The work of Juilliard student composers will be featured in two exciting performances this spring, in addition to the concert by the New Juilliard Ensemble. The first concert, in Paul Hall, will feature the premiere of new chamber music by Hee-Seng Kye, Avner Dorman, Norbert Palej, Philippe Treuille, Nico Muhly, Ryan Streber, and me. This performance will include music for string quartet, mixed chamber ensemble, and voice.

Under the direction of Jeffrey Milarsky, the Juilliard Orchestra will premiere the music of Cynthia Lee Wong, Brett Keüper Abigaña, Ryan Streber, and Nico Muhly in the Juilliard Theater. This concert promises to be an exciting one, full of rich sounds and provocative new ideas.

Composers Concert Paul Hall Monday, April 7, 8 p.m. Juilliard Orchestra: Student Compositions Juilliard Theater Friday, May 2, 8 p.m. For time and ticket information, please see the calendar. Read a related article: N.J.E. Features Works by (Mostly) Student Composers

Works for this performance are chosen through an annual departmental competition. While composition students have the opportunity to participate in orchestral readings throughout the year, this concert is a particularly rewarding experience, both because of the rigorous rehearsal process and the quality of the performance.

Ryan Streber's piece, titled Dem Herbste Gleich (Like Autumn), is inspired by the writing of the German poet Friedrich Hölderlin. In a single movement, Streber conjoins two independent ideas, layering fast and slow materials, which he refers to as "an imbrication of two independent 'movements.'"

Also confronting the issue of synthesizing distinct sets of material, Nico Muhly composed Out of the Loop in the fall of 2002. Muhly says, "The first [material] is a clear, sterile pulsing, highly organized and mathematically informed. The second set of material (which exists primarily in the background) is a tonally and rhythmically flexible mess of sorts, involving more shimmering, aggressive and antagonistic material."

Fates and Furies, written by Cynthia Lee Wong, is in two movements. The composer writes, "[The first movement] emerges from darkness, hopelessly alone and inquisitive," while the second movement, entirely in perpetual motion, "begins with a muted struggle, which grows slowly in intensity until it finally explodes ... from there on, Furies unleashes all its terrifying and implacable rage."

Scored for piano and large orchestra, Brett Keüper Abigaña's work, Litany and Satire, is divided into two movements. The composer comments, "The first movement is a prayer for peace in a troubled world, while the second movement, less abstract in nature, attempts to answer the question ... is it possible to write an effective fugue using the 12-tone technique?" The work was completed in the fall of 2001 and is dedicated to pianist Min-Ju Choi.

There is no doubt that these concerts will offer lively, new ideas in a variety of intriguing performances. There is nothing more exciting than the unveiling of a new piece, and it is our hope that you will join us for these exciting original premieres.

Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum is a master's student in composition.