World Premieres & Commissions

In partnership with the Sorel Organization, SongFest has made a substantial contribution to the art song repertoire through its commissioning program that has produced new works for voice and piano by such distinguished composers as William Bolcom, Tom Cipullo, Gabriela Lena Frank, John Harbison, Jennifer Higdon, Libby Larsen and Ben Moore.  Below are listed the works given their world premiere at SongFest in reverse chronological order from 2019 to our founding in 1996. All works were commissioned by SongFest unless otherwise noted. Links to performances are included where possible.

2020 (Rescheduled for 2021)

2020 Sorel Commission
ON TREES
by Sheila Silver
A vocal work for three singers, piano and video projections. The subject  revolves around the veneration of trees as givers of life.  Trees and plants take carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil and make all the food (sugars) that form life – this is the awe inspiring process of photosynthesis which also provides the oxygen we breathe. Through their transpiration (similar to perspiration in animals) trees act as giant air conditioners, cooling the planet. Through the mycorrhizal fungi attached to their roots, trees in a forest communicate with one another. The tree has been used as a symbol of life in many cultures. Ms Silver will explore the living power of trees through selected passages of prose and poems.  Included will be some text from Richard Powers’ recent and powerful Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Overstory.  Videographer John Feldman will collaborate and add video projections. He is an avid wildlife photographer and much acclaimed for his recent film, Symbiotic Earth.

2019

Meri Sakhi Ki Avaaz (My Sister’s Voice)
by Reena Esmail
for piano quintet, soprano and Hindustani singer
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization
Premiered on June 21, 2019 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles
Robin Steitz, soprano • Saili Oak, Hindustani singer • Phillip Matsuura, piano
Maia Jasper, violin I • Joel Pargman, violin II • Joshua Newburger, viola • Yoshika Masuda, cello

Feeling the world as it passes through you
by Martin Hennessy
5 poems of Naomi Shihab Nye for soprano, baritone and piano
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization
Premiered on June 21, 2019 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles
Victoria Browers, soprano • John Tibbetts, baritone • Bronwyn Schuman, piano

2018

Scott Joplin: A Nosegay for Bill Bolcom
by Libby Larsen
Text by Bill Holm
Premiered on May 25, 2018 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles
Ian Walker, baritone • Lucas Wong, piano
Commissioned by SongFest with generous support from the Sorel Organization in honor of William Bolcom
(At 1:58:26 in YouTube live stream)

Six Dirty Limericks for Bill
by Peter Golub
Premiered on May 25, 2018 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles
Erin Keesy, soprano • Peter Golub, piano
(At 2:03:39 in YouTube live stream)

A Catskill Eagle
by James Primosch
Text by Herman Melville
Premiered on May 25, 2018 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles
Kyle Ferrill, baritone • James Primosch, piano
Commissioned by SongFest with generous support from the Sorel Organization in honor of John Harbison
(At 2:10:52 in YouTube live stream)

2017

When the South Wind Sings
by Juliana Hall
Text by Carl Sandburg
Premiered on June 24, 2017 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles
Tabitha Burchett, soprano • Riley McKinch, piano
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization

2016

Love's Call
by Shulamit Ran
English lyrics by Charles Kondek adapted from the Song of Songs
Premiered on June 17, 2016 in Thayer Hall, the Colburn School, Los Angeles
Alize Rozsnyai, soprano • Dimitri Dover, piano

2015

Shadow Memory
by James Primosch with text by Susan Orlean
Underwritten by SongFest and dedicated to Marcia Brown
Premiered on June 3, 2015 in Thayer Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles by Lisa Williamson, soprano • Rami Sarieddine, piano.

Radiant Depth Unfolded
by Anne LeBaron with text by Rumi
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization
Premiered on June 21, 2015 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles Melanie Henley Heyn, soprano • Jesse Malgieri, baritone • Gloria Kim, piano.

2014

Love Sweet
by Jennifer Higdon with text by Amy Lowell
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization
Premiered on June 18, 2014 in Thayer Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles Yungee Rhie, soprano • Itamar Zorman, violin • Peter Myers, cello • Liza Stepanova, piano.

2013

John and Abigail
by Ben Moore with text by John and Abigail Adams
Underwritten by SongFest and dedicated to Marcia Brown
Premiered on June 28, 2013 in Thayer Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles Devony Smith, soprano • Mario Diaz-Moresco baritone, • Bridget Hough, piano.

Honey (from the Kitchen Songbook) 
by Gabriela Lena Frank with text by Nilo Cruz
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization
Premiered on July 19, 2013 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles by Jessica Rivera, soprano; Kelley O’Connor, mezzo- soprano; and Raquel Gorgojo, piano.

2012

Gettysburg: July 1, 1863
by William Bolcom with text by Jane Kenyon
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization
Premiered on June 20, 2012 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School, Los Angeles by Nathan Wyatt, baritone and Lucas Wong, piano.

2011

Three Love Songs
by Libby Larsen with text by Pablo Neruda
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization
Dedicated to Marcia Brown and Janet Loranger
Premiered on June 19, 2011 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by David McFerrin, baritone and Liza Stepanova, piano.

1. Before Loving You

2. How Many Roads

3. Two Happy Lovers

Donal Oge
by Libby Larsen  text : Anonymous
Underwritten by Sorel Organization
Premiered on June 19, 2011 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Anne Jennifer Nash, soprano and Justin Snyder, piano.

Stone Soup
by Libby Larsen with text by Marcia Brown
Gift from Libby Larsen
Dedicated to Marcia Brown and Janet Loranger
Premiered on June 19, 2011 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Victoria Browers, Hannah Goldshlack, Marie Marquis, sopranos; Leroy Davis, narrator; and Brent Funderburk, piano.

2010

Dear Theo (from the letters of Vincent van Gogh) 
by Ben Moore with text by Vincent Van Gogh
Premiered on June 11, 2010 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Matthew Morris, baritone; Joe Lodato, baritone; and Kathleen Tagg, piano.

The Act
by Lori Laitman with text by H.L. Hix
Commissioned by SongFest and New Triad for Collaborative Arts
Underwritten by the Sorel Organization
Premiered on June 19, 2010 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Andrea Leyton-Mange, soprano; Blaise Pascal, tenor; and Andrew T. Rosenblum, piano.

2009

Insomnia
by Tom Cipullo text by Various
 Co-commissioned by SongFest and I Cantori
Underwritten by SongFest and I Cantori
Dedicated to SongFest and Rosemary Hyler Ritter
Premiered on June 25, 2009 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Elizabeth Bell, Angela Dinkleman, Sarah Parnicky, sopranos; Christin Marie Hill, Jennifer Beattie, mezzo- sopranos; Marcio de Oliveira, Javier Bernardo, tenors; David Krohn, Michael Anthony McGee, baritones; and Jui-Ling Hsu, Seunghah Seo, Liza Stepanova, piano.

1. You’ll Never Sleep Tonight (Cornelius Eady) – Quartet

2. Insomnia (Dana Gioia) – Baritone Solo

3. Storm (Lisel Mueller) – Quartet

4. Prayer (Anonymous) - Soprano and Tenor Duet

5. from The Eve of St. Agnes (John Keats) – Soprano Solo

6. Snoring (Juliet Wilson) – Quartet

7. Music (Howard Moss) – Mezzo and Baritone Duet

8. For the Bed at Kelmscott (William Morris) – Mezzo Solo

9. Insomnia Reprise – Quartet

10. A Clear Midnight (Walt Whitman) – Tenor Solo

2007

Vocalism I (Grand Aria) 
by John Harbison with text by Walt Whitman
Gift from John Harbison
Dedicated to Marc and Eva Stern
Premiered on June 21, 2007 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Sarah Davis, soprano and Susan Gaeddert, piano. 

2005

Vocalism II
by John Harbison with text by Walt Whitman
Gift from John Harbison
Dedicated to Marc and Eva Stern
Premiered on June 5, 2005 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Amanda Gosier, soprano and Rosemary Hyler, piano.

2004

Therefore We Do Not Lose Heart (2003)
by Angel Lam with text from II Corinthians 4:16-18
Premiered on June 14, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University

Song About Law and Light (1996)
by Anna Weesner with text from Psalm 119: 73-77
Commissioned by Dawn Upshaw
Selected movements premiered on June 14, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Ji-Young Yang, soprano and Kate Stevens, piano.

While millions join the theme...(2004)
by Erica Muhl with texts from Children’s Letters to God
Premiered on June 14, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Khori Dastoor, soprano and Serena Chin, piano.

Forever is Composed of Nows (2004)
by Sally Lamb with text by Emily Dickinson
Premiered on June 14, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Ji-Young Yang, soprano and Kate Stevens, piano.

The Artist
by Anna Weesner with text by William Carlos Williams
Underwritten by and dedicated to Marcia Brown
Premiered on June 14, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Sang-Yun Yoon, baritone and Kate Stevens, piano.

Autumn
by Dorothy Chang with text by Rainier Maria Rilke
Dedicated to Marcia Brown
Premiered on June 14, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Carola Emrich-Fisher, soprano and Hisako Hiratsuka, piano.

Songs of Separation (2002)
by Antonio Carlos Defeo text by various
Premiered on June 16, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Teresa D'Amico, soprano; Margaret O'Connell, mezzo- soprano; and Tamara Cashour, piano.

1. When we two parted (Lord Gordon Byron)

2. By this he knew she wept with waking eyes (George Meredith)

3. Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part (Michael Drayton)

Poor soul, the centre of my sinful earth (2004)
by Julia Carey with text by William Shakespeare
Premiered June 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University

Turning to him, who meets me with desire
by Mark Carlson with text from Song of Songs
Premiered on June 20, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Khori Dastoor, soprano; and Monica Swope, piano.

Burning (2004)
by Dorothy Chang with text by William Carlos Williams
Dedicated to Marcia Brown
Premiered on June 16, 2004 in Raitt Recital Hall, Pepperdine University by Carola Emrich-Fisher, mezzo-soprano; and Hisako Hiratsuka, piano.

1. Full Moon

2. The Counter

3. An Address

2002

Arise, My Love
by Richard Hundley with text from Book of Proverbs
Underwritten by SongFest
Dedicated to SongFest and Rosemary Hyler
Premiered on November 2, 2002 in Zipper Hall, The Colburn School by Frances Young, soprano; Janice Felty, mezzo; and Rosemary Hyler, piano.

1996

Spring is purple jewelry
by James Aikman
Commissioned by G. Schirmer - 1995 Young Americans' Art Song Competition
Premiered on July 16, 1996 in Schoenberg Hall, UCLA

If you were coming in the Fall
by Jake Heggie with text by Emily Dickinson
Commissioned by G. Schirmer - 1995 Young Americans' Art Song Competition
Premiered on July 16, 1996 in Schoenberg Hall, UCLA

Canción Tonta
by Jonathan Kulp
Commissioned by G. Schirmer - 1995 Young Americans' Art Song Competition
Premiered on July 16, 1996 in Schoenberg Hall, UCLA

Bedtime
by James Primosch with text by Denise Levertov
Commissioned by G. Schirmer - 1995 Young Americans' Art Song Competition
Premiered on July 16, 1996 in Schoenberg Hall, UCLA

Poem
by Paul Siskind
Commissioned by G. Schirmer - 1995 Young Americans' Art Song Competition
Premiered on July 16, 1996 in Schoenberg Hall, UCLA

Alter? When the hills do
by Anna Weesner with text by Emily Dickinson
Commissioned by G. Schirmer - 1995 Young Americans' Art Song Competition
Premiered on July 16, 1996 in Schoenberg Hall, UCLA

The Rear Guard
by Jeffrey Wood with text by Siegfried Sassoon
Commissioned by G. Schirmer - 1995 Young Americans' Art Song Competition
Premiered on July 16, 1996 in Schoenberg Hall, UCLA