Projects
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By All Means (2004)

Chamber orchestra, 9'

By All Means was commissioned by the Juilliard School and the Royal Academy of Music in celebration of their concurrent anniversaries. Each of the six commissioned works was meant to respond in some way to Webern’s Concerto for 9 Instruments, op. 24. My own response to this curious guideline was to focus on the opening [...]

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Clear Music (2003)

for Wendy Law
Cello, harp, celeste, 9'

Muhly writes, “Clear Music is an extended exploration of a single measure in John Taverner’s (1490-1545) motet Mater Christi Sanctissima. I have structured the piece into a series of peaks featuring the highest registers of the treble voice ““ here, the cello. I remember very vividly performing this piece and being struck by how distant [...]

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Duet No 1: Chorale Pointing Downwards (2003)

for Nadia Sirota
Viola & Cello

Duet No1: Chorale Pointing Downwards is the first in a series of short string pieces that serve as harmonic and technical studies for both composer and performers.

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How About Now (2006)

for NOW Ensemble (Alex, Sara, Mark, Peter, & Michael)
Small ensemble, 7'

I wanted the piece to feel like it comes from their preëxisting pantry of musical devices ““ a sort of thrown-together meal with close friends

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The Principles of Uncertainty (2007)

Solo Counter-tenor, Violin, Cello, Piano, Banjo, 21'

I have no idea how to describe the strangeness of this song cycle; in true modern fashion, it started as a blog on the New York Times, consisting of paintings and text by Maira Kalman. Maira, a longtime friend and hero of mine, asked me to set all of the questions she asked on the [...]

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Time After Time (2003)

for Nancy Zeltsman, Sam Solomon, & Eric Hewitt
Soprano saxophone, marimba, percussion, 10'

Time After Time was written for the Yesaroun’ Duo (comprising multi-percussionist Sam Solomon & saxophonist Eric Hewitt) and marimbist Nancy Zeltsman. I set out to write a piece that was primarily energetic and rhythmically challenging enough for two percussionist and one honorary percussionist to play. The title refers to the fact that all the material [...]

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