Selected Events

2016

EAR TAXI FESTIVAL

October 5-10, 2016: Augusta envisioned, spearheaded and led EAR TAXI FESTIVAL, a 6-day-long new music festival celebrating the vibrant and booming classical contemporary music scene in Chicago. 350 musicians, 53 world premieres, 25 ensembles, 88 composers, 5 installations! The festival was made possible, in part, by major support from the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University. All artists are paid the same guaranteed minimum fee for doing the same amount of work. In addition, after the Festival, all proceeds will be paid to the artists.

 

"If there's anyone in town who can remove the fear factor from new classical music, and make folks want to binge out on it for six straight days, it's Gusty Thomas." — John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune

 

January 16, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey in The Studio, Nashville, TN

January 20 & 21, 2016
Ensemble Kandinsky Switzerland, Kamilla Schatz, violin; Fabio di Cásola, clarinet; and Benjamin Engeli, piano will perform DANCING HELIX RITUALS for violin, clarinet, and piano at Düsseldorf Kunstsammlung.

January 29, 2016
Timothy Weiss conducting The Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble with Darrett Adkins, cello, will present PASSION PRAYERS for solo cello and ensemble at Ganz Hall, Chicago. Two concerts: 7 PM and 9 PM.

January 29, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey in the Randolph School, Huntsville, AL

January 29, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at WLRH, Huntsville, AL

January 29, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey in the US Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL

February 3, 2016
Ensemble 20+, Michael Lewanski conducting, presents the US PREMIERE of OF BEING IS A BIRD (EMILY DICKINSON SETTINGS) for soprano and chamber orchestra at the DePaul University Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden Ave. in Chicago. Commissioned by Wigmore Hall with the support of André Hoffmann, president of the Fondation Hoffmann, a Swiss grant-making foundation. Dedicated with admiration and gratitude to Julian Anderson.

February 5, 2016
The New Millennium Ensemble performs SCAT for ensemble in Wolfensohn Hall at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ.

February 6, 2016
The New Millennium Ensemble performs SCAT for ensemble in Wolfensohn Hall at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ.

February 7, 2016
New Music Ensemble, University of Chicago, Barbara Schubert conducting, Carrie Shaw, soprano presents OF BEING IS A BIRD (EMILY DICKINSON SETTINGS) for soprano and chamber orchestra in Fulton Hall.

February 9, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Savannah Country Day School, GA.

February 10, 2016
AUREOLE for orchestra, Indiana University Orchestra, Rani Calderon conducting at the Jacobs School of Bloomington, IN.

February 12, 2016
St. Paul Ballet presents world premiere of a ballet by choreographer Sally Rouse titled "Back Foot Dancing" set to the music of Augusta Read Thomas. Location: Cowles Center for Dance. 7:30 PM

February 13, 2016
St. Paul Ballet presents world premiere of a ballet by choreographer Sally Rouse titled "Back Foot Dancing" set to the music of Augusta Read Thomas. Location: Cowles Center for Dance. 7:30 PM

February 14, 2016
St. Paul Ballet presents world premiere of a ballet by choreographer Sally Rouse titled "Back Foot Dancing" set to the music of Augusta Read Thomas. Location: Cowles Center for Dance. 2:00 PM

February 18, 2016
Augusta interviewing Philip Glass about Artistic Collaboration in a public conversation. 6:00 to 7:30 PM Logan Center, Performance Hall, University of Chicago

February 18 & 19, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at Ashley Hall, Charleston, SC.

February 25, 2016
Arkansas State University Symphonic Winds presents MAGNETICFIREFLIES for wind ensemble.

February 28, 2016
EURYTHMY ETUDE "Still Life" for solo piano will be performed by Rachel Chung at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, GA as part of a Eureka Duo Recital.

February 28, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Norfolk Academy, VA.

February 29, 2016
CHICAGO PREMIERE of EOS for orchestra performed by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Cliff Colnot conducting in Orchestra Hall.

March 10, 2016
PRISMS OF LIGHT, Hemke Concerto for solo saxophone and orchestra performed at the 2016 North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference, David Dees, solo saxophone and David Becker, conductor, at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX.

March 11, 2016
DANCING GALAXY for wind ensemble performed by Lawrence University Wind Ensemble, Andrew Mast, conducting in Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

March 11, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Owings Mills High School, MD.

March 12, 2016
RESOUNDING EARTH Movement II (Prayer), by Third Coast Percussion in Music Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. This composition is scored for approximately 300 pieces of metal, featuring 120 bells from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.

March 12, 2016
Duke University presents the Parker Quartet performing HELIX SPIRALS for string quartet. Commissioned by Jeanne Guillemin in celebration of the Meselson-Stahl DNA replication discovery, 1958.

March 13, 2016
MOON JIG for piano trio performed by the Camarata Trio in the Garden Theater in Columbus Ohio.

March 14, 2016
RESOUNDING EARTH Movement II (Prayer), by Third Coast Percussion in the Center for the Arts at University of Wisconsin-Platteville. This composition is scored for approximately 300 pieces of metal, featuring 120 bells from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.

March 20, 2016
University of South Carolina School of Music presents the Parker Quartet performing HELIX SPIRALS for string quartet. Commissioned by Jeanne Guillemin in celebration of the Meselson-Stahl DNA replication discovery, 1958. Johnson Performance Hall, 5 PM

March 23, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Trenton Community Music School, NJ.

March 24-26, 2016
Guest Artist of New Music Miami and of Florida International University, Miami, Florida

March 25, 2016
Amernet Quartet performs HELIX SPIRALS for string quartet at New Music Miami

March 26, 2016
A CIRCLE AROUND THE SUN for piano trio performed by The Coolidge Trio at the Outside the Box Festival in Carbondale, IL

April 1, 2016
Arkansas State University presents a PORTRAIT CONCERT including The Parker String Quartet performing HELIX SPIRALS for string quartet. Commissioned by Jeanne Guillemin in celebration of the Meselson-Stahl DNA replication discovery, 1958. Additional works by Augusta presented on this concert include MAGNETICFIREFLIES for wind ensemble, PIANO ETUDES, WONDERLAND for violin and piano, SCHERZI MUSICALI for brass quartet, TRACES for piano, DIAGONALS for solo clarinet, TWILIGHT BUTTERFLY for soprano and piano, RUSH for solo violin, SPELLS for SATB Choir and MIDSUMMER BLAZE ALLELUIA for SATB Choir.

April 1, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at Fairfield University, CT.

April 5, 2016
RESOUNDING EARTH Movement II (Prayer), by Third Coast Percussion in the Britt Music Festival at Southern Oregon University. This composition is scored for approximately 300 pieces of metal, featuring 120 bells from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.

April 6, 2016
Presenting HARPER LECTURE in New York City at the Eventi Hotel
851 Avenue of the Americas.

April 10, 2016
World Premiere KLEE MUSINGS for piano trio commissioned and presented by The Norton Building Concert Series to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Norton Concerts and premiered by the Neave Trio.

April 12, 2016
LOVE TWITTERS for solo piano performed by Linda Holzer at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA.

April 13, 2016
PIANO ETUDE #3 "Cathedral Waterfall" performed by Dr. Matthew McCright at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

April 15, 2016
RESOUNDING EARTH Movement II (Prayer), by Third Coast Percussion at The Clarion at Brazosport College The Clarion at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson, TX. This composition is scored for approximately 300 pieces of metal, featuring 120 bells from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.

April 15, 2016
Guest Artist at the University of Notre Dame.

April 16-18, 2016
Guest Artist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

April 18, 2016
KARUMI for alto flute in Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall performed by Luisa Sello.

April 18, 2016
OF BEING IS A BIRD (EMILY DICKINSON SETTINGS) for soprano and chamber orchestra and BASSOON CONCERTINO will be performed by NEXTET at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Virko Baley conducting.

April 19, 2016
KARUMI for alto flute performed by Luisa Sello at the PianoForte Foundation in Chicago 6:00 PM

April 20, 2016
KARUMI for alto flute performed by Luisa Sello at the Fermilab Auditorium (dedicated to Enrico Fermi) – 7:00 PM. Presented by the Italian Institute of Chicago in collaboration with Fermilab and by the Italian Cultural Association.

April 25, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin and INCANTATION for solo violin performed by Ariana Kim at the Orcia Wine Festival in San Quirico d’Orcia Italy

April 30, 2016
RESOUNDING EARTH Movement II (Prayer), by Third Coast Percussion at New Music New College in Sarasota, FL. This composition is scored for approximately 300 pieces of metal, featuring 120 bells from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.

May 13, 2016
RESOUNDING EARTH Movement II (Prayer), by Third Coast Percussion at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI. This composition is scored for approximately 300 pieces of metal, featuring 120 bells from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.

May 14, 2016
HEMKE CONCERTO "PRISMS OF LIGHT" for alto saxophone and orchestra, Frederick Hemke, soloist; Northwestern University Orchestra, Victor Yampolsky conducting, at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University.

May 20, 2016
RESOUNDING EARTH Movement II (Prayer), by Third Coast Percussion at the Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival in Juneau, AK. This composition is scored for approximately 300 pieces of metal, featuring 120 bells from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.

May 20, 21 and 22, 2016
AUREOLE for orchestra and PRAYER AND CELEBRATION for orchestra will be performed by the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Stephen Gunzenhauser conducting. At the three concerts Augusta will be receiving the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra's Composer Award, the oldest award of its kind in the nation, intended "to recognize and honor living composers who reside in the US who are making a particularly significant contribution in the field of symphonic music, not only through their own creative efforts, but also as effective personal advocates of new approaches to the broadening of critical and appreciative standards."

May 26, 2016
PRISMS OF LIGHT, Hemke Concerto for solo saxophone and orchestra performed by Taimur Sullivan and the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Victor Yampolsky.

May 26, 2016
Alia Musica presents OF BEING IS A BIRD (EMILY DICKINSON SETTINGS) for soprano and chamber orchestra, Tony Arnold, Soprano, Federico Garcia-De Castrom Artistic Director.

May 31, 2016
World Premiere VENUS ENCHANTED for solo violin by Jennifer Koh on the NY Phil Biannual at National Sawdust Brooklyn, NY as part of her Shared Madness project.

June 6, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at Okemos High School, MI.

June 10, 2016
Sonic Apricity (Erik Rohde, violin and Jacob Tews, viola) perform RUMI SETTINGS at the American Viola Society Festival, Oberlin, OH

June 11, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at Worth-Nelson Residence, Flint, MI.

June 14, 2016
SILENT MOON for violin and cello performed by Clara Lyon and Hannah Collins at the Geneva Music Festival

June 23, 2016
Radio broadcast at 2:00 p.m., William Harvey will appear on 98.7 WFMT-Chicago to perform PULSAR for solo violin

June 23, 2016
William Harvey performs PULSAR for solo violin, at 6:30 p.m., at Jerry’s Sandwiches, 1938 W. Division St., Chicago, CiH and Classical Revolution will present “ENERGY: What is American culture? An eclectic music-fueled event.”

June 23, 2016
RESOUNDING EARTH Movement II (Prayer), by Third Coast Percussion at Chamber Music Pittsburgh. This composition is scored for approximately 300 pieces of metal, featuring 120 bells from a wide variety of cultures and historical periods.

June 26, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Urbana Free Library, Urbana, IL.

July 10, 2016
PULSAR for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at Auer Hall, Bloomington, IN.

July 13, 2016
The Bar Harbor Music Festival presents TOFT SERENADE for violin and piano. Violinist Claudia Schaer and pianist Max Lifchitz.

August 7, 2016
Swedish premiere of AUREOLE for orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Trevino conducting, in the Stockholm Konserthuset, Sweden.

August 19, 2016
World Premiere of RHEA ENCHANTED for solo violin by Rebecca Fischer at the Bay Chamber Concerts in Rockport, Maine.

August 20, 2016
VENUS ENCHANTED for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Hydrodome, Prichard Art Gallery, Moscow, ID.

August 23, 2016
Double Helix for two violins performed at the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival.

September 8, 2016
Midwest Premiere of RHEA ENCHANTED for solo violin by Erik Rohde at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN.

September 13, 2016
VENUS ENCHANTED for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Hiland Mountain Correctional Facility, Anchorage, AK.

September 16, 2016
World Premiere of AVIAN CAPRICCIO for brass quintet performed by the Axiom Brass Quintet in Nichols Concert Hall

September 17, 2016
Chanticleer presents LOVE SONGS for 12 male voices at Mission Santa Clara, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA.

September 18, 2016
Chanticleer presents LOVE SONGS for 12 male voices at St. Francis of Assissi Church, Sacramento, CA.

September 21, 2016
Chanticleer presents LOVE SONGS for 12 male voices at St. Augustine Church, Pleasanton, CA.

September 23, 2016
Chanticleer presents LOVE SONGS for 12 male voices at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco, CA.

September 25, 2016
RHEA ENCHANTED for solo violin performed by Rebecca Fischer at the UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA in Lincoln, NE

September 25 & 26, 2016
Guest Composer at the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.

September 26, 2016
World Premiere of AVIAN ESCAPADES for Woodwind Quintet performed by Blair Woodwind Quintet at the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.

OCTOBER 6, 2016
OF BEING IS A BIRD (EMILY DICKINSON SETTINGS) for soprano and ensemble will be performed Ossia New Music Ensemble.

OCTOBER 6, 2016
MURMURS IN THE MIST OF MEMORY for string orchestra will be performed by the Sejong Soloists in Lotte Hall, Seoul, Korea. Presented with kinetic images by artist Norman Perryman.

OCTOBER 8, 2016
Chicago Premiere of SELENE for string quartet and percussion quartet performed by Spektral Quartet and Third Coast Percussion in Harris Theater.

 

October 5-10, 2016
Augusta envisioned, spearheaded and led EAR TAXI FESTIVAL, a 6-day-long new music festival celebrating the vibrant and booming classical contemporary music scene in Chicago. 350 musicians, 53 world premieres, 25 ensembles, 88 composers, 5 installations! The festival was made possible, in part, by major support from the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University. All artists are paid the same guaranteed minimum fee for doing the same amount of work. In addition, after the Festival, all proceeds will be paid to the artists.

OCTOBER 14, 2016
KLEE MUSINGS for piano trio commissioned and presented by The Norton Building Concert Series to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Norton Concerts and premiered by the Neave Trio at Brown University.

OCTOBER 15, 2016
The Parker Quartet performing HELIX SPIRALS for string quartet at the Mary Anne Rennolds Chamber Music Series W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, Richmond, VA. Commissioned by Jeanne Guillemin in celebration of the Meselson-Stahl DNA replication discovery, 1958.

OCTOBER 16, 2016
Eurythmy Etude "Still Life" for piano and dancer will be performend by Hyunjung Rachel Chung and Prof. Aku Kadogo at Spelman College.

OCTOBER 19, 2016
DOUBLE HELIX (MANSUETO TRIBUTE) for two violins, performed by William Harvey and Gregory Walker at the King Center, Denver, CO.

OCTOBER 27, 2016
STARLIGHT RIBBONS for solo piano played by Daniel Schlosberg at Towson University as part of a program that will also be the inaugural concert of their new Bösendorfer piano. This composition was commissioned by the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University.

OCTOBER 28, 2016
World Premiere of ROSES for female voices a cappella presented by La Caccina, Carling Fitzsimmons, Artistic Director. Chicago, IL

OCTOBER 29, 2016
ROSES for female voices a cappella performed by La Caccina, Carling Fitzsimmons, Artistic Director. Chicago, IL

OCTOBER 29, 2016
World Premiere of viola version of VENUS ENCHANTED for solo viola performed by Carol Rodland at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in their "Viola Celebration" weekend

OCTOBER 29-30, 2016
Guest Artist at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

OCTOBER 30, 2016
KLEE MUSINGS for piano trio and DANCING HELIX RITUALS for violin, clarinet and piano will be performed at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Preconcert lecture at 3 PM. Concert at 4 PM.

November 3, 2016
STARLIGHT RIBBONS for solo piano played by Daniel Schlosberg at UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

November 6, 2016
VENUS ENCHANTED for solo viola by Carol Rodland at the Ohio Viola Society in Cleveland, OH

November 6, 2016
PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE of KLEE MUSINGS for piano trio will be performed by the New York New Music Ensemble.
Philadelphia, PA at 2 PM.

November 7, 2016
NEW YORK CITY PREMIERE of KLEE MUSINGS for piano trio will be performed by the New York New Music Ensemble.
New York City at 8:30 PM.

November 11, 2016
Keynote Speaker: American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, PA. OF BEING IS A BIRD (EMILY DICKINSON SETTINGS) for soprano and ensemble will be performed by students of the Curtis Institute.

November 11, 2016
DANCING HELIX RITUALS will be performed by the Zodiac Trio in Ganz Hall at Roosevelt University, Chicago.

November 11, 2016
UK PREMIERE of SCAT for ensemble performed by Lontano, conducted by Odaline de la Martinez in The Warehouse on a concert titled New York and Beyond.

November 12, 2016
Guest Composer Curtis Institute of Music.

November 12, 2016
ANGEL TEARS AND EARTH PRAYERS (for organ and trumpet), Lottie Enns-Braun, organist Allen Harrington, saxophone at the St John the Evangelist, Kitchener

November 13, 2016
ANGEL TEARS AND EARTH PRAYERS (for organ and trumpet), Lottie Enns-Braun, organist Allen Harrington, saxophone at the St. John’s Lutheran, Waterloo

November 13-15, 2016
Augusta is the the Karel Husa Visiting Professor at Ithaca College. Selected compositions will be performed including SCAT for ensemble and CANTOS FOR SLAVA for cello and piano.

November 19, 2016
Boston Premiere of AVIAN ESCAPADES for Woodwind Quintet performed by Radius Ensemble at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA.

November 20, 2016
VENUS ENCHANTED for solo viola performed by Carol Rodland at Boston Conservatory as part of their String Masters Series in Seully Hall

November 22, 2016
VENUS ENCHANTED for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Pittman Recital Hall, Norman, OK.

December 3, 4 & 5, 2016
The Santa Rosa Symphony conducted by Bruno Ferrandis performs PRAYER BELLS for orchestra.

December 4, 2016
SELENE, Moon Chariot Rituals for string quartet and percussion quartet presented by the Cleveland Museum of Art as played by the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Timothy Weiss, conductor.

December 6, 2016
World Premiere of a INCANTATION for cello by Mihai Marica with Charles “Lil Buck” Riley at Harris Theater in Chicago. Lil Buck and Mihai will present an interactive performance that reveals the intricacy and immediacy of the creative process between movement and music, and challenge the boundaries of what the two instruments – the body and the cello – can do. The duo will demonstrate what it means when Lil Buck says, “I see sounds everywhere.”

December 7, 2016
Guest Composer New England Conservatory of Music Composition Seminar, Entrepreneurship Department, and also participating in a preconcert panel discussion.

December 7, 2016
BOSTON PREMIERE of AUREOLE for orchestra by the New England Conservatory Philharmonic, Andrew Litton, conducting at Jordan Hall.

December 7, 2016
SELENE, Moon Chariot Rituals for string quartet and percussion quartet performed by the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Timothy Weiss, conductor.

December 8, 2016
VENUS ENCHANTED for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Junior & High School, Ord, NE.

December 8, 2016
VENUS ENCHANTED for solo violin, performed by William Harvey at the Valley Southwoods Freshman High School, West Des Moines, IA.

December 10, 2016
OF PARADISE AND LIGHT for string orchestra and PRAYER AND CELEBRATION for orchestra will be performed by the Denison University Orchestra, Andy Strietelmeier, conducting.

December 12, 2016
Jan Krzywicki conducting the Temple University New Music Ensemble performing PASSION PRAYERS for solo cello and ensemble. Philadelphia, PA