Author: Alexandra

Oculus pro oculo totum orbem terrae caecat (An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind) (2003)
for string quartet (String Quartet No.1)

Commissioned by the Kronos Quartet as part of the first Kronos: Under 30 Project
World premiere: April 2003, Kronos Quartet, Spaulding Auditorium at the Hopkins Center at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire; Detroit Premiere: 2007, New Music Detroit, Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit; New York Premiere: 2008, JACK Quartet, Carnegie Hall; Los Angeles and Hanoi, Vietnam premieres: 2010, Southwest Chamber Music
Commercial Release: 2013, Kronos Quartet, Judith Sherman, producer, recorded at...Read more

03 February, 2015
Indlovu: Piano Quintet “The Elephant” (2013)
for piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass

Commissioned by the Savannah Music Festival World premiere: March 2013, Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano, Benny Kim, violin, Carla Maria Rodrigues, viola, Camden Shaw, cello, Joseph Conyers, double bass, Lucas Theatre, Savannah, Georgia. Dedicated to family friend Timothy O’Brien (1957-2012) and elephant whisperer Lawrence Anthony (1950-2012) I. Altocumulus lacunosus: Boundaries (Adagio) II. Cumulus humilis: Interlude (Andante) III. Cumulonimbus: Journeys (Allegro) IV. Altocumulus castellanus - cirrus castellanus: Memories (Larghetto) V. Cirrostratus fibratus: Sunshowers and cumulonimbus (Andante) VI. Altocumulus lenticularis: Memorials...Read more

03 February, 2015
Photo ©Alexandra du Bois; Kamp Westerbork, the Netherlands (2004)
Night Songs (Nachtliederen) (2005 original) (2007 arrangement)
arranged for woodwind quintet (2007)

Original version for string quartet commissioned and premiered by Kronos Quartet. Arrangement for woodwind quintet commissioned by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, New York City
World premiere: May 2007 throughout public schools in New York, Brooklyn and the Bronx Score/parts available Night Songs (Nachtliederen), String Quartet No. 3 (2005) I. Ontvouwen (Unfolding) II. Lente en Zomer (Spring and Summer) III. Stacheldraht (Barbed wire) IV. Het Denkende Hart (The Thinking Heart) V. Niet Verzonden Brieven (Unsent Letters) VI. Zoeklicht...Read more

03 February, 2015
Bruciare Distante (Burning Distant) (2006)
for piano, violin, two cellos and double bass

Commissioned by The Juilliard School’s ChoreoComp, choreographed for eight dancers by Collin Baja
World premiere: December 2006, Vassilis Varvaresos, piano, Elissa Cassini, violin, Victoria Bass, Dane Johansen, cello, Andrew Roitstein, double bass, Vince Lee, conductor and eight members of The Juilliard School’s Dance Division at Peter Jay Sharp Theater, New York, New York
Score/parts available ...Read more

03 February, 2015
String Quintet, A Requiem for the Living (2001)
for two violins, viola, and two double basses

World premiere: March 2002, Boris Kupesic and Sarah Hill, violin, Luis Enrique Casal, viola, Colin Corner, Corey Watson, double bass, Darko Butorac, conductor, Auer Hall at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Bloomington, Indiana
Dedicated to the victims of 9/11 in the United States and the victims of the United States’ invasion of Iraq
Score/parts available
Program note
...Read more

03 February, 2015
Hope Dies Last (2015)
Nonet (for chamber ensemble)

Commissioned by the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings for trombonist David Jackson
Original photography and video mapping by photojournalist and artist Michelle Andonian
In creative preparation for writing Hope Dies Last, Alexandra du Bois traveled throughout Armenia with artist Michelle Andonian. The work honors the 100th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide in 2015. Du Bois collaborated with University of Michigan trombonist David Jackson and Detroit-based artist Michelle Andonian (a recent...Read more

03 February, 2015
Noctilucent Song (2013)
for string orchestra

Commissioned by New York Classical Players
World premiere: November 2013, New York Classical Players, Dongmin Kim, conductor, Broadway Presbyterian Church, New York City
Score/parts available Program note...Read more

03 February, 2015
American Tune (2012)
song cycle for a play with songs, for mezzo soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, percussion and string quartet

Commissioned by playwright Shailly Agnihotri. Text by Shailly Agnihotri. Libretto by Agnihotri/du Bois Premiere: November 2012, Shelter Studios, New York City

I. "Mister Smith/I Will Defend You" LISA (mezzo) II. "Founding Fathers/Nothing More Sacred"  JUDGE ROBERTS (baritone) III. "Mother's Song" SUSAN (soprano) IV. "I Will Defend You" duet: LISA (mezzo)/JONES (baritone) V. "I Want You to Know" duet KATIE (alto)/Matt (tenor) VI.  "Easy to Hate" JONES (baritone) VII. "You Think I'm Guilty" (baritone) VIII.  "I Try...Read more

03 February, 2015