"The open, collaborative nature of Chicago's new music community is home to an extraordinary crop of ensembles and a vibrant landscape of composers. The scene for new music in Chicago is exceptional and I dedicate myself to supporting and encouraging its sustainability and growth." — Augusta Read Thomas
2026-27 Season
World Premiere of ASTRAL ILLUMINATIONS — HOMMAGE TO EMILY DICKINSON for Solo Violoncello and Orchestra, premiered by The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Ryan Bancroft. This work is co-commissioned by several orchestras including the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, and other orchestras to be announced.
SEASON, 2026
World Premiere of ASTRAL KALEIDOSCOPES for Percussion Quartet - Homage to Claude Debussy, Bill Evans, and Miles Davis. Two Kaleidoscopes played without pause — I: SUN RIBBONS and II: DANCING LUMINOSITY — performed by Third Coast Percussion. Commissioned by and dedicated with admiration and deep gratitude, to Third Coast Percussion.
2026-27 Season
World Premiere of LIGHT PEARLS THROUGH PRISMS for solo piano premiered by Marianne Parker.
2026-27 Season
World Premiere of MAGICAL FLIGHTS OF THE ADARNA BIRD for solo violoncello premiered by Alexander Hersh.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2026 — 4 pm
World Premiere of the dream the dreamers dreamed for a cappella baritone singer. Presented on a program titled “Let Freedom Sing: Paul Robeson – His Words, His Music.” sung by Bass-baritone James C. Martin, who, along with pianist Lynn Raley, celebrate the famed singer, athlete, actor, and activist. St Mark’s in the Bowery, 131 East 10th Street, New York, NY.
NOVEMBER 28, 2026
World Premiere of Hummingbirds and Galaxies — Soulful Fanfare for Kaija for solo cello and organ. A Memorial Commission for Kaija Saariaho, commissioned by Anssi Karttunen, cellist and Olivier Latry, organist to premiere at the Maison de la Radio, Paris, France.
DECEMBER 5, 2026
World Premiere of ALCESTIS ASCENDS for 3 players: Ah Young Hong, soprano, Miranda Cuckson, violin, and Chris Gross, violoncello, setting a text by Alcestis: Euripides, 438 BCE, chorus of men of Pherae, translated by Rachel Kitzinger. Commissioned by the Johns Hopkins Department of the History of Art and the Peabody Institute Department of Composition. Premiered as part of Greek Tragedy in Image and Sound in Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Baltimore, MD.Special gratitude to composer Michael Hersch and art historian Jennifer Stager
JANUARY 31, 2027
World Premiere of the live concert performance of the 8’ version of BEBOP RIDDLE V for two players, for Soprano Saxophone and Alto Saxophone, performed by Ogni Suono (Noa Even & Phil Pierick) at Constellation in Chicago, IL.
FEBRUARY 1, 2027
BEBOP RIDDLE V for two players, for Soprano Saxophone and Alto Saxophone, performed by Ogni Suono (Noa Even & Phil Pierick) at Lawrence University, Appleton, WI.
FEBRUARY 5, 2027
BEBOP RIDDLE V for two players, for Soprano Saxophone and Alto Saxophone, performed by Ogni Suono (Noa Even & Phil Pierick) at Radford University, Radford, VA.
FEBRUARY 5, 2027
BEBOP RIDDLE V for two players, for Soprano Saxophone and Alto Saxophone, performed by Ogni Suono (Noa Even & Phil Pierick) at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.
MARCH 23, 2027
AMONG DAWN FLOWERS for soprano and piano performed by Ensemble Vim at The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, Atlanta, GA.
APRIL 23, 2027
MOON DANCERS for 10 virtuosi performed by the Northwestern Symphonic Wind Ensemble conducted by Dr. Robert Taylor on the kick-off concert of the Northwestern University New Music Conference (NUNC!) in Evanston, IL.
APRIL 25, 2027
ACROBATS for ensemble performed by Collage New Music, Longy School of Music of Bard College, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA.
MAY 8, 2027
SCAT for 5 virtuosi performed Ensemble Dérive, conducted by David Fulmet in Paris, France.
MAY 21, 2027
World Premiere of NEW WORK for 13 players performed by The Grossman Ensemble conducted by Timothy Weiss, Logan Center for the Arts, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
JUNE 12 – JUNE 20, 2027
Composition Faculty at the Berlin Academy of American Music (BAAM) which hosts the Berlin Transatlantic Composers Workshop. Artistic Director Garrett Keast. This 7-day program offers emerging composers daily seminars, individual lessons, and a public premiere of their work by BAAM musicians at the historic Kühlhaus Berlin, Luckenwalder Str. 3, 10963 Berlin. More information is HERE.
June 13, 2027
YOUR KISS for mezzo-soprano and piano, performed by Elisa Sutherland, mezzo-soprano and Nana Shi, piano, programmed by The Brooklyn Art Song Society on their New Voices Festival. Special thanks to Mike Brofman Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Art Song Society. Concert is at the Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn, NY.
JUNE 25-27, 2027
SUNLIGHT ECHOES for SATB chorus and orchestra performed by the San Francisco Symphony conducted by incoming Music Director Elim Chan in Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA.
OCTOBER 16, 2026
RING FLOURISH BLAZE for wind ensemble performed by the Southern Methodist University Wind Ensemble, conducted by Jack Delaney.
October 22, 2026
OF PARADISE AND LIGHT for orchestra performed by The Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kerem Hasan, in the Helsingborg Concert Hall, Helsingborg, Sweden.
OCTOBER 25, 2026 — 7:30 PM
SILENT MOON for violin and cello performed by violinist Clarissa Bevilacqua and cellist Petar Pejcic, presented by DYNAMIKfest Chicago, in the Grainger Ballroom in Symphony Center, Chicago, IL. Special thanks to violinist Clarissa Bevilacqua who is the founder and Artistic Director of DYNAMIKfest.
NOVEMBER 1, 2026
PRAYER AND CELEBRATION for orchestra performed by the Salt Creek Chamber Orchestra conducted by Tim Semanik in La Grange, IL.
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