European American Music Distributors Company is a member of the Schott Music Group

Schott/EAM Season Preview

Sep. 09, 2013

Schott/EAM Season Preview

The world premiere of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels is just one of many major events from the Schott/EAM calendar for the 2013-14 season. Read on for a selective digest of events in the new season.


Julian Anderson

  • The JACK Quartet delivers the US premiere of Julian Anderson’s String Quartet No. 1 at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. on February 14. www.jackquartet.com

Luke Bedford

  • Wonderful Four-Headed Nightingale, a new string quartet by Luke Bedford, receives its world premiere by the Arditti String Quartet at the Vienna Konzerthaus on October 28 as part of the Festival Vienna Modern. www.wienmodern.at

George Benjamin

  • As part of the New York Philharmonic Biennial, Pablo Heras-Casado leads the Orchestra of St. Luke’s in a program titled “Circles of Influence: George Benjamin”, featuring the New York premieres of Benjamin’s Octet and Upon Silence. The concert takes place on June 1 at the Rose Theater at Lincoln Center. nyphil.org

Gavin Bryars

  • The Aventa Ensemble, a long-time champion of Gavin Bryars’s music, presents the world premiere of his new opera, Marilyn Forever, based on aspects of the life of Marilyn Monroe. Bin Linwood conducts the ensemble, which features vocalist Eivør Pálsdóttir in the title role, baritone Thomas Sandberg as “The Men”, with stage direction by Joel Ivany. The production takes place September 13 and 14 at the MacPherson Playhouse Theatre in Victoria, British Columbia.  www.aventa.ca    

L’ubica Čekovská

  • On November 11, the Slovak National Theatre presents the world premiere of L’ubica Čekovská’s new opera, Dorian Gray, after the novel by Oscar Wilde. Christopher Ward leads the orchestra with stage direction by Nicola Raab. www.snd.sk

Friedrich Cerha

  • Tagebuch (Daybook), a new work for orchestra by Friedrich Cerha, receives its world premiere at the Alte Oper Frankfurt on February 6 with the Radio Orchestra of Hessischer Rundfunk led by Andrés Orozco-Estrada. www.hr-online.de

Chaya Czernowin

  • Upstream, the third and final part in Chaya Czernowin’s Slow Summer Stay series, receives its world premiere on October 31 at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum by the Callithumpian Consort. www.callithumpian.org

Carl Davis

  • On February 14, Kirk Trevor conducts the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra in the US premiere of Davis’s The Strong Man, a live orchestral score to accompany the 1926 silent film by Frank Capra. The performance takes place at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. www.icomusic.org

Peter Eötvös

  • There is no shortage of performances for Peter Eötvös as he celebrates his 70th birthday this January, including the New York premiere of his second violin concerto, DoReMi, with violinist Midori and the New York Philharmonic, as well as the German premiere of Speaking Drums, four poems for percussion solo and orchestra by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. www.schott-music.com
  • Paradise Reloaded (Lilith), a new opera by Eötvös with text by Albert Ostermaier, receives its world premiere at Neue Oper Wien on October 25. David Adam Moore starts as Lucifer, conducted by Walter Kobera with stage direction by Johannes Erath. The production runs through November 1. www.neueoperwien.at 

Jean Françaix

  • Boston’s esteemed conductorless string orchestra, A Far Cry, presents the US premiere of Jean Françaix’s Sei prelude on September 21 at St. John’s Church with a repeat performance on September 22 at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. www.afarcry.org

Charles Gounod

  • The new critical edition of Gounod’s Faust receives its premiere with De Nederlandse Opera in Amsterdam on May 10. Marc Minkowski conducts with production design by Alex Ollé. www.dno.nl

Jonny Greenwood

  • On October 31, the Mannes College of Music performs the US premiere of Greenwood’s There Will Be Blood Suite.
  • Alexander Mickelthwate leads The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in the Canadian premiere of 48 Responses to Polymorphia on January 25 as part of the Winnipeg New Music Festival. www.wso.ca

Georg Friedrich Haas

  • While Georg Friedrich Haas assumes his new position as Professor of Composition at Columbia University in New York, Miller Theatre opens its series of Composer Portraits with an all-Haas concert performed by Ensemble Signal on October 10 with conductor Brad Lubman, violinist Olivia De Prato, and mezzo-soprano Rachel Calloway. www.millertheatre.com
  • The Berlin Philharmonic premieres a new orchestral work by the composer on February 20, led by Simon Rattle at the Berlin Philharmonic Hall. www.berliner-philharmoniker.de

Cristóbal Halffter

  • Halffter’s Concerto grosso for string quartet and orchestra receives its world premiere by the Auryn Quartett and the Duisburg Philharmonic on February 19 in Duisburg, Germany. duisburger-philharmoniker.de

Jonathan Harvey

  • Boston’s Sound Icon presents an All-Harvey program on May 3. Works include Death of Light, Light of Death after Matthias Grünewald's "Crucifixion" in the Isenheim Altarpiece, Advayah for solo cello and electronics, Wheel of Emptiness for chamber ensemble and the electro-acoustic work Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco.www.soundicon.org

Paul Hindemith

  • December 28 marks the 50th Anniversary of the death of Paul Hindemith. Countless performances of his works surround the anniversary, including a BBC Symphony Orchestra performance of Der Schwanendreher on November 4, Symphonie “Mathis der Maler” on December 15 with the Frankfurter Opern und Museumsorchester, as well as a performances of When lilacs last in the door-yard bloom’d with Christoph Eschenbach leading the National Symphony Orchestra with baritone Matthias Goerne and mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung on January 30, 31 and February 1. www.schott-music.com

Matthew Hindson

  • Hindson composes a new work for the Pheonix Symphony, which receives its world premiere on March 28 at Symphony Hall in Pheonix, Arizona.  phoenixsymphony.org
  • Hindson’s Maralinga, for solo violin and orchestra, receives its Canadian premiere on October 6 with violinist Lara St. John and the Sinfonia Toronto. St. John takes the concerto to New York on May 8 for its US premiere with the Orchestra for the Next Century. www.orchestranextcentury.org

Heinz Holliger

  • May 2014 marks the 75th birthday of our own Heinz Holliger. Of the many performances in celebration of Holliger’s birthday, most notable is a new production of his opera Schneewittchen at the Theater Basil, with stage direction by Achim Freyer and conducted by Holliger himself. The production opens February 20 and runs through April 15.  Additionally, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s presents the US premiere of Holliger’s Ostinato funèbre on May 31 as part of the New York Philharmonic Biennial. www.schott-music.com

Pierre Jalbert

  • A new clarinet quintet by Pierre Jalbert written for clarinetist Charles Neidich and the Pro Arte Quartet receives its premiere in September of 2014.
  • Visual Abstract receives a performance this season by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center on April 11 at Alice Tully Hall. www.chambermusicsociety.org

Hannah Lash

  • Lash, who was recently named Alabama Symphony’s Sound Investment composer for the 2013-14 season, receives a performance of her Hush by the orchestra on October 25, as well as the world premiere of a new orchestral work on May 2. www.alabamasymphony.org
  • The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, who has also commissioned Lash as their 2013/14 Sound Investment composer, gives the world premiere of a new work for chamber orchestra on April 26. www.laco.org
  • Lash’s new work for the Boston Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players receives its premiere on February 9 in celebration of their 50th Anniversary season. www.bso.org

Philipp Maintz

  • Quinto Tríptico Vertical, a new work for soprano and large orchestra by Philipp Maintz, receives its world premiere on June 25 by Christoph Eschenbach and the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra with soprano Marisol Montalvo. www.mphil.de

Colin Matthews

  • Matthews’s Grand Barcarolle receives its US premiere on June 1 as part of the New York Philharmonic Biennial Festival with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado. nyphil.org

David Matthews

  • New York’s Central City Chorus presents the US premiere of David Matthews’s recent work, Psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd, for chorus and strings. The concert takes place at the Church of Saint Ignatius of Antioch on December 7. The program also features the US premiere of Benjamin Britten’s The Company of Heaven, a cantata for speakers, soprano, tenor, chorus and chamber orchestra. www.centralcitychorus.com

Andrew Norman

  • The Utah Symphony, under the music direction of Thierry Fischer, presents the world premiere of a new percussion concerto by Andrew Norman on April 18 and 19 with soloist Colin Currie. Norman's new percussion concerto is co-commissioned by the Utah and BBC Symphony Orchestras. www.utahsymphony.org
  • The Los Angeles Philharmonic has commissioned a new piano concerto from Andrew Norman which will receive its world premiere on May 1 with soloist Emanuel Ax and Gustavo Dudamel leading the orchestra. Subsequent performances take place May 2 and 3 at Walt Disney Hall. www.laphil.com

Arvo Pärt

  • Swan Song: Littlemore Tractus, a new work for orchestra by Arvo Pärt, was commissioned by the International Mozarteum Foundation of Salzburg. The world premiere takes place January 29 with Marc Minkowski leading the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. www.wienerphilharmoniker.at
  • New York’s White Light Festival is host to several internationally renowned musicians including the Tallis Scholars who appear for a performance of Pärt’s …which was the son of… on November 16 on the Adrienne Arsht Stage at Alice Tully Hall.  Additionally, Pärt’s In Principio receives its New York premiere in a performance by Neeme Järvi and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. www.whitelightfestival.org

Krzysztof Penderecki

  • November marks the 80th birthday of our own Krzysztof Penderecki. Many performances are planned in celebration of Penderecki this year, including his St. Luke Passion (Passio Et Mors Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Secundum Lucam), on September 19, 20, 21 with the Berlin Philharmonic, a production of The Devils of Loudun with the Opera Krakowska on September 27 and 29, as well as the world premiere of his La Follia for solo violin by Anne-Sophie Mutter at Carnegie Hall. www.schott-music.com

Tobias Picker

  • Picker’s highly anticipated new opera, Dolores Claiborne, opens on September 18 at the San Francisco Opera. The performance, featuring Patricia Racette and Catherine Cook in the title role, runs through October 4. sfopera.com
  • A new recording of chamber works by Tobias Picker is to be released on the Tzadik label in early 2014. Works include Invisible Lilacs, Sextet No. 2, Piano Quintet: Live Oaks, and Nova with performances by the Brentano Quartet, pianist Sarah Rothenberg, as well as the Tobias Picker Ensemble.

Matthias Pintscher

  • Whirling Tissue of Light, a new work for solo piano by Matthias Pintscher, receives its world premiere at London’s Wigmore Hall on September 18 with pianist Inon Barnatan. After its Dutch Premiere this October, the work’s US Premiere is scheduled for the 2014 Aspen Festival. www.wigmore-hall.org.uk
  • Pintscher also leads the New York premiere of his Reflections on Narcissus with cellist Alisa Weilerstein and the New York Philharmonic on June 6 as part of the New York Philharmonic Biennial. nyphil.org

Gabriel Prokofiev

  • Several Canadian premieres of works by Gabriel Prokofiev surround his residency at the University of Toronto, which takes place in January. National Premieres include Spheres, Cello Concerto No. 1, String Quartet No. 1, Sleeveless Scherzo, The Ghost of Gunby Hall, Bogle Move, Pianobook 1, and more.

Bernard Rands

  • In celebration of the 80th birthday of Bernard Rands, Robert Spano will lead the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the world premiere of Rands's new Concerto for Piano and Orchestra on April 3 with pianist Jonathan Biss. Repeat performances take place on April 4, 5 and 8 at Boston's Symphony Hall. The work receives its German premiere with Biss and the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester led by Sir Andrew Davis on May 7, 8 and 9. The 2014 BBC Proms delivers the work's UK premiere with a performance on August 15 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra led by Markus Stenz. www.bso.org
  • Additional performances in celebration of Rands's birthday include ...where the murmurs die... by Christoph Eschenbach and the Chicago Symphony on December 19, 20 and 21, residencies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Rice University, and the June in Buffalo Festival, as well as a series of four portrait concerts by the Royal Northern College of Music. Rands will also be composer in residence at the 2014 Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music where the world premiere of his Folk Songs, for voice and ensemble, will take place. www.schott-music.com

Wolfgang Rihm

  • The Berlin Philharmonic performs the world premiere of RIhm’s IN_SCHRIFT 2, a new work for orchestra, on October 20 conducted by Simon Rattle. www.berliner-philharmoniker.de

Franz Schreker

  • EntArteOpera presents the world premiere of Frank Schreker’s Der Schatzgräber (The Treasure Seeker) in its newly reduced version for chamber orchestra by Werner Steinmetz on September 12. www.entarteopera.com

Valgeir Sigur∂sson

  • Valgeir Sigur∂sson composes a new orchestral work for Alexander Mickelthwate and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra to be premiered in January as part of the Winnipeg New Music Festival.

Joseph Schwantner

  • The world premiere of Joseph Schwantner’s Chapel Songs takes place on February 9 at the Alice Millar Chapel at Northwestern University. The work is a setting of five diverse songs for chorus and orchestra with texts by George Herbert, St. John of the Cross, Henry David Thoreau, William Butler Yeats and from the Bible.
  • Rounding off Schwantner's 70th birthday year will be a nationwide broadcast of The Poet's Hour - Soliloquy for Violin with violinist Yevgeny Kutik and the All-Star Orchestra led by Gerard Schwarz. For details on the broadcast, visit allstarorchestra.org     

Johannes Maria Staud

  • The world premiere of Johannes Maria Staud's new work for bassoon and string quartet, K’in, by bassoonist Pascal Gallois and the Hugo Wolf Quartett takes place on September 19 at the Klangspuren Festival. www.klangspuren.at
  • The US premiere of Staud’s Caldera(for Tony Cragg), for soprano, clarinet and piano (with active page-turner), takes place on May 29 featuring soprano Mojca Erdmann at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This performance is part of the New York Philharmonic Biennial. nyphil.org
  • Staud’s On Comparative Meteorology receives its first US performance on February 26 by Franz Welser-Möst and the Vienna Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall. www.wienerphilharmoniker.at

Morton Subotnick

  • Morton Subotnick, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, will see the world premiere in New York of the revised version of Jacob's Room: Monodrama, based on scenes from his chamber opera Jacob's Room. The premiere takes place on October 11 and features Joan La Barbara as soloist with the Juilliard AXIOM Ensemble led by conductor Jeffrey Milarsky.

Manfred Trojahn

  • On December 13, Manfred Trojahn’s new work for baritone and ensemble after Pier Paolo Pasolini, Le ceneri di Gramsci, is given its world premiere by Ensemble MusikFabrik with baritone Dietrich Henschel. musikfabrik.eu

Kurt Weill

  • The renowned Gate Theatre in Dublin presents The Threepenny Opera September 26 - October 12, in association with the Dublin Theatre Festival. Wayne Jordan directs, Cathal Synnott conducts. www.gatetheatre.ie
  • New York’s Symphony Space opens its season on October 7 with an all-Weill evening to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Broadway premiere of One Touch of Venus, along with favorites from other Weill shows. www.symphonyspace.org
  • Gotham Chamber Opera presents Mahagonny Songspiel in Baden-Baden 1927, a fully-staged recreation of the legendary Baden-Baden Festival of Contemporary Music performance of July 17, 1927. Directed by Paul Curran and conducted by Neal Goren, the cast features Helen Donath, Jennifer Rivera, Daniel Montenegro, Matthew Tuell, Michael Mayes, and John Cheek. October 23 - 29.  www.gothamchamberopera.org
  • Weill’s operetta The Firebrand of Florence, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and a book by Edwin Justus Mayer, will be staged in Germany for the first time by the Staatsoperette Dresden, in a production directed by Holger Hauer and conducted by Andreas Schüller. October 25 – May 11. www.staatsoperette-dresden.de
  • Anne Sofie von Otter headlines an all-Weill program on November 15, performed by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and conducted by HK Gruber, featuring performances of Die sieben Todsünden, Kleine Dreigroschenmusik, and songs by Weill. www.sallepleyel.fr

Ryan Wigglesworth

  • Ryan Wigglesworth arrives at The Cleveland Orchestra as the orchestra's new Daniel R. Lewis Young Composer Fellow for the 2013-14 season. Wigglesworth will compose a new work for The Cleveland Orchestra to be premiered in the 2014-15 season and the US premiere of his orchestral work Sternenfall will be conducted by Franz Welser-Möst on March 6 and 8. www.clevelandorchestra.com     
  • The New York Philharmonic Bienniale presents the US premiere of Ryan Wigglesworth’s A First Book of Inventions on June 1 with a performance by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado. nyphil.org

Frank Zappa

  • On October 23, Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic with the Los Angeles Master Chorale in the world premiere of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels, a once-in-a-lifetime concert event presented in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The production receives its UK premiere by the BBC Concert Orchestra on October 29 at the Royal Festival Hall. www.laphil.com

Alexander Zemlinsky

  • Anthony Beaumont’s critical edition of Alexander Zemlinsky’s The Mermaid receives its US premiere on January 16 by the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, conducted by Andrey Boreyko. nyphil.org
  • Richard Dünser's arrangement for 14 solo instruments or chamber orchestra of Zemlinsky’s Chamber Symphony, after his String Quartet No. 2, is given its first performance on October 21 at the Musikverein Vienna by Ensemble Kontrapunkte with conductor Peter Keuschnig.

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