us heavenly Father, lead us" and the French children's song "Sur le Pont d'Avignon." Both melodies merge in the brass before disappearing from the movement.

The scherzo 3rd movement was inspired by a dance recital that Lomon attended in Paris. The dancer was encased in a sack from which he attempted to free himself. A richly patterned isorhythmic technique in the woodwinds and layering of the wind instruments functions as the sack while the bassoon line emulates the dancer trying to break free. There are also the sounds of Paris–church bells and an imitation of the Doppler effect as police cars approach and pass by a stationary object.

Click here to view the score and listen to a recording.

Ruth Lomon

for woodwind quintet (flute, oboe, B-flat clarinet, horn in F, bassoon)

ca. 12'45"

Diptych was composed in 1983 while Ruth Lomon was a fellow at the MacDowell Art Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. It is a work for woodwind quintet in two distinctive movements which also share common structural elements. The first section is dominated by a melodic line which threads through the instruments. In both halves of the Diptych there are episodes composed of trios for flute, oboe and clarinet. In the first trio the clarinet melody develops over a motoric rhythmic element, whereas the trio of the second part closes the movement with a haunting and improvisatory ending. Diptych was composed for the Lyricum Ensemble (Massachusetts), and has been performed by numerous woodwind quintets including the Ars Nova (New York), Venti Da Camera (Bowling Green University OH), The Ariel Quintet (Boston MA), The Theophilus Quintet and New Mexico Woodwind Quintet (both of Albuquerque NM). In 1993 Diptych was a finalist for Symposium VII for New Woodwind Quintet Music at The University of Georgia and was performed by The Metro Wind Quintet of St. Louis, MO.

Click here to view the score and listen to a recording.

Anna Rubin

for concert wind ensemble

ca. 9'28"

Chiaroscuro was commissioned by Dr. Brian Kaufman, director of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Wind Ensemble in 2016. The term 'chiaroscuro' is a term used in painting to refer to the dramatic treatment of light and shade. I exploit the many colors of wind, brass, percussion and piano to contrast and blend with each other. The piano in particular adds a brilliant coloristic component. The piece is highly rhythmic and builds to a rollicking climax where the full power of the brass section holds sway. The surprise ending is gentle, highlighting the upper winds.

The piece is recorded on Albany Records entitled Filtering, published in 2020.

Click here to view the score and listen to the recording.

Click here to download all performance materials.

Anna Rubin

for soprano, flute, oboe, Bb clarinet, bassoon, horn in F, piano, violin, viola, violoncello, and contrabass

De Nacht was written while I was studying in Amsterdam with Ton de Leeuw in 1983. I composed it for a competion run by the Delta Ensemble and was awarded first prize. I assembled the text, which is an impressionistic collage drawn from several sources including Near Eastern mythology and Malcolm’s X’s own life. Words from several languages are used. I was very influenced by the mythological works of Joseph Campbell and his concept of the hero’s journey. The piece is in two broad sections. Melodic fragments are set against fast, pizzicato and staccato accompanimental figures in the first part. It builds to a dramatic climax and is followed by a serene closing section which is a setting of a Hawaaian creation song.

At a time when the earth was hot,

At a time when the heavens turned about,

At a time when the sun was darkened to cause the moon to shine,

The slime, the source of the earth, the source of the night, that made the night,

Intense darkness! The deep darkness, the darkness of the sun, darkness of the night, the night gives birth.

The piece premiered at The Icebreaker (Het Ijsbreker), Amsterdam, in 1983 was performed several times after by the ensemble.

Click here to view the score.

Rahilia Hasanova

for woodwind reed quintet

ca. 8'28"

Click here to view the score.

Rahilia Hasanova

for orchestra

ca. 10'00"

Click here to view the score.

Rahilia Hasanova

for orchestra

ca. 12'00"

Everything in Life is Vibration (Albert Einstein). Everything has its own unique vibration, frequency, and sound. It means everything has a unique voice that is an expression of its vibrations and frequencies. Everything...snowflakes, crystals, flowers, take on their shapes according to their particular vibrations and responding to multiple vibrations, sounds, and voices of the universe. The universe is a choir of the myriad of voices. Each voice has to find the shape and expression to resonate with the universe. Each voice, if it is out of the connection with the choir of voices of the universe, is the solitary voice.

The Solitary Voice was premiered by the symphony orchestra of University of Maryland Baltimore County on November 22, 2015. Conductor: E.Michael Richards

Click here to view the score.

Click here to listen to the recording.

Rahilia Hasanova

for woodwind quintet

ca. 14'00"

Click here to view the score.

Rahilia Hasanova

for orchestra

ca. 19'00"

Click here to view the score.

Rahilia Hasanova

for flute, oboe, clarinet in Bb, bassoon, string quartet, piano, and chorus

ca. 15'35"

Click here to view the score.

Rahilia Hasanova

for oboe, clarinet in Bb, bassoon, French horn, percussion, strings, piano, and voice

ca. 26'58"

Pirebedil is a name of a group of old ancient Azerbaijani carpets which are well known by its special authentic symbols. Each symbol represents a certain meaning that is a part of a large puzzle. Being aware about these meanings one can read the Pirebedil as a text. These amazing hand crafted carpets uncover forgotten stories and legends.

Pirebedil was commissioned and performed by New Ensemble, the Netherland in 1996.

Click here to view the score.

Click here to listen to the recording.

Rahilia Hasanova

for orchestra

ca. 7'00"

The golden-eyed stars, gently ightning the skies,

Sounding orchestra-like, attacking, breathing, and vibrating,

They're lullabying for the sleeping earth...

But as the morning star's awakening a down,

Conducting them to fade through nights and constellations,

The golden-eyed stars are vanishing and melting in the heavens...

The earth continues to sing for them her lullaby:

It's time to sleep for golden-eyed stars.

- Rahilia Hasanova

The first version of Lullaby of the Stars (Ulduzlarin Laylasi) was written for chamber orchestra in 2003 and premiered at the Organ and Chamber Music Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2003.The second version of the Lullaby of the Stars (renewed for Symphony orchestra in 2015) was performed at the Nasimi festival of Art and Music on October 1, 2019 at the Center of Geydar Aliyev in Baku, Azerbaijan. Imadeddin Nasimi is the greatest Sufi poet, philosopher of 14 century well known by his revolutionary writings and progressive creation of mystic pantheistic doctrine.

Video is recorded by Azerbaijani TV Performers: Baku State Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Mustafa Mehmandarov Stage director: Aleksey Smirnov. 

Click here to view the score.

Click hear to listen to the recording.

Rahilia Hasanova

for orchestra

ca. 8'46"

Click here to view the score.

Rahilia Hasanova

for orchestra

ca. 21'00"

Click here to view the score.

Eleanor Hovda

for flute, oboe, Bb clarinet, bassoon, horn in F

Commissioned by the Holland Festival for the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble

Snapdragon is written for the Nederlands Wind Ensemble, and was completed on May 19, 1993. I use the title Snapdragon because it refers to a game** where raisins are snatched from burning flames. I wanted to work with extremes of energy (from relaxed to intense-but-inward, to most extroverted, flung energy). I also wanted to work with the idea of excavating sounds from the bone and sinew of wind instruments: the expansions of single pitches, either fingered or otherwise altered, which can happen when extremes of breath control, additions of auxilllary keys and alternatve fingerings are used. I imagine the energy of watching the flames and then swiftly snatching at the raisins. I imagine the energy of both participating in the game and watching the action.

**a Victorian-era game played during the winter, particularly on Christmas eve

Click here to view the score.

Click here to hear a recording by the Prism Players on the Eleanor Hovda Collection CD (Spotify).

Eleanor Hovda

for orchestra

ca. 16'00"

This piece was performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with Principal Guest Conductor Ilan Volkov on Thursday 21 October 2021 at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

Click here to view the score and listen to the recording.