"Ceremonies" at the International Wind Band Contest "City of Valencia"

Ellen’s Ceremonies was the compulsory work for Division I of the International Wind Band Contest “City of Valencia” that took place in July.

As they describe it, “For more than 130 years, the International Wind Band Contest ‘City of Valencia’ has helped to promote wind band music all over the world, as well as celebrating the most renowned Valencian musicians and prestigious composers. The dreamers of the late nineteenth century who suggested holding a "Music Contest" in Valencia could not have imagined that the Contest would become the most important music event for wind bands in the world, in which ensembles from the five continents take part every year. A Contest that strives year after year to continue to be a cultural reference point in the music world.”

Gramophone Praise for BMOP/sound Zwilich disc

“Throughout a long and fertile career, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich has created works rich in character and emotion, and marked by impeccable craftsmanship. Those qualities are in healthy supply on this Boston Modern Orchestra Project recording of four Zwilich scores from the past quarter‑century. They demonstrate how deftly the American composer draws musicians, and their listeners, into narratives of immediate interest.”

So begins the Gramophone review of BMOP/sound Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Symphony No. 5 all-Zwilich recording.

You can read the full review here.

Rave review for BMOP/sound All-Zwilich disc

“How do you characterise a recording that is glorious in aspects both musical and non-musical?” So begins a rave review of the BMOP/sound all-Zwilich release by World Music Report. “You could begin almost anywhere. However, how about with the extraordinary Ellen Taaffe Zwilich [b. 1939] and the fact that while she wears her prodigious gift lightly – but she dispenses it most generously.”

After discussing each of the works on the recording - Upbeat (1999); Concerto Elegia (2015) with flute soloist Sarah Brady; Commedia dell’Arte (2012) with violin soloist Gabriela Diaz; and Symphony No. 5 (Concerto for Orchestra) (2008) - and praising the soloists, the review concludes: “All of these works have been premiered before, but somehow they all feel just as ‘right’ as performed by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project under the baton of the inimitable Gil Rose. Just as the soloists in Concerto Elegia… and Commedia Delle’Arte… have brilliantly internalised Ms Zwilich’s music, so also does Mr Rose, who directs his performers to marry virtuoso skills with new inspiration. The result is an extraordinary recording that does absolute justice to the Boston Modern Orchestra Project’s mandate: “…to explore the evolution of the music formerly known as classical… [offering along with] classics of the 20th century…music of today’s most influential and innovative composers. It’s hard not to feel that this recording is, somehow, the apogee of that mandate.”

Read the full review here.

72nd Annual BMI Composer Awards Announced, including winner of the Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award

BMI Announcement:

BMI Foundation, Inc. and BMI celebrated the recipients of the 72nd annual BMI Composer Awards on May 13, 2024, at Chelsea Table and Stage in New York City. During the private ceremony, BMI Foundation President and BMI Executive Director of Classical Deirdre Chadwick and renowned composer and Chair of the Composer Awards Ellen Taaffe Zwilich presented the awards to seven emerging composers for excellence in composition. The 2024 award winners included:

• Arjan Singh Dogra – age 24, student of Christopher Cerrone

• John William Griffith II – age 26, student of Alison Kay

• Luke Haaksma – age 26, student of Katherine Balch

• Ennis Suavengco Harris – age 25, student of Vince Mendoza

• Paul Novak – Recipient of the Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award for most outstanding score – age 25, student of Augusta Read Thomas

• Sofia Jen Ouyang – age 22, student of Amy Beth Kirsten and Andrew Norman

• Ziyi Tao – Recipient of the Carlos Surinach Award for the youngest winner of the competition – 21, student of Andrew Norman

Read the full announcement here.

L-R: John William Griffith II; Luke Haaksma; Paul Novak (Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award); Sofia Jen Ouyang; Arjan Singh Dogra; Ziyi Tao (Carlos Surinach Award); President of the BMI Foundation Deirdre Chadwick; Chair of the Composer Awards Ellen Taaffe Zwilich; President and Chief Executive Officer of BMI Mike O’Neill; Ennis Suavengco Harris; Director of Finance and Administration of the BMI Foundation Susan Bywaters. Photo by Ezekiel Duncan for BMI

Many of Ellen's works published by Presser now available as printable pdf files

The Theodore Presser website now sells regular printable PDF's for many publications, including those chamber and recital works that some retailers don't carry as advance stock on hand. That's in addition to having everything in print in hard copy, and the "App Specific" options to download directly into forScore or Newzik apps. 

 Ellen’s works that are available digitally are indicated as “Digital Available” here: https://www.presser.com/ellen-taaffe-zwilich

Ellen's Quintet for Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, and Piano on "ela," a new disc by the concordia chamber players

Ellen’s Quintet for Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, and Piano is one of three works on a new disc by the Concordia Chamber Players titled ela - for Ellen, Louise (Farrenc), and Amy (Beach), the three composers whose works are featured. See the recording page here.

The ensemble says, “We are thrilled to share an inspired project of Concordia Chamber Players with these 3 remarkable female composers: Ellen Zwilich, Louise Farrenc and Amy Beach taking center stage. We call it simply “ela” for Ellen, Louise and Amy.

“Produced by Judith Sherman (Grammy Award winner 2022, 2023) and engineered by Leslie Ann Jones (Grammy Award winner 2020, 2021, 2022). Recorded at Skywalker Studios.

“Performed by Concordia Chamber Players artists — John Novacek on piano, Miho Saegusa on violin, Ayane Kozasa on viola, Michelle Djokic on cello, and Anthony Manzo on bass.”

Track list:
Quintet No. 1, Op. 30 – Louise Farrenc
Trio, Op. 150 – Amy Beach
Quintet – Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Turns 85 on April 30, 2024, and Boston Modern Orchestra Project Releases All-Zwilich Disc

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in music, the very first holder of the Carnegie Hall Composer’s Chair, and a woman who helped blaze a trail in a world that seems only recently to have become truly equal-opportunity, turns 85 on April 30, 2024. Read the press release here.

On April 9, BMOP/sound releases Ellen Taaffe Zwilich: Symphony No. 5, a recording by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project of Zwilich’s Upbeat (1999); Concerto Elegia (2015) with flute soloist Sarah Brady; Commedia dell’Arte (2012) with violin soloist Gabriela Diaz; and Symphony No. 5 (Concerto for Orchestra) (2008).

As BMOP notes: “Ellen Taaffe Zwilich may have found inspiration through introspection, but her music is anything but introverted. Concerto Elegia and Commedia dell'Arte unpack disparate themes—mourning a loss and the joy of theater—each within the framework of the concerto, exhibiting Zwilich's creativity and imagination in addition to her compositional prowess. While the concerti are naturally inviting, as if to allow you to partake in an intimate discussion, Symphony No. 5 grabs one's attention by introducing its own unmatched scale and grandeur. The listening experience pivots from a conversation to a Socratic debate, where a plurality of ideas shape a prevailing vision among its participants.”

See the recording on the BMOP website here.

Ellen's "Orchestral Excursions" Receives World Premiere Performance by the Palm Beach Symphony

On February 5, the Palm Beach Symphony led by Music Director Gerard Schwarz performed the world premiere of Ellen’s Orchestral Excursions, a work inspired by the artwork of Gilbert Maurer and commissioned by Bonnie McElveen-Hunter. On January 25, Ellen participated in a panel discussion with Gil Maurer, Gerry Schwarz, and Palm Beach Symphony Director of Artistic Operations Olga Vazquez, and on the day of the premiere she attended a luncheon hosted by former U.S. ambassador to Finland McElveen-Hunter.

After the premiere, Schwarz invited Ellen to the stage to acknowledge a standing ovation. The South Florida Classical Review described the work as “a series of mini-tone poems that were accessible, melodic, brightly orchestrated and atmospheric.” Read the full review here.

Olga Vazquez, Gilbert Maurer, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Gerard Schwarz at Norton Museum of Art, January 25, 2024. Photo courtesy Palm Beach Symphony

Gilbert Maurer, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and Bonnie McElveen-Hunter at the February 5 luncheon. Photo by Capeheart Photography

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich and Gerard Schwarz at the luncheon, with Jody Schwarz in the foreground. Photo by Capeheart Photography

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich acknowledging the standing ovation at the Kravis Center, Feb. 5, 2024. Photo by IndieHouse Films

New York Philharmonic Ensembles Performs Ellen's Quintet

Members of the New York Philharmonic performed Ellen’s Quintet for Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass and Piano at Merkin Concert Hall on February 4 - here they are backstage afterwards: Qiang Tu, cello; Jean Schneider, piano; Timothy Cobb, bass; Audrey Wright, violin; and Peter Kenote, viola.

Watch the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performance of Ellen's "Abgang & Kaddish"

The New York premiere performance of Ellen’s Abgang and Kaddish, by Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, David Shifrin, and Shai Wosner on April 2, 2023, is available to view online; click here: video link

Ellen's April 2023 Library of Congress interview is online

When the recording of Ellen’s Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra performed by David Shifrin and the Northwest Chamber Orchestra was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in April, the LoC conducted an interview with Ellen about the piece, and the text is online at the Library of Congress website. You can read it here.

WATCH ELLEN'S DOUBLE QUARTET PERFORMED AT RAVINIA FESTIVAL 2023

At the 2024 Ravinia Festival, the RSMI Piano & Strings fellows presented “Celebrating Women in Chamber Music,” a program that featured Ellen’s Double Quartet for Strings (1984).

You can watch the concert here on The Violin Channel - the Double Quartet begins at the 1:15:00 mark.

BMI Composer Awards, and inaugural Ellen Taaffe Zwilich award, Announced for 2023

Following is BMI’s announcement of its 71st annual BMI Composer Awards, which were chaired by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

Also announced was the inaugural Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award, “introduced in recognition of the dedication and vision of the longtime chair of t he BMI Composer Awards.”

BMI and the BMI Foundation celebrated the honorees of the 71st annual BMI Composer Awards at a private ceremony held on May 15th at Chelsea Table and Stage in New York City. BMI Foundation President and BMI Executive Director of Classical Deirdre Chadwick, renowned composer and Chair of the Composer Awards Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and BMI Senior Vice President of Licensing David Levin presented the awards to six emerging composers for excellence in composition.

The BMI Composer Awards recognizes superior ability in music composition with annual awards totaling $20,000. This year, over 500 applications were submitted to the competition from young composers around the world, and all works were judged anonymously. BMI, in collaboration with the BMI Foundation, has awarded over 600 grants to young composers throughout the history of the competition.

“It’s such a privilege for all of us at BMI and the BMI Foundation to help discover the next generation of compositional talent,” said Chadwick. “This accolade is bigger than the award or the event tonight; it lets them know they are on their way, and that we are all excited to hear what comes next.”

This year, the inaugural Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award was introduced in recognition of the dedication and vision of the longtime chair of the BMI Composer Awards. This distinct honor, formerly known as the William Schuman Award after the renowned American composer and founder of the Awards, was presented to 21-year-old Maxwell Lu, student of Andrew Norman at The Juilliard School, for having the most outstanding score. Lu also received the Carlos Surinach Award for being the youngest winner.

In addition to Lu, the 2023 award winners included the outstanding composers below:

• Christian-Frédéric Bloquert – age 26, student of Richard Carrick, Andrew List, and Matthias Pintscher

• Christopher John Michael Enloe – age 26, student of Kevin Puts at Peabody Conservatory

• Seare Ahmad Farhat – age 26, student of Elizabeth Ogonek at Cornell University

• Natasha Frank – age 25, student of Daria Novo at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Nick Kenworthy-Browne

• Sofia Jen Ouyang – age 21, student of Andrew Norman at The Juilliard School

Honorable mention went to Charlie Zhong, a 16-year-old student of Tak-Cheung Hui and David Hodgkins at the Commonwealth School in Boston.

The evening also featured a performance of “Sadie’s Song” for flute and electronics by Ábel M.G.E., which was an award-winning score from BMI’s 2022 competition. Julianna Eidle of Cincinnati New Music Ensemble and Thrive Hip Hop Orchestra performed the work.

Preliminary judges for the awards included David Schober, Trevor Weston, and Alyssa Weinberg; final judges were George Lewis, Kevin Puts, and Elena Ruehr.

Click here to read more.

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra Recording Inducted into the National Recording Registry

A 2012 Delos recording of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra performed by David Shifrin and the Northwest Chamber Orchestra has been inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. Others among the 25 recordings included in the class of 2023 are “The Very First Mariachi Recordings,” “St. Louis Blues” by Handy’s Memphis Blues Band, Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” and John Lennon’s “Imagine.” This year’s selections, announced on April 12, bring the number of titles on the registry to 625, a small portion of the national library’s vast recorded sound collection of nearly four million items.

As the Library of Congress announcement describes: “Composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich had already written the first movement of this work when the terrorist attacks of 9/11 took place. Clarinetist David Shifrin leads the Northwest Chamber Orchestra on this live recording made in Portland, Oregon, in 2004. He and several members of the ensemble had performed its premiere a year earlier, and their feeling for it comes through in the buoyancy of the first movement, suggesting the hustle and bustle of a normal working day in New York City, and in the violence, anger and sorrow of the rest of the day expressed in the subsequent movements. The 2012 CD release of this performance, and its enduring impact and reputation, are singular for a 21st century classical recording.”

Read the Library of Congress announcement here.

Listen to Zwilich’s Concerto for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra on YouTube here.

Abgang and Kaddish recives New York Premiere at Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

Abgang and Kaddish for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano had its New York premiere performance on Sunday, April 2, on a Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center program titled “Celebrating Joseph Kalichstein and the KLR Trio.” David Shifrin, Jaime Laredo, Sharon Robinson, and Shai Wosner performed the work.

The program was originally to have featured the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, longtime friends and collaborators of Ellen’s. Joseph Kalichstein passed away in 2022.

Ellen’s program note for the piece said, “My first movement, Abgang, is based on two musical fragments. It begins with a quote of a Hebraic melody that Viktor Ullmann used as a basis for variations in his Piano Sonata No. 7 that he was working on while in Theresienstadt. Next is a short quote of a fox trot that was arranged by a composer (only identified by his prisoner-number) for performance in Auschwitz. What follows is a purely musical, but deeply personal exploration.

“After finishing the movement I felt it necessary to add a second movement, Kaddish, which is a prayer recited in mourning, without a single mention of death, but celebrating God, peace, and life. The Kaddish appears in the score and parts in an English translation (along with some Aramaic). It is not meant to be spoken or sung, but to guide the performers in giving meaning to the musical phrases.”

A video of the concert is available here for purchase until April 28, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET. Once purchased, the event will remain on demand until May 5, 2023, at 11:59 AM ET.

Ellen talks about her Symphony No. 1 with Melisse Brunet of the Lexington Philharmonic

The Lexington Philharmonic performs Ellen’s Symphony No. 1 on February 18, 2023, on a program dubbed “Continuous Variation, [which] derives its name from a technique used by composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich in her Symphony No. 1, a work which demonstrates the potential of a handful of ideas to develop into new material.”

The Lexington Philharmonic Music Director, Melisse Brunet, conducted a wide-ranging interview with Ellen; see it on the orchestra’s YouTube channel here.

Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble World Premiere by the U.S. Navy Band

The United States Navy Band gave the world premiere performance of Ellen’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble with soloist Dana Booher on January 13, 2023, at the 43rd International Saxophone Symphosium.

See the performance here.

Ellen is honored with a 2023 Composers Now Visionary Award

The Composers Now Visionary Award recognizes members of the arts community who, through their own creative practice and advocacy for others, have made a profound, positive and lasting impact in our culture. The 2023 Composers Now Visionary Awards were presented to Adolphus Hailstork and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

Read about the 2023 Composers Now Festival here.

More praise for Delos Zwilich disc

Praise continues to roll in for the Delos recording of Ellen’s music. MusicWeb International’s review calls the Cello Concerto “exceptionally enjoyable, rich in diverse moods, glorious melodies, and catchy rhythms,” saying of the entire disc, “performances by soloists and orchestra are all one could wish for, and the sound quality is good.” The critic, David Barker, concludes by saying, “The Australian composer Graeme Koehne, whose music I love, has said that ‘music which does not set out to entertain often ends up being boring’. He clearly has a soulmate in Ellen Taaffe Zwilich. On the basis of this excellent recording, I will be seeking out more of her music.”

You can read the entire review here.

Kevin Filipski writes in The Flip Side, “Ellen Taaffe Zwilich writes music of bountiful imagination, and this disc of several orchestral works cements her reputation as among our very best contemporary composers.” Read the review here. And Phil’s Reviews for the Atlanta Audio Club says, “In the works heard on this album she reveals her mastery of all the elements that make for great music, including color, form, texture, and movement.” Read the review here.

For the tenth anniversary of the Sandy Hook mass shooting - this video of "Memorial"

On the tenth anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, this performance of Ellen’s work “Memorial (for the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre)" by the New York Virtuoso Singers led by Harold Rosenbaum. For the victims.

Watch the video here.