works

"Schwendinger finds moonlight serene, ethereal and otherworldly. She charges the violin with creating the light, the piano with evoking the rippling waters of Lake Como and the cello suggesting the water’s depth".

CD Review by William Zagorski, in Issue 35:3 (Jan/Feb 2012) of Fanfare Magazine
“C’e la Luna Questa Sera? (Is There a Moon Tonight?) is tellingly dedicated to the memory of Donald Martino, a composer whose work I very much admire. Composed in 1998 for violin, cello, and percussion, it was transcribed for the Lincoln Trio in 2006, and presents an almost tangible bit of scene painting inspired by moonlight reflected on the surface of Lake Como. It opens with an almost Webernesque gesture, and as the music develops, languorously despite moments of quickness, it evokes a sense of primordially serene mystery and infinite beauty within the tiny bounds of its five and a half minutes.”

Links to purchase: Presto Classical; Cedille; NAXOS

*Judith Sherman wins a Grammy for her work on the CD!

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OTHER WORKS LISTED HERE CHRONOLOGICALLY :

Footfalls (2012) (14:25)
for flute, oboe, violin, cello, guitar and mandolin

Off Broadway Debut with Cygnus!

The Cygnus Ensemble performed new musical compositions based on the works of Samuel Beckett, paired with three of his one-act plays in a new production, “Sounding Beckett.” The plays, “Footfalls, ,” “Ohio Impromptu” and “Catastrophe,” were directed by Joy Zinoman with a cast including Ted Van Griethuysen, Philip Goodwin and Holly Twyford. Each play was followed by new musical pieces inspired by the plays and written by the composers Chester Biscardi, Laura Schwendinger, David Glaser, Laura Kaminsky, John Halle and Scott Johnson.

"Reviews continue to come in for Laura Schwendinger's "Sounding Beckett"
“Laura Schwendinger’s piece for Footfalls is particularly effective, featuring stretches in which the musicians play their instruments so lightly, it could just be the autumn wind blowing through their strings. Beckett’s works demand postviewing brooding, and these haunting soundscapes offer a an appropriately moody place to drift.” -Jenna Scherer in”- Time Out NY

".. Schwendinger underscored that the pieces..were meant as musical responses to the plays... Thus, her piece responded to the strong emotions churning under the surface of Footfalls with sustained passages of controlled, but angst-imbued dissonance. After seeing actor Holly Twyford’s simmering performance in the play, one could readily understand Schwendinger’s poignant, elegantly crafted response." -Chamber Musician Today

"Laura Schwendinger’s companion piece to “Footfalls,” a woman blows into a flute, but we hear the air more than the notes. Beside her, string players lightly rub their instruments—and indeed, if Beckett had been a composer, this might be the kind of work he would produce." -scribicide, NY Theater Blog

"They alternate with original musical compositions that they inspired, performed live and with a haunting intensity by the Cygnus Ensemble." -NY Times

“ “Footfalls,”...coaxes out of composers such as Laura Schwendinger, Laura Kaminsky and John Halle...received commissions. -Washington Post

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Sudden Light (2012) (8:20)

for Mezzo soprano and String Trio (2 violins and cello)

Settings of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Emily Dickinson*

Premiere June 2012, by Jennifer Beattie, mezzo-soprano, Christopher Otto, Ari Streisfeld, violins and Kevin McFarland, cello (of the JACK String Quartet) New Music on the Point, Vermont.

Set for release on Albany CD; Quartets with the JACK Quartet, Christopher Taylor and Jamie Van Eyck

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Llorona (2011) (10:30)
a setting of the old Mexican song for SATB Choir*

Premiere Fall 2012 with The University of Wisconsin Chorale, directed by Beverly Taylor

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The Violinists in My Life (2011) (12:32)
for violin and piano

For Curtis Macomber, Eleanor Bartsch, Wei He, Miranda Cuckson and Desiree Ruhstrat*

Premiered by Wei He in Sept. 2012, Desiree Ruhstrat in Chicago March 2013, and in Madison WI, by Eleanor Bartsch, April 21, 2013.

New York Premiere with Miranda Cuckson Fall 2014, Madison Spring 2015

(upcoming VIML Vol. 2, to include David Perry, Felicia Moye, Katie Wolfe, Christopher Otto, Ari Streisfeld and Graeme Jennings)

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About a Mountain (2010) (15:40)
for Mezzo Voice and Flute (C, Alto, Bass, Picc)

More information and sound files

Premiere Jan. 2011, De Paul University and subsequent performances at the, Music Institute of Chicago and WFMT Chicago. About a Mountain was commissioned by Julia Bentley and premiered at De Paul College in Chicago with flutist Mary Stolper (see article in Time Out Chicago)*

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Mise-en-Scene (2010) for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion (12:45)

for Boston Musica Viva*

to hear excerpts (click here) and to see review in Boston Musical Intelligencer (click here)

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SHADINGS (2010) for Orchestra (15:40)

f or the AMERICAN COMPOSERS ORCHESTRA, UnSafe series, premiere March 4 at Carnegie's Zankel Hall

a collaboration with lighting artists Leni Schwendinger

*see article on Laura and SHADINGS

New York Times Review

(to open links to YOU TUBE Videos below, use new window or tab-)

*see video on SHADINGS on You Tube

*see NIGHTCITY featuring HIGH WIRE ACT by Laura Schwendinger

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Brushstrokes (2010) for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion (12:40)

for Stony Brook New Music Ensemble*

excerpts

1) Contrapposto , 2) Mobile,

3) Chiaroscuro, 4) Kinetic Sculpture, 5) Pointillism

6) Sfumato, 7) Collage

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Three Calder Studies (2010) for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano (8:00)

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Waking Dream (2009) for flute and orchestra, (10:48)

premiered by Christina Jennings and the UW Chamber Orchestra (11/14/2009)*

(excerpt sound file)

Available on Albany CD: 3 Works for solo instruments and orchestra

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Van Gogh Nocturnes (2009) for solo piano (8:12)

premiered by Christopher Taylor (3/12/2010)*

(excerpt sound file movement 1, Starry Night Over the Rhone)

(excerpt sound file movement 2, Night Cafe at Arles)

*Recorded by Christopher Taylor for upcoming CD; Complete piano music of Laura Elise Schwendinger

Judith Sherman Producer

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Garden of Earthly Delights (2008) for flute, oboe, guitar, mandolin, violin and cello (9:30)

For William Anderson and Cygus *

(excerpt sound file)

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Song for Andrew (2008) for violin, viola, cello and piano (6:48)

For Young-Nam Kim and Sally Chisholm, in memory of Andrew Imbrie*

(excerpt sound file)

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Three's a Crowd (2007), for Trumpet, Trombone and Tuba for theB3+ ensemble (3:16)

With bass trombonist Dave Taylor,trumpeter Franz Hackl and the John Clark on horn*

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Chiaroscuro Azzurro (2007), a "Pocket Concerto" commission from Miller Theater, for violin and chamber orchestra.Jennifer Koh, Violin*

Premiere March 2008, Miller Theater, New York City ( March 27, 2008)* see NY TIMES review

Move. 1 (12:30); Move. 2 (8:31); Move. 3 (12:30)

(excerpt Movement 1)

(excerpt Movement 2)

(excerpt Movement 3)

*Available on Albany CD: 3 Works for solo instruments and orchestra

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Aerialist for solo flute (2006) Written for Christina Jennings. Premiere November 30, 2006 at Symphony Center NYC*

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Esprimere Concerto for cello and orchestra (2005) (29:30)

Written for Matt Haimovitz and the UW Symphony Orchestra. Premiere March 28, 2007*

(excerpt Move.2 sound file)

Move. 1 (5:20)

Move. 2 (10:00)

Move. 3 (4:35)

Move. 4 (8:30)

*Available on Albany CD: 3 Works for solo instruments and orchestra

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Basso Non-Profundo for Bass solo (2006) Written for David Murray and the Chicago Composer's Consortium. Premiere Oct. 2006* (4:00)

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Elements for Percussion Ensemble (2006) (8:00)

Written for and premiered by Anthony Di Sanza and hisWestern Percussion Ensemble May 2006 *

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High Wire Act for flute, strings and piano (2005) Written for and commissioned by Christina Jennings and Bright Music. Premiere November 15, 2005* (15:00)

Performed by groupsincluding Eighth Blackbird, The Aspen Ensembl, The Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble,Orion Ensembl, American Modern Ensemble, The Left Bank Concert Society,Contemporary Music Forum and Voices of Change; at venues including The Kennedy Center, Corcoran Gallery andas part of The University of Chicago Contempo Series*

(Excerpt sound file, Movement 1); (Excerpt sound file, Movement 3); (Excerpt sound file, Movement 5)

*available on High Wire Acts on Centaur

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Lady Lazarus (2005) a setting of the Sylvia Plath poem for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion (14:00)

Commissioned by Nicole Paiement and the Ensemble Parallele for the opening concert of the Blueprint series at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, October 14*

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New 2 little whos(2005) for mandolin and guitar (7:30)

Written for Duo Ahlert and Schwab. Premiered on May 5, Chicago Composer's Consortium series*

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2 little whos (2004) for violin and guitar (7:30)

Written for Duo 46*

*available on High Wire Acts, on Centaur

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Betes de la Mer (2005) for Orchestra (9:00)

Written for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Chamber Orchestra.

Premiered April 8, 2005*

(excerpt)

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Lontano for oboe, cello and percussion (7:00)

Commissioned and premiered by CUBE, March 13, 2004*

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C’è la Luna Questa Sera? (2004) for violin, cello,and piano (5:48)

Arranged for the Lincoln Trio and recorded by them on "Notable Women", Cedille Records

(sound sample at Archivmusic)

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Nonet (2004) For Chicago Chamber Musicians. Fromm Foundation Commission (15:00)

In three movements.

For flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, french horn, piano and percussion *

(excerpt Movement 2); (excerpt Movement 3)

*available on High Wire Acts, CD from Centaur

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Rapture (2003) for cello and piano (8:30)

Adapted for Jens Peter Maintz, principal cellist of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. Premiere 5/24/03 *

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Celestial City (2002) (18:31)

for Spectrum Concerts of Berlin. Koussevitzky Foundation Commission.

Written in memory of those lost on 9/11, for the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress, and dedicated to the memory of Serge and Natalie Koussevitzky,

for Frank Dodge with the members of Spectrum Concerts Berlin.

Premiere was 1/22/03: Berlin Philharmonic recital Hall. (18:01) for clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano *

(excerpt)

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Magic Carpet Music (2002)

for piano (13:00)

adapted for Jenny Lin

Premiere was on April 12, 2003 at Galapagos Art Space, NYC *

To be released on CD of Complete Piano works, with Christopher Taylor

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String Quartet in three movements (2001) (18:07)

A Harvard Musical Association Commission, The Arditti String Quartet, 1/24/03. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA *

Subsequently performed by the JACK Quartet at University of Iowa, University of Wisconsin Madison, New Music on the Point and Symphony Space

Move. 1 (4:30), Move. 2 (7:06), Move. 3 (6:31)

(excerpt Movement 1) ; (excerpt Movement 2) ; (excerpt Movement 3)

*To be released on Albany CD, QUARETS in the coming year; featuring the JACK Quartet, Christopher Taylor and Jamie Van Eyck

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Bellagio Suite (2000) for string orchestra (12:00)

Written for The Cleveland Chamber Symphony. Premiere was 2/1/01

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Approaching Storm (2000) for Two pianos, two percussion and tape (10:00)

Written for Fear No Music of Portland. Premiere was on 3/11/01

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In Just Spring- (1988) for soprano and piano* (3:10)

-from Chansons Innocente-

Taken on tour (1997-2013) by Dawn Upshaw and Gilbert Kalish,

at venues include Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall in London, Veteran's Wadsworth- Los Angeles, Theatre du Chatelet- Paris, Herbst Theater- San Francisco and The Tanglewod Music Festival.

and in 2013/14 at Longy School of Music

Reviewed in by Janine Wanée in the Boston Musical Intellingencer "With her colleague Kayo Iwama on piano, Upshaw began with a playful and beautiful setting by Laura Schwendinger of the e.e. cummings poem, “in just-spring”

And the Morgan Library New York

Available on "Voices of Our Time" a recital video of Dawn Upshaw at The Theatre du Chatelet in Paris

Three song set, from Hildegard Publishing, includes In Just Spring- (3:10) , Hist whist, little ghost things (2000) (3:50), and Tumbling-hair (3:45) for voice and piano

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Magic Carpet Music (1999) for flute, clarinet (bass), violin and Cello (13:00)

Written for The Theater Chamber Players. Premiere was on December 4, 1999 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts *

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Rapture (1999) for flute and piano (7:00)

Written for Cathy Comrie* Performed in concerts by Jayn Rosenfeld, Mary Stolper, Catherine Ramiraz and Caroline Pittman

(excerpt)

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Chiaro di Luna (1998) for string ensemble (4:00)

Written and premiered by The Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra of Hungary *

(excerpt)

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C’è la Luna Questa Sera? (1998) for violin, cello, harp and percussion (vib., glock.) (5:48)

Written and premiered by the Ernest Bloch Festival, Newport Oregon *

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Songs of Heaven and Earth (1998) for mezzo-soprano, flute (picc.,alto), clarinet (bass), violin, cello, piano, percussion, and harp (28:00)

Commissioned and premiered by The Theater Chamber Players, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts *

(excerpt Song 4, I Never Believed)

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Aorewa for orchestra (7:00)

The Berkeley Symphony, Under Construction Series *

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Pointillisms (1997), for solo piano includes Point of Departure, Pedal-Point, Point of Balance, Boiling Point and Exclamation Point, a work for Leslie Amper (12:00)* available alone Point of Balance (1991) for Piano (2:45) *

Performances include Vancouver New Music and the University of California at Santa Cruz New Music Festival

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Cascade Range (1996), for cello and piano, a work for cellist Scott Kluksdahl *

Premiered at SCI National Conference, 1997

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Asherah (1995), for solo alto saxophone, written for Joseph Wytko (8:00) *

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These Verses Hold... (1995) Setting of Petrarch for soprano, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion

Premiere at the Contemporary Music Program, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival (9:10) *

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La Charmeuse de Serpents (1995), for flute, oboe and piano

Row Twelve performance ensemble of Massachusetts (8:20) *

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Fable , (1994), for flute (alto, piccolo), clarinet (bass), violin, cello, piano and percussion (15:00) *

Performances include Aspen Music Festival, San Francisco Conservatory of Music New Music Ensemble, June in Buffalo and Bowdoin Festival

(excerpt Movement 1); (excerpt Movement 2)

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Seven Choral Settings (1994)

Commissioned by the Boston University Marsh Chapel Choir, Julian Wachner, Director (revised in 1994) current title Six Choral Settings (15:00) *

Repeated at Carnegie, Zankel Hall Spring 2013 with the trinity Choir, Directed by Julian Wachner, NY Times review

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Chamber Concerto (1993) for piano and mixed ensemble of 16 players (16:10). First prize winner, 1995 ALEA III International Composition Competition.

Available on Capstone Records, SCI 10. Reviewed by The American Record Guide as "melodic and atmospheric" *

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Short String Quartet (1992) (12:00) written for performance at the 1992 Ernest Bloch Festival in Newport Oregon .

Honorable mention Washington Square competition.# This is an early quartet and is not my String Quartet #1 or Creature Quartet.

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Sonata for solo violin (1992) in three movements (13:00)

Written for and premiered by Victor Schultz at the Ives Center for American Music *

(excerpt Movement 1); (excerpt Movement 3)

*Available on High Wire Acts on Centaur

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Rumor (1992) for flute and cello (7:45)*

Performances include: IAWM Annual concert at the National Museum of Women and the Arts, Washington D.C., co-winner of score search, and the New York Camerata

*available on High Wire Acts, CD from Centaur

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Lament (1991) for string trio (6:45)

Performances include:The Theater Chamber Players, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, June in Buffalo *

(excerpt)

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the sky a silver dissonance (1990)

A setting of the poem by E.E. Cummings (3:50) * for baritone voice and piano

Published by Freeland press

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Three operatic scenes from The Overcoat (1989)

A chamber opera based on Nicolai Gogol's work #

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Night Dances (1987) for orchestra (8:50).

Women's Philharmonic in 1993, for the New Music Reading Session #

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Piano Trio II (1987) for piano, violin and cello.

Winner of University of California, Di Lorenzo prize in music #

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Duo for flute and piano (1986).*

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Memorial to D.C. (1986) for Orchestra

Written for the University of California Symphony Orchestra #

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* available for performance

# not available for performance

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