MusicAndHistory.com

 

6 January 2011 Bagatelle:  With Swing for orchestra by Gunther Schuller (85) is performed for the first time, in Seattle.

14 January 2011 A Sea of Dreams did Breathe on Me…, a cycle for three voices, chorus and orchestra by Krzysztof Penderecki (77) to words of various writers, is performed for the first time, in Warsaw.

15 January 2011 Will Sound More for 20 players by Wolfgang Rihm (58) is performed for the first time, in the Alte Oper, Frankfurt.

17 January 2011 Psalm 110 for chorus by Ned Rorem (87) is performed for the first time, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York.

20 January 2011 They Were There, a film by Erroll Morris with music by Philip Glass (73) is released in the United States on the internet.

21 January 2011 James Whittaker’s film Rebirth with music by Philip Glass (73) is shown for the first time, at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

27 January 2011 Towards the Blue for clarinet and eight players by Thea Musgrave (82) is performed for the first time, in Wigmore Hall, London.

Snow for soprano, oboe d’amore, and bass viola da gamba by Thea Musgrave (82) to words of Rosenberg is performed for the first time, in Walthamstow, London.

29 January 2011 Milton Byron Babbitt dies in Princeton, New Jersey aged 94 years, eight months, and 19 days.

30 January 2011 Lullaby for violin and piano by John Corigliano (72) is performed for the first time, in the Rubin Museum, New York.

4 February 2011 Lost Vegas for band by Michael Daugherty (56) is performed for the first time, in Hill Auditorium of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

12 February 2011 In the Highest for percussion and strings by John Tavener (67) is performed for the first time, in Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Scotland.

18 February 2011 Laura Sonnets for voice and piano by William Bolcom (72) to words of Angelou, Dickinson, and Kenyon are performed for the first time, at the University of Georgia in Athens.

3 March 2011 Concerto for violin and orchestra by Harrison Birtwistle (76) is performed for the first time, in Symphony Hall, Boston.

9 March 2011 Duo concertante for violin and double bass by Krzysztof Penderecki (77) is performed for the first time, in the Kuppelsaal, Hannover.

18 March 2011 Kommilitonen! (Young Blood!), an opera by Peter Maxwell Davies (76) to words of Pountney, is performed for the first time, at the Royal Academy of Music, London.

19 March 2011 WTC 9/11 for string quartet and tape by Steve Reich (74) is performed for the first time, at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.

25 March 2011 Fantasy on a Cherished Named (In memoriam Andrew Imbrie) for piano by David Del Tredici (74) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.  Andrew Imbrie (†3) was one of the composer’s teachers at the University of California, Berkeley.

29 March 2011 I in U/Eu em Tu, a multimedia exhibit by Laurie Anderson (63), opens a the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil in São Paulo.  It will run through 26 June.  It will attract over 500,000 visitors.

3 April 2011 Dyade for violin and double bass by Wolfgang Rihm (59) is performed for the first time, in Avery Fisher Hall, New York.

7 April 2011 Trio for violin, cello, and piano by Harrison Birtwistle (76) is performed for the first time, in the Schlosstheater, Celle, Germany.

9 April 2011 Silent Voices for 14 players and speaker ad.lib. by Shulamit Ran (61) is performed for the first time, in Tel Aviv Museum.

15 April 2011 Chomsky Suite for string quartet by Tod Machover (57) is performed for the first time, in Kresge Auditorium of MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

8 May 2011 Oboe Quartet by Harrison Birtwistle (76) is performed for the first time, at the Rudolf Steiner Schule, Witten, Germany.

11 May 2011 Passage 5, an intermedia performance by Roger Reynolds (76), is performed for the first time, at the University of California at Los Angeles.

13 May 2011 Stroke for orchestra by Joan Tower (62) is performed for the first time, in Pittsburgh.

14 May 2011 Partita for violin by Philip Glass (74) is performed for the first time, in the Zeeuwse Concertzaal Middelburg, the Netherlands.

30 May 2011 Hadrian’s Villa, Hadrian’s Wall for Northumbrian pipes, piano, and string quartet by Peter Maxwell Davies (76) is performed for the first time, in Bath.

11 June 2011 Pendulum for violin and piano by Philip Glass (74) is performed publicly for the first time, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.  See 15 September 2010.

13 June 2011 Aftermath for soprano and computer by John Melby (69) is performed for the first time, in New York.

20 June 2011 Snapshot Circa 1909 for orchestra by John Corigliano (73) is performed for the first time, at the Queen Sofia Superior School, Santander, Spain.

22 June 2011 Nähe fern 1 for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (59) is performed for the first time, in Lucerne.

26 June 2011 “Conversations” from Two Controversies and a Conversation for piano, percussion and chamber orchestra by Elliott Carter (102) is performed for the first time, at Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh.

27 June 2011 Violoncello totale for cello by Krzysztof Penderecki (77) is performed for the first time, at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Bolshoy Hall of Moscow Conservatory.

9 July 2011 Eine Strasse, Lucile for soprano and orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (59) to words of Büchner is performed for the first time, in Karlsruhe.

Marian Tropes for string quartet by Charles Wuorinen (73) is performed for the first time, in Portland, Oregon.  Also premiered is Finale, Presto for string quartet by John Harbison ().

13 July 2011 Passage 6, an intermedia performance by Roger Reynolds (76), is performed for the first time, at the University of Missouri, Columbia.

16 July 2011 Fancy on a Bach Air for orchestra by John Corigliano (73) is performed for the first time, in Carmel, California.

22 July 2011 Summa for guitar quartet by Arvo Pärt (75) is performed for the first time, in Cork, Ireland.

3 August 2011 It Happens Like This, a cantata for four voices and twelve instruments by Charles Wuorinen (73) to words of Tate is performed for the first time, in Ozawa Hall of Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts.

4 August 2011 Fifth Concerto for Orchestra op.109 by Robin Holloway (67) is performed for the first time, in Royal Albert Hall, London.

5 August 2011 Black and White Scherzo for orchestra by Philip Glass (74) is performed for the first time, in the Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, California.

6 August 2011 Cabrillo Lullaby for orchestra by John Corigliano (73) is performed for the first time, in Santa Cruz, California.

7 August 2011 Quintet for strings and piano by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (72) is performed for the first time, in La Jolla, California.

26 August 2011 Etude (for Chords and Dynamic Balance) for piano by Charles Wuorinen (73) is performed for the first time, in Bolzano, Italy.

5 September 2011 In Broken Images for chamber orchestra by Harrison Birtwistle (77) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Dal Verme, Milan.

9 September 2011 Three works by Arvo Pärt (75) recast from earlier incarnations are performed for the first time in the Auditorium of RAI, Turin:  Beatus Petronius for two choruses, eight winds, percussion and strings, Salve Regina for chorus, percussion and strings, and Statuit ei Dominus for two choruses, eight winds, and strings.

10 September 2011 Musica Benevolens for orchestra, chorus, military trumpets and audience participation by Peter Maxwell Davies (77) to anonymous medieval words is performed for the first time, in Royal Albert Hall, London on the last night of the Proms.

11 September 2011 Radio City, a musical fantasy on Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra, for orchestra by Michael Daugherty (57) is performed for the first time, in Turin.

String Quartet no.2 by David Del Tredici (74) is performed for the first time, in South Mountain Concert Hall, Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

15 September 2011 A Reel of Spindrift, Sky for youth orchestra by Peter Maxwell Davies (77) is performed for the first time, in Saad Palace, Erbil, Iraq.  The dedication reads, "For Paul MacAlindin and the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq and dedicated to HRH Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton on the occasion of their marriage"

21 September 2011 Monk for piano by David Del Tredici (74) is performed for the first time, by the composer.

23 September 2011 Symphony by Thomas Pasatieri (65) is performed for the first time, in Lexington, Kentucky.

30 September 2011 One Sweet Morning for mezzo-soprano and orchestra by John Corigliano (73) to words of four different poets is performed for the first time, in New York.  The work commemorates the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.

9 October 2011 Double Concerto for violin, piano, and orchestra by Hans Abrahamsen (58) is performed for the first time, in Copenhagen.

11 October 2011 Double Trio for trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano, violin, and cello by Elliott Carter (102) is performed for the first time, in Salle de concert Bourgie, Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, Montreal.

14 October 2011 “Seraphin” Symphonie for chamber ensemble and orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (59) is performed for the first time, in the Baar-Sporthalle, Donaueschingen.

19 October 2011 Nähe fern 2 for orchestra by Wolfgang Rihm (59) is performed for the first time, in Lucerne.

23 October 2011 Kohelet for string quartet by Osvaldo Golijov (50) is performed for the first time, in Dinkelspiel Auditorium of Stanford University.

25 October 2011 Will Sound More Again for chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Rihm (59) is performed for the first time, in the Casa de Musica, Porto.

28 October 2011 Shadows for piano and orchestra by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (72) is performed for the first time, in Talbot Hall of Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, Louisiana.

29 October 2011 Der Mahler träumt for solo voice and chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Rihm (59) to words of Beckman is performed for the first time, in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam.

1 November 2011 Stormwatch, Stormfall for horn trio by Peter Maxwell Davies (77) is performed for the first time, in the Phillip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria, British Columbia.

2 November 2011 The Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur is presented to Arvo Pärt (76) by Minister of Culture Feédérick Mitterand in Paris.

4 November 2011 Big Spinoff for 18 players by Charles Wuorinen (73) is performed for the first time, at Oberlin Conservatory, in Oberlin, Ohio.

5 November 2011 A Bridge for Marc for piano by Ned Rorem (88) is performed for the first time, at the Tenri Cultural Institute, New York.

6 November 2011 The two Herrick’s Anthems by David Del Tredici (74) to words of Herrick are performed for the first time, at the Church of the Incarnation, New York: 1.  Divination by a Daffadill for soprano, organ, and chorus, and 2.  To His Sweet Saviour for chorus.

8 November 2011 Spring Two for orchestra by Christian Wolff () is performed for the first time, in Basel.

9 November 2011 Trije glasbeniki for flute, bass clarinet, and harp by Elliott Carter (102) is performed for the first time, in Marjana Kozina Hall, Ljubljana.

11 November 2011 Concerto no.2 for percussion, timpani, and orchestra by Joseph Schwantner () is performed for the first time, in Hilbert Circle Theatre, Indianapolis.

16 November 2011 Gold on Bronze for orchestra by Robin Holloway (68) is performed for the first time, in Cadogan Hall, London.

18 November 2011 Retracing III for trumpet by Elliott Carter (102) is performed for the first time, in Marjana Kozina Hall, Ljubljana.

4 December 2011 Adagio for piano by Charles Wuorinen (73) is performed for the first time, in Rockport, Massachusetts.

8 December 2011 Two works by Elliott Carter (102) are performed for the first time, at the 92^nd Street Y, New York:  String Trio and A Sunbeam’s Architecture, a cycle for tenor and chamber orchestra to words of cummings.

10 December 2011 Concierto Argentino for piano and orchestra by Alberto Ginastera () is performed for the first time, in Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 70 years after it was composed.

12 December 2011 Three Explorations for solo voice, winds, and brass by Elliott Carter (103) to words of Eliot is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York.

©2004-2012 Paul Scharfenberger

27 January 2012