CASUAL MIRACLES II World Premiere to Open Composers Now Commission

Composers Now, the New York-based organization dedicated to championing living composers and amplifying their diverse creative voices, will present its 2026 Cheswatyr Commission, featuring the world premiere of a major new work by acclaimed Korean-American composer, vocalist and sound artist Bora Yoon.

Part of Composers Now’s 15th anniversary celebration and held in partnership with The Harlem Chamber Players, the concert will take place on Monday, November 16th at The Forum at Columbia University (601 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027).

For her commission, Yoon’s new multidisciplinary work, titled Casual Miracles II, will bring together strings, flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, traditional Korean percussion, voice and electronics. Yoon will perform as narrator and vocalist as well as provide electronic playback, with Vongu Pak performing Korean percussion and Rebekah Heller conducting The Harlem Chamber Players. The commission extends Yoon’s distinctive practice of creating immersive audiovisual soundscapes through digital devices, voice and instruments drawn from diverse cultures and historical periods.

Featured in The Wall Street Journal and on NPR, Yoon is renowned for transforming unusual instruments and found objects into layered musical environments that connect sound, image and memory. Her new commission brings that approach into an ensemble setting, exploring the expressive possibilities of chamber instruments, Korean percussion and electronic sound.

Additionally, the evening will feature Mapping a Joyful Path, a gripping work for violin and electronics by Yoon’s project mentor and acclaimed composer Miya Masaoka, performed by Modney. The program also includes Alyssa Weinberg’s Table Talk, a prepared vibraphone duo performed by Clara Warnaar and Colleen Bernstein, and Gabriella Smith’s Carrot Revolution for string quartet, performed by members of the Harlem Chamber Players.

“Supporting living composers means investing in their ideas and creating opportunities for their music to be heard,” said Tania León, Founder and Artistic Director of Composers Now. “Through the Cheswatyr Commissions, we bring commissioning, mentorship and performance together to support women composers in developing new work and reaching new audiences. Bora Yoon’s imaginative use of voice, technology and instruments from different cultural traditions embodies the breadth of expression we champion. Her new commission, developed with Miya Masaoka’s mentorship, offers audiences an opportunity to experience that artistry alongside distinctive works by Masaoka, Gabriella Smith and Alyssa Weinberg.”

Created and produced by Composers Now with underwriting from the Cheswatyr Foundation, the Cheswatyr Commissions initiative honors the visionary legacy of Cece Wasserman, a passionate arts philanthropist whose support advanced commissions by composers such as Missy Mazzoli, Arlene Sierra and Julia Wolfe. Rooted in her belief in substantive support for artists, the program champions living women composers through new commissions and mentorship, providing opportunities to develop ambitious work and bring it to audiences.

The November premiere builds on a commissioning legacy that includes works by Niloufar Nourbakhsh, Alyssa Regent, Milena Casado and Brittany J. Green. This year’s pairing of Yoon and Masaoka continues the initiative’s commitment to artistic exchange while celebrating the breadth of contemporary composition.

Led by León, Composers Now continues its 15th anniversary celebration through a 2026–27 season featuring performances, world premieres, new commissions, mentorship initiatives and artist-centered conversations. Taking place in New Orleans, New York City and online, the season brings established and emerging composers into direct conversation with audiences while showcasing the expansive range of music being created today.

PROGRAM

Miya Masaoka — Mapping a Joyful Path
For violin and fixed electronics
Modney, violin

Alyssa Weinberg — Table Talk
For prepared vibraphone duo
Clara Warnaar and Colleen Bernstein

Gabriella Smith — Carrot Revolution
For string quartet

Members of the Harlem Chamber Players

Bora Yoon — Casual Miracles II
World premiere; Cheswatyr Commission
For strings, flute, clarinet/bass clarinet, Korean percussion, narrator/vocalist and electronics
Bora Yoon, narrator/vocalist and electronic playback
Vongu Pak, Korean percussion

Harlem Chamber Players

Rebekah Heller, conductor

The Cheswatyr Commissions Premiere is free with registration. To RSVP, please visit CHESWATYR COMMISSION TICKET