World Premieres
The University of Scranton World Premiere Composition Series
"The University of Scranton World Premiere Composition Series is a remarkable event. Commissioning on an ongoing basis anywhere in the country is rare at best. To see this type of project at the university level, and at a school without a conservatory orientation, is truly incredible. The series gives student musicians the extremely unusual opportunity of working with a living composer and gives the audience the unique chance to witness firsthand the evolution of a piece of music and the interpretation by the composer of the very first performance of his work. The opportunity for dialogue between composer, performer and audience is truly great."
-----Robert Kapilow – Composer, Conductor, Commentator, Author
WORKS COMMISSIONED AND PREMIERED AT SCRANTON
2023
Philip Kuehn
The Tree and the Wind (band)
Steps Unseen (choir)
2022
Javier Nero
The Return (band)
One Day (choir)
2021
David Lantz III
To The Ends of The Earth (band & choir)
2020
Peter & Will Anderson
Scranton 2020 (band)
Ode to Jude (choir)
(not publicly performed due to pandemic shutdown)
2019
Alex Nguyen
River Song (band)
Take O Lord, Receive (choir)
2018
Brandon Lee
Rest (band)
We Believe (choir)
2017
Erica Von Kleist
Woke (band)
A Silent March (choir)
2016
Nate Sparks
Kisha (band)
Spring Love Song (choir with soloist)
2015
Brian McWhorter
Genesis (band & narrator)
Mutiny (choir/performance artists, spoken soloists, and piano)
2014
Kyle Athayde
Zortziko Dlya Iosif (band)
Cio Che Mangia (unaccompanied choir)
Joseph Boga
Lilly-Haven (choir with piano accompaniment)
2013
Eric Saras
A Short Account of The Destruction of the Indies (choir and brass orchestra)
The Black Hole Inside The Pyramids of Saqqara (band)
Streets of Silence (choir)
2012
J. Samuel Pilafian
Elegy and Rave (band with expanded percussion)
Joseph P. Boga
In Memoriam: Chris Nelhybel (unaccompanied choir)
(both works composed in memory of Chris Nelhybel)
2011
Ted Nash
Windows (choir with solo cello)
Mona Passage (band)
2010
Josh Frielich
New Communion (choir)
Marvel at the Impossible (band)
2009
Marcus Printup
How Great Thou Art (choir with trumpet and piano)
Blues in the Orient (band)
2008
Victor Goines
O Lord, Help Us Find Our Way (choir)
Three Sketches for Band (band)
2007
Matthew Herman
A Noiseless, Patient Spider (choir)
Lughnasa (band)
2006
Jennifer Krupa
Count the Ways (choir)
Jeremy’s Suite (band)
2005
Jumaane Smith
Spring and Fall (choir)
Journeys (band)
2004
Jerrold Fisher
Love Songs (band and choir)
2003
Wycliffe Gordon
Prayer, Acknowledgment, and Celebration (choir)
2003
Lawrence Wolfe
Cadences (band)
2002
Hubert Bird
(composed in memory of Vaclav Nelhybel)
Now from the World the Light of God is Gone (choir)
Memoria Perpetua (band)
2001
Lawrence Wolfe
Give Me Liberty! (band and choir)
2000
Wycliffe Gordon
The Story (choir)
Opus for Bogas (band)
1999
Brett William Dietz
Stabat Mater (choir)
Pandora’s Box (band)
1998
Kenneth Amis
Tears I (choir)
Tears II (choir)
Tears III (choir)
Rondo ala Kolo (band)
1997
Vaclav Nelhybel
(posthumous premiere)
Gospodi Pomiluy (band and choir)
Ballade (band)
1996
Sam Pilafian & Frank Vignola
My Wish for the World (choir)
Gypsy Fire (band)
1995
Jerome Summers
Sanctus (choir)
The Universe is Dancing (band)
1994
Alexander Rannie
Fear No More (choir)
Main Title for a Lost Film (band)
1993
Joshua Rosenblum
The Jabberwocky (choir)
Three to Beat the Band (band)
1992
Robert Starer
Vertue (choir)
The Rolling Earth (band)
1991
Rev. J. Kevin Waters, S.J.
Psalm 150 (band and choir)
1990
T. Terry James
B’Guilior Gwyneth Gwyn (choir)
Passacaglia (band)
Fugue in Search of a Subject (band)
1989
Hugh Keelan
Juliet in the Heat (choir)
Introduction and Allegro (band)
1988
Vaclav Nelhybel
(composed in honor of the university's centennial year)
Cornerstone for a New Moon (band and choir)
1987
J. Rex Mitchell
Thinking to Myself (choir)
Incalzando (band)
1986
Jonathan Tunick
The Mysterious Cat (choir)
Shakespeare at Dusk (band)
1985
Robert Kapilow
Psalmistry: In Excelsis Gloria (choir)
Borba (band)
1984
Vaclav Nelhybel
Agon (band)
My Salvation (clarinet choir, choir)