Composer & Pianist Larysa Kuzmenko, Canadian | Contemporary classical Music

WORKS

All 1978-1982 1984-1988 1991-1993 1995-1998 1999-2001 2002-2004 2008-2010

1978 - 1982

“Homeland” for Women's Choir and Piano (1978); premiered Carnegie Hall, New York, 1978, Vesnivka Choir and Composer; 8 min.
“Ritual” for Concert Band (1978); commissioned by the Scarborough Band through the Ontario Arts Council; premiered by the Scarbourough Concert Band, 1978, Ronald Chandler cond.; repeat performance by U of T Concert Band, R. Chandler cond., 1980; second repeat performance by U of T Concert Band, Stephen Chenette, cond., 1986; 10 min.
Elegy and Song for Flute, Vibraphone, Harp, and Soprano (1978-79); premiered by Roxolana Roslak et al, Pauline McGibbon Cultural Centre, 1979; broadcast CBC Arts National; repeat performance U of T, 1978; Heliconian Hall, 1981; Edmonton 1984; 12 min.
Three Songs for Soprano and Piano (1980); premiered Massey Hall, 1980, Roxolana Roslak and composer; 8 min.
Nocturne and Dance for Soprano, Flute, and Piano (1980); premiered Scarborough College, Lynn Blaser, soprano, Eileen Fawcett, flute, and composer, piano; CJRT broadcast; repeat performance at the University of Guelph; several repeat performances; 8 min.
Fantasy for Band (1981); commissioned by the Scarborough Concert Band through the Ontario Arts Council; premiered by the SCB, 1981, Gary Kulesha, conductor; 7 min.
Improvisations for Alto Saxophone and Percussion (1981); premiered by Keith Loach and the Toronto Percussion Ensemble, Heliconian Hall, 1981; 5 min.
Little Suite for Piano (1982); commissioned by the Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects through the Ontario Arts Council; duration variable.
“Grimoire” for Brass Quintet (1982); premiered 1982, Composers' Brass Quintet, the Music Gallery, Toronto; performance, York University Faculty Brass Quintet, CJRT Great Performers Series, 1986; broadcast, CJRT; several repeat performances; 10 min.

1984 - 1988

“Doctor Faustus” for Soprano and Piano (text: Christopher Marlowe) (1984); commissioned by Roxolana Roslak through the OAC; premiered by Roxolana Roslak at the Premiere Dance Theatre, 1984; several repeat performances; also programmed by Susan Porter and Lynn Blaser; 12 min.
Concertino for Vibraphone and Marimba with Orchestra (1986-87); commissioned by Beverly Johnston through the Ontario Arts Council; premiered Canadian Contemporary Music Workshops, Royal Conservatory of Music, 1987, Gary Kulesha, conductor; Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Simon Streatfeild, cond., Winnipeg, Jan. 1990; broadcast “Mostly Music”, CBC FM; selected by Mostly Music for their “best of” series and re-broadcast Aug. 1990; performance by Marie Jose Simard, Mexico City, 1989 (details unknown); April 19, 1991, Lviv Chamber Orchestra, Sergei Denisiuk, soloist, Miroslav Skoryk, conductor, Lviv, Ukraine; broadcast, Kiev State Television; repeat performance, Lviv, May 7, 1991; toured by this ensemble and soloist; 14 min.
“Prayer” for SSA and piano (text: Bogdan Antonich) (1988); commissioned by the Vesnivka Choir; Nov. 1988, Toronto, at the St. Lawrence Centre; New York at Carnegie Hall; toured, USSR, July, 1991; 5 min.

1991 - 1993

“Traveller On A Dark Wind” for Two Pianos (1991); commissioned by The Zuk Duo; premiered, Continuum, April 25, 1991; broadcast, Two New Hours, CBC FM, July 7, 1991; rebroadcast, Dec. 1992; 7 min
“Spirits of the Dead” for SATB choir (1991); text by E.A. Poe; written for the Elmer Iseler Singers; premiered June 2, 1991, St. Andrews', Toronto; 6 min.; pub. Boosey and Hawkes.
Sonata for Cello and Piano, “A Dream Within A Dream” (1992); commissioned by St. Basilica Church for Jeremy Findlay; premiered Jane Mallett Theatre, March 20. 1992, Jeremy Findlay and Larysa Kuzmenko; released on CD in Czechoslovakia, Jeremy Findlay; 20 min.
“Atlantis” for Organ (1993); commissioned by the Canadian College of Organists; published by Jaymar Music; premiered by Michael Bloss, Toronto, 1993; 5 min.
Concerto for Accordion (1993); commissioned by Mr. Elton John for Joseph Macerollo and the Composer's Orchestra; premiered Walter Hall, July, 1993; conducted by Gary Kulesha; broadcast 2 New Hours, Sept. 1993; 20 min.
“Romance” and “Mysterious Summers Night” (1993) for solo piano; published by Frederick Harris; 3 min.
“Tekahionwake” (1993) set of four songs for mezzo-soprano, based on the poetry of Pauline Johnson; commissioned for Classical Cabaret by the Laidlaw Foundation; premiered in March of 1993 at George Ignatieff Theatre; 15 min.
“A Prayer for String Orchestra” (1993); written for the Mississauga Chamber Orchestra; premiered in Mississauga, 1993, conducted by John Barnum; The Composers' Orchestra, March 12, 1994, Glenn Gould Studio, conducted by Gary Kulesha; broadcast, 2 New Hours, Spring, 1994; Lviv Philharmonic, October, 1994; 7 min.

1995 - 1998

The Faywood School Songs: “Night”, “Stars”, and “Wind” (1995); commissioned by the North York Board of Education; premiered April 11, 1995, at the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts in North York, conducted by Doreen Rao; published by Boosey and Hawkes; 7 min.; performed by Victoria Scholars at the Eastminister United Church in Toronto on June 5, 1999, Jerzy Cichocki, conductor, Ruth Watson Henderson, pianist.
Piano Concerto; commissioned by the CBC for Christina Petrowska (1996); premiered by Christina Petrowska and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bramwell Tovey, at the Winnipeg New Music Festival, January 23, 1996; 20 min.; Oct. 1996, Christina Petrowska with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jukka Pekka Saraste.
“Suite of Dances” for flute, cello and piano (1997); commissioned with the financial assistance of the Laidlaw Foundation; premiered at the Glenn Gould Theatre by Musica Viva in 1997; recorded by the same group. 15 min.
“In memorium: To the Victims of Chornobyl” (1997), premiered by Mary Kenedi at Roy Thompson hall lobby concert for the New Music Festival; later performed by Christina Petrowska and recorded by her on CD “Northern Sirens”; September of 2002, Naida Cole performed the work at the Jane Mallet Theatre; Christina Petrowska performed it at Merkin Concert Hall in New York and in Taiwan and China in 1998. 7 min.
Concertino for Organ and Strings (1998); commissioned and premiered by Karen Holmes on October 30, 1998 at St. Andrew's Church in Ottawa; 7 min.
“In search of Eldorado”, Song Cycle for piano and mezzo soprano (1998); commissioned by the National Association of Teachers of Singing with the financial assistance of the Laidlaw Foundation; premiered by Catherine Robin at the 1998 NATS conference; 10 min.

1999 - 2001

“Lilith”, String Quartet with English Horn; commissioned with the financial assistance of the Ontario Arts Council; premiered on September of 2000 by Mooredale Concerts, Jane Mallet Theatre; additional performances by the same group in Guelph , Kitchener, Regina, and Vancouver of 2000-2001. 30 min.
Concerto for Piano and Percussion (with Chamber Orchestra) (2000); commissioned with the financial assistance of the Ontario Arts Council; premiered January 12, 2001, Mary Kenedi, Bev Johnston, and the Windsor Symphony conducted by Susan Haig; 12 min.
“Singing with the Light of a Thousand Stars”; three songs for SSA: “Lone Note”, “Anger in A minor”, and “Celebration Chorus”; commissioned by the Oberlin Choristers; premiered June 3, 2001, Finney Chapel, Ohio; 8 min.
“Set me as a seal upon thy heart” for soprano and organ (2001); commissioned by The Royal College of Organists through the Laidlaw Foundation; premiered at the Islington United Church with soprano Lorna MacDonald and organist David MacDonald; 3-4 min.

2002 - 2004

“Capriccio” (2002) for string quartet, percussion, and flute; commissioned by Mooredale Concerts with the financial assistance of the Laidlaw Foundation; premiered March 23, 2003, Walter Hall, with Beverley Johnston and Vicky Blechta; 15 min.
Piano Concerto (with Brass Band) (2002); commissioned by Hannaford Street Silver Band with the financial assistance of Roger D. Moore; premiered November of 2002 with soloist Andrew Burashko and the HSSB conducted by Gary Kulesha; 18 min.
Impromptu and Toccata for Brass Quintet (2003); commissioned by the International Women's Brass Conference; premiere Illinois State University, June 2003; 8 min.
“Entre Amis” for Cello and Piano (2003); premiered July 20, 2003, Kristine Bogyo and Anton Kuerti, Festival of the Sound, Parry Sound; 7 min.
“Voice of Hope” for Soprano and String Orchestra (2003); commissioned by Vesnivka Choir; premiered Nov. 15, 2003, Katerina Tchoubar, soprano, The Composers' Orchestra, conducted by Gary Kulesha; 9 min.
“Dreams” for SATB Choir and Piano Trio (2004); commissioned by the Elora Festival and the Gryphon Trio with the financial assistance of the Laidlaw Foundation; premiered July 11, 2004, Elora Festival; conducted by Noel Edison; 15 min.
“Sea Without A Shore” for Cello and Orchestra (2004); commissioned by Shauna Rolston with the financial assistance of the Ontario Arts Council; premiered Nov. 25, 2004, Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Geoffrey Moull; 15 min.

2008 - 2010

“Ave, Regina Coelorum (Rejoice, Virgin Glorious)” for SSA chorus and piano, written for the University of Toronto Women’s Chorus (2008); 2 min. 10 sec. - This work is published by Boosey and Hawkes (2010)
Kaori Yamagami premiered Ms. Kuzmenko's “Fantasy” for solo cello on November 20, 2008 in Walkter Hall at the University of Toronto. This work was commissioned by Music Toronto; 12 min.
“Daffodils” for Children's Choir SSA, was commissioned by the Mississauga Children's Choir (2009); 4 min.
“Silver Birds” for solo piano, was premiered by pianist Christina Petrowska-Quilico on Feb. 5, 2010 in Walter Hall; 1 min.
“Polynia”, work for piano, violin, and basset horn, commissioned by the Riverdale Ensemble through the Ontario Arts Council. It was premiered by the Riverdale Ensemble on Feb. 5, 2010 in Walter Hall; 12 min.
“Christmas Bells” for Children's Choir SA, commissioned by the Cantabile children’s choir (2010); 3 min.