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Check Out the 2018–2019 Season Highlights for Boosey & Hawkes Composers
By: Stephi Wild Aug. 07, 2018
Highlights this season include world premieres from Steve Reich, Unsuk Chin, Christopher Rouse, and Louis Andriessen, as well as major stage productions from Tod Machover and Meredith Monk.
See below for event highlights (listed by composer) in North and South America. For season highlights taking place in Europe, Asia, and Australasia, click here.
Michel van der Aa
This fall, van der Aa's "gleefully rambunctious" Violin Concerto (Philadelphia Inquirer) receives its Mexican premiere, performed by Dutch-English violinist Daniel Rowland with the Guanajuato Symphony Orchestra.
Van der Aa's new Double Concerto for violin, cello, and orchestra receives its North American premiere in June with the Vancouver Symphony led by Otto Tausk, featuring violinist Nicholas Wright and cellist Harriet Krijgh as soloists (following its world premiere in May with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Peter Eötvös, featuring violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and cellist Sol Gabetta).
> Sep 6: Violin Concerto (Mexican Premiere) with Daniel Rowland, violin; Guanajuato Symphony Orchestra and Roberto Beltrán Zavala
> Jun 7-8: Double Concerto (North American Premiere) with Nicholas Wright, violin; Harriet Krijgh, cello; Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Otto Tausk
As part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's centennial season celebration, John Adams writes a new piano concerto Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes that pianist Yuja Wang premieres with the orchestra in March, led by Gustavo Dudamel. The orchestra tours the new concerto to Asia and performs it at the Hollywood Bowl in July.
In December, a new chamber version of his nativity oratorio, El Niño-arranged for the forces of American Modern Opera Company (AMOC)-will be premiered at The Met Cloisters, featuring singers Julia Bullock and Anthony Roth Costanzo.
Additionally, Adams conducts The Cleveland Orchestra in November and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in January in performances of his works, including Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Scheherazade.2, and his Violin Concerto (both violin concertos feature celebrated Adams interpreter Leila Josefowicz).
> Nov 29-Dec 1: Short Ride in a Fast Machine and Scheherazade.2 with Leila Josefowicz, violin; The Cleveland Orchestra and John Adams
> Dec 21-22: El Niño (World Premiere of Chamber Version) with Julia Bullock, soprano; Anthony Roth Costanzo, countertenor; American Modern Opera Company (AMOC) and Christian Reif at The Met Cloisters in New York
> Jan 31-Feb 2: Short Ride in a Fast Machine and Violin Concerto with Leila Josefowicz, violin; Dallas Symphony Orchestra and John Adams
> Mar 7-10: Must the Devil Have All the Good Tunes (World Premiere) with Yuja Wang, piano; Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel
Louis Andriessen
Multiple New York City cultural institutions fix a spotlight on Louis Andriessen this October. The New York Philharmonic honors its Kravis Prize recipient with "The Art of Andriessen," one of the Philharmonic's central pillars of the 18-19 season. The multi-week focus features the world premiere of Andriessen's new orchestral work Agamemnon; a concert performance of TAO for pianist, women's voices, and ensemble, which sets texts by Chinese poet Lao Tzu; as well as composer-curated chamber and late-night concerts.
On October 14, the Juilliard School's AXIOM ensemble performs De Staat, conducted by Jeffrey Milarsky. Later that month, Dutch pianist Ralph van Raat gives the world premiere of a new etude by Andriessen on his debut recital presented by Carnegie Hall.
In May, the Los Angeles Philharmonic gives the world premiere of The only one for jazz singer and large ensemble, commissioned for the orchestra's centennial season, to be performed by mezzo-soprano Nora Fisher with members of the Phil led by Gustavo Dudamel.
> Oct 4-13: "The Art of Andriessen" with the New York Philharmonic
> Oct 4-6: Agamemnon for orchestra (World Premiere) with the New York Philharmonic and Jaap van Zweden
> Oct 10-13: TAO with Tomoko Mukaiyama, piano, voice, koto; Synergy Vocals, vocal quartet; New York Philharmonic and David Robertson
> Oct 14: De Staat with AXIOM and Jeffrey Milarsky at The Juilliard School
> Oct 24: new work (World Premiere) with Ralph van Raat, piano, at Carnegie Hall
> May 2-5: The only one (World Premiere) with Nora Fischer, vocals; Los Angeles Philharmonic and Esa-Pekka Salonen
Leonard Bernstein
Following a robust first season of celebrations, the Leonard Bernstein centennial rounds out its second season with significant highlights around the US and in South America. Teatro Argentino presents the Argentinian premiere of Candide in November. Stateside, the Atlanta Symphony hosts major concerts celebrating Bernstein's legacy as a composer and conductor, including performances of Chichester Psalms, Three Meditations from MASS, and Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. The Philadelphia Orchestra presents an orchestral staging of Candide as its capstone celebration of the centennial.
Other major orchestral highlights include Bernstein performances by the Baltimore Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Detroit Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile anchors the centennial celebration in Chile, where Bernstein's wife Felicia Monteallegre was from, with a blowout concert in the fall that features orchestral selections from Candide, On the Town, and West Side Story.
> Sep 11: Symphony No. 2, "The Age of Anxiety" with Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano; Los Angeles Philharmonic and Karina Canellakis at the Hollywood Bowl
> Oct 5-6: Overture to Candide, Three Dance Episodes from On the Town, Symphonic Dances from West Side Story with Orquesta Sinfónica de Chile
> Nov 9-11: Selections from West Side Story, Candide, and On the Town with Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Jeff Tyzik
> Nov 20: Candide (Argentinian Premiere) with Teatro Argentino de La Plata and Pablo Druker
> Jan 10-12 / Jan 17-19 / Apr 11-14 / May 30-Jun 2: Bernstein at 100 programming at Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
> Feb 8 / Feb 14-15 / Feb 21-22: Bernstein at 100 programming at Detroit Symphony
> Mar 14-16: Chichester Psalms with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra & University of Maryland Concert Choir and Marin Alsop
> Jun 20-22: Candide with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Oscar Bettison
In November, new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound and Alan Pierson premiere a new work by Oscar Bettison at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore-a violin concerto that features Courtney Orlando as soloist.
> Nov 5: new work (World Premiere) with Courtney Orlando, violin; Alarm Will Sound at Peabody Institute
Harrison Birtwistle
Birtwistle's Keyboard Engine, which had its successful premiere at the Aldeburgh Festival this past June, is being toured in recital around the world by pianists Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich. The duo gives the US premiere of the work-which displays Birtwistle's fascination with clocks, mechanisms, and machines-at New York's Carnegie Hall before bringing it to Chicago's Symphony Center, University of North Carolina, and Cal Performances in Berkeley.
> Oct 25: Keyboard Engine (US Premiere) with Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich, pianos at Carnegie Hall
> Oct 28: Keyboard Engine at Chicago Symphony Center
> Oct 30: Keyboard Engine at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
> Nov 1: Keyboard Engine at Cal Performances in Berkeley
In March 2019, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Ye-Eun Choi give the US premiere of Chin's new work for two violins, Gran Cadenza, at Carnegie Hall. The following month, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla premiere a new orchestra work, commissioned for the orchestra's centennial celebrations.
In January, violinist Viviane Hagner and the Oregon Symphony perform Chin's Violin Concerto, which the San Francisco Chronicle praised as "a score of enormous beauty, rhetorical force and structural ingenuity." SnagS&Snarls for soprano and orchestra, which Chin considers a preliminary study for her celebrated opera Alice in Wonderland, is performed by Kathleen Kim and the Seattle Symphony in January.
> Jan 26-28: Violin Concerto with Viviane Hagner, violin; Oregon Symphony Orchestra and Markus Stenz
> Jan 27: SnagS&Snarls with Kathleen Kim, voice; Seattle Symphony and Shiyeon Sung
> Mar 12: Gran Cadenza for Two Violins (US Premiere) with Anne-Sophie Mutter and Ye-Eun Choi, violins, at Carnegie Hall
> Apr 5-7: new work (World Premiere) with Los Angeles Philharmonic and Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla
Anna Clyne
As the Music Alive composer-in-residence with the Berkeley Symphony, Anna Clyne continues her mentorship of Berkeley Sounds Composer Fellows, curates chamber performances, and is featured on several orchestral programs. Night Ferry opens the orchestra's season, and This Midnight Hour closes the season, accompanied by dancers onstage with original choreography by KT Nelson of ODC/Dance.
Other season highlights include performances of Masquerade with the San Francisco Symphony (October 25-27) and The Philadelphia Orchestra (June 15-16), as well as the US Premiere of Three Sisters, Clyne's mandolin concerto written for Avi Avital, with Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
> Oct 4: Night Ferry with Berkeley Symphony with Ming Luke
> Oct 25-27: Masquerade with San Francisco Symphony and Cristian M?celaru
> Apr 25-27: Three Sisters (US Premiere) with Avi Avital, mandolin; Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Nicholas McGegan
> May 2: This Midnight Hour with Berkeley Symphony with Christian Reif
> Jun 15-16: Masquerade with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Sebastian Currier
This season features three world premieres by Sebastian Currier. His new violin concerto Aether, a joint commission by Boston Symphony Orchestra and Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Andris Nelsons, receives its world premiere in May with violinist Baiba Skride in Boston, followed by its European premiere in Leipzig. Anne-Sophie Mutter gives the world premiere of Ghost Trio-which weaves its fragments from trios by Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms-alongside pianist Lambert Orkis and cellist Daniel Müller-Schott at Carnegie Hall. Eleven Moons, commissioned for the 50th anniversary of Boston Musica Viva, features texts drawn from Sylvia Plath's diaries and is written for soprano and small ensemble.
> Feb 2: Eleven Moons (World Premiere) with Zorana Sadiq, soprano, at Boston Musica Viva
> Mar 12: Ghost Trio (World Premiere) with Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Lambert Orkis, piano; Daniel Müller-Schott, cello at Carnegie Hall
> Mar 17: Ghost Trio with Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; Lambert Orkis, piano; Daniel Müller-Schott, cello at Chicago Symphony Center
> Apr 12-14: Divisions with Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Ludovic Morlot
> May 2-4: Aether (World Premiere) with Baiba Skride, violin; Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons
David Del Tredici
March sees the world premiere of MONSTERS, a substantial new solo piano work in two independent parts. The premiere at Columbia University's Casa Italiana will feature two pianists-Eric Moe and Rob Frankenberry-each performing one of the parts. Additionally, the Albany Symphony, longtime champion of Del Tredici's work, performs his large-scale Pop-Pourri for soprano solo, chorus, and orchestra, and will record the work for future release on an album that will also feature Adventures Underground.
> Mar 27: MONSTERS (World Premiere) with Eric Moe and Rob Frankenberry, piano, at Columbia University's Casa Italiana
> Jun 1: Pop-Pourri with Albany Symphony Orchestra and David Alan Miller
Bernd Richard Deutsch
As The Cleveland Orchestra's Daniel R. Lewis Young Composer Fellow, Bernd Richard Deutsch has been commissioned to create a new work to be premiered by the Orchestra during the 2019-2020 season. This season the orchestra gives the US premiere of Deutsch's Okeanos, his 2015 organ concerto, featuring renowned organist Paul Jacobs as soloist.
> Mar 14-17: Okeanos (US Premiere) with Paul Jacobs, organ; The Cleveland Orchestra and Franz Welser-Möst
Carlisle Floyd
This fall, Florentine Opera stages Carlisle Floyd's most recent opera, Prince of Players, about Edward Kynaston, one of the last men to play women roles on the stage in Restoration England. Baritone Keith Phares and soprano Kate Royal lead the cast in this production, directed by Michael Gieleta and conducted by William Boggs, that will also be recorded live for international release.
> Oct 12-14: Prince of Players with Florentine Opera Company; Michael Gieleta, director; William Boggs, conductor
Detlev Glanert
Glanert's Weites Land, which is subtitled "Music with Brahms" and draws thematic material from Brahms's Fourth Symphony, receives more than 20 performances around the world this season with top orchestras led by Semyon Bychkov (Cleveland Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Berlin Philharmoniker, Munich Philharmoniker, Czech Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra) and Michael Sanderling, who leads the Dresdner Philharmonie on tour with the work in South America, with premieres in Argentina and Chile.
> Sep 9: Weites Land with Dresdner Philharmonie and Michael Sanderling (Argentinian premiere)
> Sep 11: Weites Land with Dresdner Philharmonie and Michael Sanderling (Chilean Premiere)
> May 9-11: Weites Land with Cleveland Symphony Orchestra and Semyon Bychkov
HK Gruber
Just days after Halloween, baritone Tyler Duncan and percussionist Dustin Donahue join the St. Lawrence String Quartet and other musicians in a performance of Gruber's Frankenstein!! at Stanford's Bing Concert Hall. Later that month, Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons perform Gruber's trumpet concerto Aerial with soloist Håkan Hardenberger at Boston's Symphony Hall and at Carnegie Hall in New York.
> Nov 3: Frankenstein!! (ensemble version) with Tyler Duncan, baritone; Dustin Donahue, percussion; St. Lawrence String Quartet & Friends at Stanford Live
> Nov 15-17: Aerial with Håkan Hardenberger, trumpet; Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons at Symphony Hall
> Nov 19: Aerial with Håkan Hardenberger, trumpet; Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons at Carnegie Hall
Karl Jenkins
Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents its annual tribute to its composer-in-residence Karl Jenkins at Carnegie Hall, gathering choirs from around the world to perform the US premiere of Symphonic Adiemus. Also on the program is Jenkins's celebrated Stabat Mater.
> Jan 21: Symphonic Adiemus (US Premiere) and Stabat Mater with DCINY at Carnegie Hall
This spring, the Miller Theatre presents a David T. Little Composer Portrait, which features companion pieces AGENCY (New York premiere, performed by ACME) and haunt of last nightfall (performed by Third Coast Percussion).
Bowling Green State University faculty and students also perform an all-Little program of solo and chamber works at the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Toledo Museum of Art. The program features the world premiere of solo cello work how it begins / how it ends, performed by Brian Snow of Newspeak.
In October, Los Angeles Opera stages Little's monodrama Soldier Songs, featuring David Adam Moore in a production by Beth Morrison Projects. Of note, Soldier Songs also receives its German premiere in February in Saarbrücken and Theater Augsburg presents the European premiere of Little and Royce Vavrek's grand opera JFK.
> Sep 28 and Sep 29: "The Music of David T. Little," featuring how it begins / how it ends (World Premiere) with Brian Snow, cello, at Detroit Institute of Arts and Toledo Museum of Art
> Oct 13: Soldier Songs with David Adam Moore, baritone; LA Opera and Beth Morrison Projects
> Apr 18: Composer Portrait, featuring AGENCY (New York Premiere) with ACME and haunt of last nightfall with Third Coast Percussion at Miller Theatre
Tod Machover
Machover's new opera Schoenberg in Hollywood tells the story of composer Arnold Schoenberg during his exile in Los Angeles, where he fled in the 1930s from Hitler's Europe. The opera, with a libretto by Simon Robson, is premiered by commissioner Boston Lyric Opera in November.
> Nov 14-18: Schoenberg in Hollywood (World Premiere) with Boston Lyric Opera and David Angus
Steven Mackey
Steven Mackey writes a celebratory piece in honor of Michael Tilson Thomas's 75th birthday and 25th anniversary as music director of the San Francisco Symphony. His new orchestral work, which comprises five contrasting miniatures, receives its world premiere on February 7.
Mackey also writes a new ensemble work for Gustavo Dudamel's residency at Princeton University (where Mackey is a faculty member), to be premiered in April by musicians from the Berlin Philharmonic on a concert curated by Dudamel.> Feb 7-9: new work (World Premiere) with San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas
> Apr 23: new work (World Premiere) with musicians from the Berlin Philharmonic at Princeton University Concerts
Peter Maxwell Davies
In February, the New World Symphony stages Maxwell Davies's Eight Songs for a Mad King(1969), a dark theatrical work for male voice and ensemble that portrays George III of England's disturbing descent into madness. The performance features renowned Welsch baritone Kelvin Thomas, who has performed the role more than 100 times around the globe.
> Feb 10: Eight Songs for a Mad King with Kelvin Thomas, baritone; musicians of the New World Symphony in Miami
The Los Angeles Philharmonic revives Meredith Monk 1991 opera ATLAS in a new production conceived and directed by Yuval Sharon and performed by LA Phil New Music Group. Inspired by the life of explorer Alexandra David-Néel, Monk's landmark three-act opera meditates on the loss and rediscovery of our inherent wonder. While Monk's body of work has almost exclusively been performed and crafted by herself and her ensemble, this production will notably be the first time one of Monk's operas has been produced and directed by another company and performed by musicians outside of her ensemble.
> Jun 11-12: ATLAS (West Coast Premiere) with LA Phil New Music Group; Yuval Sharon, director; Francisco Núñez, conductor
This November sees the world premiere of Steve Reich's Music for Ensemble and Orchestra, composed for the LA Phil's centennial season and conducted by Susanna Mälkki. Described by Reich as "an extension of the Baroque Concerto Grosso," the work features 20 soloists pulled from the orchestra's ranks. Additional performances of the piece this season take place in London, Australia, and San Francisco.
Also in November, Long Beach Opera stages Three Tales, Steve Reich and Beryl Korot's video opera that explores the implications of technology on our world, from early air transport and world wars to the current ethical debate about the future of our species. Reich has also been commissioned to create a collaborative art piece with Gerhard Richter for the opening of The Shed, a new multi-arts center in New York City, in the spring. The new large ensemble work explores the shared structure of Reich new work and Richter Patterns, and will be premiered by musicians from Ensemble Signal, the International Contemporary Ensemble, and AXIOM.> Nov 1-4: Music for Ensemble and Orchestra (World Premiere) with Los Angeles Philharmonic and Susanna Mälkki
> Nov 3-4: Three Tales with Long Beach Opera and Andreas Mitisek
> Spring 2019: new work for The Shed (World Premiere) with Ensemble Signal, the International Contemporary Ensemble, and AXIOM
> Jun 20-22: Music for Ensemble and Orchestra with San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas
This fall sees the world premiere of Christopher Rouse's Bassoon Concerto, performed by soloist Andrew Cuneo with St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, led by Cristian M?celaru. The piece also travels this season to Sydney for its Australian premiere with soloist Todd Gibson-Cornish, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and conductor David Robertson.
Rouse's acclaimed Concerto for Orchestra and Supplica are performed by the Nashville Symphony in the spring. A live recording of the performance will be made for future release.> Nov 16: Bassoon Concerto (World Premiere) with Andrew Cuneo, bassoon; St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Cristian M?celaru
> Apr 11-13: Concerto for Orchestra and Supplica with Nashville Symphony and Giancarlo Guerrero
Mark-Anthony Turnage
Two recent works by Turnage memorials their first US performances this season. Turnage's Remembering, written after the death of a family friend, premiered in January 2017 and was hailed as Turnage major symphonic statement of recent years. It travels to Boston for its US premiere in November with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andris Nelsons. Martland Memorial, featuring Colin Currie as percussion soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra in March, was written as a tribute to composer and close friend Steve Martland.
> Nov 1: Remembering (US Premiere) with Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons> Mar 14-16: Martland Memorial (US Premiere) with Colin Currie, percussion; Minnesota Orchestra and Osmo Vänskä
Claude Vivier
In August, the Americas Society presents the Argentinian premiere of Vivier's "ritual opera of death" Kopernikus in August as part of the Festival Nueva Opera de Buenos Aires. Vancouver Symphony and Otto Tausk perform Lonely Child for soprano and chamber orchestra in January, described by Vivier as "a long song of solitude."
> Aug 2: Kopernikus (Argentinian Premiere) with the Americas Society, Festival Nueva Opera de Buenos Aires
> Jan 18: Lonely Child with Vancouver Symphony and Otto Tausk
For Whitacre's fifth Virtual Choir, 15,000 singers from 120 countries have recorded themselves performing individual parts from Whitacre's Deep Field for orchestra, chorus, and electronics, to be digitally synchronized into a single large choral performance of the work. The piece is inspired by the Deep Field images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. The Deep Field film will be released late in 2018.
Other highlights of the season include the world premiere of Whitacre's Sacred Veil, performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale in January. Whitacre, who is artist-in-residence with the Master Chorale, collaborates with poet Charles Anthony Silvestri to create this choral concert work that explores the fragile line between love and loss. In April, Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents "The Music of Eric Whitacre." The composer takes to the stage of Carnegie Hall, leading the choir of singers from around the world in a program of his choral works. > Late 2018: Virtual Choir 5, Deep Field film to release later this year> Feb 16-17: Sacred Veil (World Premiere) with Los Angeles Master Chorale
> Apr 28: "The Music of Eric Whitacre" with DCINY and Eric Whitacre
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