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World Premiere of Alvin Singleton's Argoru IX at the Curtis Institute of Music

Oct. 25, 2024

On October 11, violinist Maya Anjali Buchanan gave the world premiere performance of Alvin Singleton’s Argoru IX for solo violin at Field Concert Hall at the Curtis Institute of Music as part of The Edith L and Robert Prostkoff Memorial Concert Series. Argoru IX was commissioned by the Curtis Institute of Music with the support of the Allen R. & Judy Brick Freedman Venture Fund for Music and is the latest addition to Singleton’s “Argoru” series for solo instruments.

The title "Argoru" comes from the Ghanaian Twi language meaning "to play." Singleton composed this kaleidoscopic series of solo works for eight different instruments over a period of more than thirty years.

Digital scores for selections from Alvin Singleton's Argoru series can be purchased at Project Schott New York (PSNY):

       Argoru I (1970) for solo piano
       Argoru II (1970) for solo cello
       Argoru III (1971) for solo flute
       Argoru IV (1978) for solo viola
       Argoru V/a (1984/rev. 2011) for solo bass clarinet
       Argoru VI (1988) for solo marimba
       Argoru VII (1994) for solo vibraphone
       Argoru VIII (2002) for solo snare drum


Seth Parker Woods plays Argoru II for solo cello (1970)

On October 17, the Ivalas Quartet performed Singleton’s String Quartet No. 3 "Somehow We Can" at the Sugar Hill Museum of Art + Storytelling as part of the Five Boroughs Music Festival (5BMF). In addition, Jonathan Biss will perform Alvin Singleton’s Bed-Stuy Sonata on November 1 at Perelman Theater in Philadelphia, in a concert presented by the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.


To learn more about Alvin Singleton, visit schott-music.com.

Alvin Singleton
Argoru IX (2024)
for violin solo
10'

String Quartet No. 3 "Somehow We Can" (1994)
16'

Bed-Stuy Sonata (2024)
for solo piano
15'

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