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Music of Douglas J. Cuomo at Home and Abroad

Mar. 01, 2011

The music of Douglas J. Cuomo is heard in a variety of performances throughout New York City beginning this month when violinist Shem Guibbory and percussionist Rex Benincasa perform his intimate work Slowly She Turned on March 3 at the Bruno Walter Auditorium of Lincoln Center.

On Sunday March 13 at the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC the cellist Maya Beiser presents a solo concert as part of the “Resonating Light” series, hosted by Elliott Forrest of WQXR.  Beiser will be performing works inspired by the museum’s current exhibition, “Embodying the Holy,” which explores striking parallels between Eastern Orthodox Christian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.  Cuomo's Only Breath (which Cuomo wrote for Maya in 2008 and is featured on her CD Provenance) is performed alongside works by Arvo Pärt, John Tavener, Sofia Gubaidulina and others.

On March 17, Cuomo, an accomplished jazz guitarist, and his jazz band perform music inspired by the composer’s film and television scores at the Dweck Auditorium of the Brooklyn Public Library Main Branch in a concert called "dweck-lec'-tic: Douglas J. Cuomo - Composer OutFront!" Sponsored by the American Composers Orchestra, this performance features pianist Mark Soskin, drummer Robby Ameen, saxophonist Bob Francescini and bassist David Ephross.

On Friday, April 8, selections from Cuomo’s opera-oratorio Arjuna's Dilemma are performed as part of 21c Liederabend, a contemporary art song festival presented by The Kitchen in New York City and produced by VisionIntoArt, Beth Morrison Projects and Opera On Tap. With Cuomo conducting, the performers include: Tony Boutté, reprising the role of Arjuna which he premiered and subsequently recorded; the Brooklyn Youth Chorus; and the ACME ensemble with added guests.

Looking ahead, Cuomo’s groundbreaking piece for solo cello, sampler and orchestra, Black Diamond Express Train to Hell, receives its UK premiere at the hands of the Orchestra of the Swan in Stratford-Upon-Avon on May 27. Featuring Nicholas Stringfellow on solo cello and Cuomo manning the sampler, the performance is conducted by David Curtis.

Cuomo was also a featured composer last month on No Extra Notes, a podcast hosted by Richard Zarou. Listen to the podcast, in which the composer discusses his formative musical experiences and explains in depth his recent compositions, here.

Learn more on the music of Douglas J. Cuomo by visiting www.douglasjcuomo.com or www.schott-music.com.

Douglas J. Cuomo
Black Diamond Express Train to Hell (2010)
for solo cello, keyboard and orchestra
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16’

Arjuna's Dilemma (2008)
chamber opera in one act
libretto (English, Sanskrit and Hindi) by the composer from the Bhagavad Gita and poetry of Kabir
translation by Dr. Ramananda Prasad
for Indian vocalist, Tenor, 6 or 8 voice female chorus
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70' 

Slowly She Turned (2010)
for violin and percussion
7'

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