# Contemporary living performers commissioning/inspiring new works



## Guest (Feb 13, 2019)

In order to show the vitality of contemporary music I would like to start a new thread discussing the performers and the works that are created because of the intervention of performers, as Rostropovich did so well in the past; to kickstart the discussion please find a list of performers who have been active.
Orchestras and conductors should not be part of these performers, as the focus is on individual initiative.
Contemporary classical music performers commissioning/inspiring new works

String Quartets
-Arditti QT:Stockhausen Xenakis, Birtwistle, Dusapin, Ferneyhough, Gubaidulina
-Kronos QT: Reich, Glass, Riley, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh
-Jack QT: E.Sharp, J.L.Adams, Ferneyhough, G.F.Haas, Lachenmann, Pintscher
-Del Sol QT: M.Bates, M.Fairouz, Sculthorpe, Norgard
-Brooklyn Rider : Glass, J.Adams, C.Shaw
-Jasper SQ: Auerbach, Nishimura, J.Tower Kernis, D.Lang, Missy Mazzoli
-St Lawrence QT: Golijov
-The Calder QT: Ades, Saariaho
-The Ying QT: Auerbach, Childs, Lieberman, Currier, Novacek

Sextet
-Eighth Blackbird: Reich, D.Lang, Schwantner, Higdon, Muhly

Violin
-G.Kremer: Schnittke, Gubaidulina, Pärt, Silvestrov, Desyatnikov
-Mutter: Penderecki, Rihm ,Currier, Gubaidulina
-H.Hahn: Various for Miniatures Project, Higdon
-Kopatchinskaya: Hersch
-Josefowicz: Salonen, C.Matthews, Francesconi
-R.Capuçon: Rihm, Dusapin, Mantovani, Connesson
-J.Jansenubugnon
-T.Waley-Cohen:Knussen, H.Watkins
-J.Koh: Saariaho, Glass, A.R.Thomas
-J.Ehnes: J.N.Howard, Kernis, B.Tovey
-M.Cuckson: G.F.Haas, Eckardt
-C.Widmann: Boulez, Tuur, Rihm, Sciarrino, Saunders
-A.A.Meyers: Rautavaara, Corigliano, Glass, Part, Lauridsen, M.Bates, Schwantner
-R.Mints: Tabakova, Desyatnikov, R.Bennett, Finnissy

Viola
-K.Kashkashian: Mansurian, Pärt, Penderecki, Kurtag, Gubaidulina, Kancheli
-Rysanov: Tabakova, Akhunov, Vasks
-G.Knox: D.Lang, B.Olivero, Zorn, G.F.Haas
-T.Zimmermann: Ligeti, Holliger, Rihm, Mantovani, Poppe

Cello:
-M.Beiser: Tan Dun, B.Eno, Glass, Golijov, Reich, D.Lang, L.Andriessen, J.Wolfe
-N.Clein: T.Larcher
-Queyras: Kurtag, T.Larcher
-S.Gabetta : Van der Aa, Vasks
-Haimovitz: Glass, Sanford, Iyer
-A.Weilerstein: Dusapin, Pintscher, Auerbach
-Isserlis: Vine Rihm, Tavener
-Geringas: Schnittke, Gubaidulina, Penderecki, Vasks, Tuur, Rorem
-Demarquette: Hersant, Escaich, Tanguy

Piano :
-Andsnes: Sorensen, Dalbavie
-M.Formenti: Sciarrino, Kurtag, Lachenmann, G.F.Haas, B.Furrer
-J.Lin: E.Sharp, U.Chin, Glass, Kampela, S.Gervasoni
-B.Levingston: Glass, T. Andres, M.Fairouz, Zhou Long, Manoury, Rihm, Chen Yi, Currier
-P.L.Aimard: Birtwistle, Ligeti
-C.Hammond: Hesketh, D.Matthews, R.Panufnik
-S.Dinnerstein: Glass, Lasser
-H.Grimaud: Pärt
-N.Hodges: Dusapin, Ades, Carter, Rihm, Sciarrino, Saunders
-I.Pace: Finnissy, Ferneyhough, Rzewski
-U.Oppens: Carter, Bolcom, Corigliano, Nancarrow J.Tower
-L.Moore: Xenakis, Carter, Rzewski, Monk, Missy Mazzoli, J.L.Adams
-S.Hough: Liebermann, Tsontakis, Corigliano

Clarinet:
-J.Widmann: Rihm, Reimann

English Horn:
-Th.Stacy: Vasks, Rorem, Perichetti

Harp:
-Kondonassis: B.Sheng, Higdon, Liebermann

Flute:
E.Pahud: Dalbavie, M.Jarrell, Carter, Pintscher, L.Lombardi

Trombone
-C.Lindberg: Berio, Schnittke, Xenakis

Percussion
-E.Glennie: Corigliano, Yi Chen, D.Lang, J.Wolfe, B.Sheng, Tsontakis, J.MacMillan
-Third Coast Percussion Quartet: A.R.Thomas, Glass, T.Andres, Kotche, David T.Little

Trumpet:
-Hardenberger: Birtwistle, Henze, Neuwirth, Pärt, Turnage
-Balsom: B.Tovey, Qigang Chen, J.MacMillan

Oboe
-N.Daniel: Birtwistle Dutilleux, J.MacMillan, Tavener
-I.Shafer : M.Fairouz

Chamber Music Ensembles
-Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson trio : Pärt, D.Ludwig, Rorem, J.Tower, Taaffe Zwilich
-Ensemble Accroche-Note: Dusapin, Posadas, Manoury, Mantovani
-Elision Ensemble : R.Barrett, Ferneyhough, J.Dillon, Finnissy, Liza Lim

Collective
-Bang on a Can : D.Lang, J.Wolfe, M.Gordon

Vocal Ensembles
-The Theatre of Voices : Pärt, D.Lang, M.Gordon
-Chanticleer: M.Bates, Muhly, A.R.Thomas
-Roomful of Teeth: M.Garbus, Missy Mazzoli, J.Wolfe


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Also on clarinet, Kari Krikku, Martin Frost.


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2019)

dear starthrower, i am a fan of both clarinet players but have not found examples of active collaborations with composers. hope you can tell us more.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

On guitar: Julian Bream, Magnus Andersson, Aleph Gitarrenquartett ++


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Kari Kriikku has recorded the Magnus Lindberg clarinet concerto. Martin Frost has recorded the Aho concerto.


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2019)

dear starthrower, you are dead right and lindberg dedicated the concerto to kriikku. Frost has a long association with aho.hopefully you or other members can discuss the merits of these concertos and compare them to nielsen's concerto for example.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I happen to think the Lindberg concerto is phenomenal. That's my favorite piece of his. Kriikku has also recorded Saariaho's concerto, which is a beautiful work. There's an excellent live performance on YouTube conducted by Salonen.

It's been quite a while since I listened to Aho's concerto. He's a solid, prolific composer but I haven't heard anything that really knocks me out.


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

marc bollansee said:


> i am a fan of both clarinet players but have not found examples of active collaborations with composers. hope you can tell us more.


Robert Spring began commissioning works for the clarinet in the late 1980s, greatly adding to the body of contemporary literature for the instrument. Composers who have written works for him include Michael Albaugh (unaccompanied clarinet), Walter Aschaffenburg (clarinet and piano), James M.David (Concerto for Clarinet), James DeMars (duo concerto for clarinet, piano, and band), Roshanne Etezady (several works), Stacy Garrop (Five Miniatures for Chamber Ensemble), Norbert Goddaer (several pieces), Glenn Hackbarth (several works), Theresa Martin (several works), and many more.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Martin Fröst's collaboration with composer Jesper Nordin:
https://www.euronews.com/2018/06/28/breaking-musical-boundaries-martin-frost-s-daring-journey

"In _Emerge_ me and Martin have been trying to find the future of music, blend technology through my technology gestrument - gesture - instrument where you can play on a virtual orchestra while playing on his clarinet and conducting the live orchestra and to find new ways of expression," says Nordin.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Don't forget vocalists! At the top of any such list would be Barbara Hannigan.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Pierre-Laurent Aimard has collaborated with Boulez, Kurtág, Messiaen, Benjamin and Carter as well as the ones named in the OP (Ligeti and Birtwistle). According to https://www.harrisonparrott.com/artists/pierre-laurent-aimard these and others have "written music especially for him, some in lifelong collaborations".


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2019)

dear enthusiast, that is why there is a special place in my heart for pierre-laurent who has contributed so much to ccm (contemporary classical); in the thread i have mentioned "inspired" in order not to neglect the lifelong relationships that have ultimately made the difference


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2019)

becca, you have nailed one of the instruments (a voice is also an instrument) missing in my sketchy framework; jacck has rightfully added some guitar virtuosos; barbara hannigan is one of our treasures and has worked closely with several outstanding composers (abrahamsen, van der aa, cerha, barry, ligeti, andriessen); diane upshaw is another wonderful soprano (dutilleux, golijov, harbison, salonen, J.adams, saariaho); i have trouble finding male voices who really contributed to ccm, but christopher purves the baritone certainly deserves a mention for his work with macmillan and benjamin


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

marc bollansee said:


> diane upshaw is another wonderful soprano (dutilleux, golijov, harbison, salonen, J.adams, saariaho)


Dawn Upshaw. I love her work.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

marc bollansee said:


> dear enthusiast, that is why there is a special place in my heart for pierre-laurent who has contributed so much to ccm (contemporary classical); in the thread i have mentioned "inspired" in order not to neglect the lifelong relationships that have ultimately made the difference


Yes he is exceptional! His accounts of older repertoire (Bach, Beethoven) are second to none but he gives so much of his time to the new and he plays it so exceptionally well.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

marc bollansee said:


> becca, you have nailed one of the instruments (a voice is also an instrument) missing in my sketchy framework; jacck has rightfully added some guitar virtuosos; barbara hannigan is one of our treasures and has worked closely with several outstanding composers (abrahamsen, van der aa, cerha, barry, ligeti, andriessen); diane upshaw is another wonderful soprano (dutilleux, golijov, harbison, salonen, J.adams, saariaho); i have trouble finding male voices who really contributed to ccm, but christopher purves the baritone certainly deserves a mention for his work with macmillan and benjamin


Barbara Hannigan is marvellous and has such a great range. Don't forget _her _work with the great George Benjamin.


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

R. Andrew Lee's paino playing is stoic with great clarity. Composers who wrote works for him are Jürg Frey (pianist, alone no. 2), Eva-Maria Houben, Adrian Knight, Paul A. Epstein, Nat Evans, Brent Fariss, Scott Unrein, Michael Vincent Waller.
http://randrewlee.com/repertoire


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Jean-Guihen Queyras is also known as a collaborator with Boulez, Eotvos and Mantovani - in addition to Kurtag and Larcher, as mentioned in the OP. I don't know if exceptional soloists are drawn to new music or if experience with new music enriches a soloist's ability across the repertoire but it sometimes seems to me that many of the really great and special performers take a very active interest in the new.


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## Guest (Feb 16, 2019)

yes, the greatest performers are drawn to new experiences, they love to interact with the best contemporary composers; that is also why i mentioned rostropovich who on his own created a new repertoire for the cello; all the performers i have mentioned are among the best in their field and take a great interest in contemporary music; basically they validate the great contemporary composers, like rostropovich did with shostakovich etc..; gabetta and kopatchinskaja play dusapin now (double concerto) as an example; i have 160 great contemporary composers in my files; now my op is just a rough sketch and is meant to be completed by the members; it is also focused on soloists; on the other hand there is incredible commissioning by the state and the regions in germany, france and the us for orchestral works; that would be a topic for a next thread; in order to reply to yr query queyras did not commission a work or inspire a work to boulez, but did some concerts with him; queyras recorded mantovani's cello concerto and i am sure they did interact because they are of the same generation, but i do not know to what extent so i did not mention it; if you look at the cello gabetta and queyras are among the world top ones who increasingly include contemporary pieces in their repertoire; this is the point i wanted to make in my thread; alonso has a great thread on contemporary pieces since 2010; have a look at them; most of his selection is great; tc is moving ahead in the contemporary field; let us be enthusiastic and positive


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## Guest (Feb 16, 2019)

dear tortkis, 
R.Andrew lee must be the real deal; he also plays gibson's the four pillars, doesn't he?
jürg frey also sounds good; i must check out the others; but thks for your great contribution


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

marc bollansee said:


> dear tortkis,
> R.Andrew lee must be the real deal; he also plays gibson's the four pillars, doesn't he?
> jürg frey also sounds good; i must check out the others; but thks for your great contribution


Yes, he recorded Gibson's The Four Pillars... His other Irritable Hedgehog releases are very good, too.



marc bollansee said:


> -Kopatchinskaya: Hersch


Violin Concerto is an impressive work, which reminded me of early Penderecki. Kopatchinskaja plays passionately.



> -L.Moore: Xenakis, Carter, Rzewski, Monk, Missy Mazzoli, J.L.Adams


Lisa Moore also commissioned Michael Gordon's unusual piano piece, Sonatra. Vicky Chow recorded the work on Cantaloupe. This is Moore's live performance version.

Here is a long list of works composed for Sarah Cahill, another excellent pianist who is making great contributions to contemporary music. (Byron, Dresher, Fujieda, Gann, Leach, Marshall, Oliveros, Polansky, Riley, Rzewski, Stone, Tyranny, Wolfe, ...)
http://sarahcahill.com/compositions-written-for-sarah-cahill/


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