Work of the week

Very rarely do audiences come across new classical works that allows the soloist to improvise on the spot. Gavin Bryars has specifically written notation for keyboardist, Mahan Esfahani (pictured), to play freely beyond the page as he performs the world premiere of Bryars’ Harpsichord Concerto with Andrew Manze and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on 23 March 2023.

The question is not “to be or not to be”, but “who would you like to be”? In his opera, Achill unter den Mädchen, Wolfgang-Andreas Schultz raises questions about gender identity and role models. On 17 March 2023, The Munich Radio Orchestra, under the direction of Oliver Tardy, will take on the first night of this production by Franziska Severin featuring soloists from the August Everding Theatre Academy at Munich’s Prinzregententheater.

Forever embracing emotions as life’s universal language, in Sebastian Hilli’s new work, Honeymoon, for solo trumpet and ensemble, both love and longing unite within the solo voice. On 11 March 2023, the composer himself will conduct the Uusinta Ensemble as they take on the piece’s world premiere at the Musiikitalo Helsinki featuring Tomas Gricius on trumpet.

With Toshio Hosokawa’s new violin concerto Prayer, the composer reflects on the passing of modern events and their overall influence on the life of the soul. The piece is dedicated to world renowned soloist Daishin Kashimoto who will perform it for the first time on 02 March 2023 with the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of Paavo Järvi at the Philharmonie Berlin.

It’s a new year and Mary Finsterer has delivered us with a new cycle of works! On February 24, 2023, her orchestral piece, Mysterium I, will receive its world premiere by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jamie Martín.

Inspired by the first science fiction film ever made, on 18 February 2023, Andrew Norman’s new arrangement of A Trip to the Moon will excitingly receive its world premiere at the Hamburg State Opera. Now written with German libretto and orchestrated for chamber ensemble, this debut will be conducted by Luiz de Godoy along with imaginative staging by Stephan Witzlinger for the Opera Stabile venue.

On 7 February 2023 under the direction of Paolo Bortolameolli, the LA Phil New Music Group will perform the world premiere of Katherine Balch’s new composition for sixteen instruments, all around the sea blazed gold, at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles.

Audiences can expect a true revelation at the upcoming world premiere of Sebastian Hilli's orchestral work, Miracle. Hilli’s new work bursts with surprising and unconventional ideas and will be boldly taken under the direction of Ryan Bancroft and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra as they embark on the composition’s first live performance on February 1st, 2023 at the Konserthuset Stockholm.

This month marks the 120th anniversary of the death of composer Augusta Holmès. In celebration of her memory, the Chelsea Symphony, conducted by Miguel Campos Neto, will perform her symphony Roland Furieux at the Menna Center for Classical Music in New York City on January 20th, 2023.

On 18 December 2022, a new production of Ludger Vollmer's "Road Opera" Tschick will celebrate its opening at the Vienna State Opera whilst simultaneously marking the Austrian premiere.