Annual American Composers Update
Augusta Read Thomas
Augusta Read Thomas* is Professor of
Composition at the Eastman School of Music. The Berlin
Philharmonic Orchestra has commissioned Aurora: Concerto
for Piano and Orchestra, scheduled to premiere with
Daniel Barenboim as pianist and conductor on June 10,
2000.
Premieres
Ritual Incantations, a concerto
for cellist David Finckel, premiered during the Aspen
Music Festival's 50th-anniversary season, July 16, 1999,
Hugh Wolf conducting. Ceremonial was introduced
by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, under Barenboim,
Jan. 6, 2000. For Emily, for choir, was sung
first by the Dale Warland Singers, Dec. 4, 1999. On
Mar. 19, 2000, The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival will
feature the first performance of Invocations,
with the Miami String Quartet. To the Wild Sky
(text by Tennyson), for chorus and orchestra, will be
presented by the Washington Choral Arts Society Feb.
25, 2000 at the Kennedy Center. All works were comissioned.
In honor of the 75th anniversary of the 19th Amendment,
the Eastman Philharmonia, conducted by Emily Freeman
Brown, and narrator Almeta Whitis introduced the oratorio
Conquering the Fury of Oblivion (text by Leslie
Dunton-Downer).
Recordings
Eclipse Musings, for flute, guitar,
and chamber orchestra; Bonita Boyd and Nicholas Goluses;
Albany Records
Oct. 1999.
Further Information
