Two new compositions posted

I've updated the compositions page of my website for two new pieces. One is "Four Shakespeare Songs" which is for two sopranos, unaccompanied. The other is "The Tune is in the Tree" a five-song cycle on nature texts of Emily Dickinson. This latter piece was commissioned by soprano Marjorie Berg, and she will premiere the set on 8 Nov 2009 at Mannes College of Music.

The compositions page of my website can be found here.

Marjorie Berg to Premiere New Song Cycle

This past summer, soprano Marjorie Berg asked me to write a new song cycle for her on poems by Emily Dickinson. She had collected a number of poems about nature, and the result is my five-song cycle, "The Tune is in the Tree." Marjorie will premiere this piece in a recital to be presented Sunday, November 8 at 4:30pm. Also on the program are pieces by Hildegard of Bingen, Barber's "Hermit Songs", and a new cycle by my colleague Raphael Fusco. (Mr. Fusco is the day's accompanist.) The concert is free and takes place at Mannes College of Music, 150 West 85th Street, in Goldmark Hall on the third floor.

Sofia Dimitrova's performance of "When Time Is Over"

Here's a pic from Sofia Dimitrova's performance in Varna, Bulgaria from July 17. The pianist (obscured) is Diana Koynova. She performed my piece, "When Time is Over", four songs on poems by Emily Dicksinson. This song cycle is due to be performed again in New York City on February 23, 2010.

"Where There is Light" performed

As time allows, I have been collaborating with lyricist Emily Thompson over the last few years on an original musical centered on Hades, the Greek god of the Underworld. The song "Where There is Light" was performed as part of the Mannes College Extension Division's summer opera workshop a few summers ago, and I was delighted to see it programmed again as part of the 2009 summer workshop.

I was even more delighted that the lyricist, Emily Thompson, performed the work. I was caught unprepared and had only my phone camera with me, so apologies for the quality of the pics! This is Emily singing to the fine tenor, Francisco Santiago, pleading to leave the underworld and return to "where there is light."

The performance was at the St. Paul and St. Andrew Methodist Church on Manhattan's Upper West Side, July 10 2009.

"When Time is Over" to be performed in Bulgaria

Soprano Sofia Dimitrova is performing my song cycle, "When Time is Over" on July 17 in Varna, Bulgaria. The song cycle is based on texts by Emily Dickinson and the sheet music can be found here.

This is the poster advertising the concert. For those who don't read Bulgarian, it reads (from top to bottom): 17 July '09 17:30, Bach Hall | Bulgarian Methodist Church | RECITAL | Sofia Dimitrova, piano, & Diana Koynova, piano | arias from Puccini, Mozart, Verdi, and premieres of new songs | Free admission.

This concert is being offered in memory of Sofia's mother, Julia.

Violin Sonata recording posted

It took a while, but I have finally been able to post a sound file of my Violin Sonata on my website. Head to the Listen section and you'll be able to listen to the three movements in their entirety. The performers are Stanichka Dimitrova, violin, and Bethany Porter, piano, from the performance of 14 February 2009 at Symphony Space Thalia in New York. Here's a pic of me and Stani from some time before the performance.

Emcee at NYCC Concert

I was the master of ceremonies at the recent April 5 2009 concert presented by the New York Composers Circle. What a successful afternoon of music and performances! There was new music by Roger Blanc, Richard Brooks, Victor Frost, Don Hagar, Carl Kanter, Eugene McBride, Miki Nakanishi, William Vollinger.

Superb performances were offered up by SWEET PLANTAIN: Romulo Benavides, Eddie Venegas, violins, Orlando Wells, viola, David Gotay, cello, with David Holtzman, piano, Michael Laderman, flute, Nataliya Medvedovskaya, piano, Christopher Oldfather, piano, Mark Snyder, oboe, Cesar Vuksic, piano, Rozanna Weinberger, viola

More pics from the day can be found at the NYCC Flickr page.