
Composer Prize 2025
Ashkan Behzadi
Works
Journal of an Ordinary Grief (2024) 30’
for ensemble of 8 players
Commissioned by Ensemble Recherche (supported by The Serge Koussevitzky award)
Premiere: December 5, 2024, Freiburg at Ensemblehaus
Ballads: Oblique (2024) 24’
for Solo Violin and Poem Recitations
Commissioned by Marie Schreer
Premiere: November 18, 2024, Huddersfield Shorts 2024
Insomnia (2024) 60’
for Poem Recitations, Piano and Electronics
Collaborative Album with Yousef Abazari (Poem translator/ recitations)
Piano and electronics: Ashkan Behzadi
Publisher: Yarava Records (Tehran, Iran)
Date of Release: September 2024
Zinnia (2023) 20’
for solo percussion and electronics
Composed for Ellery Trafford
Premiere: March 22 2025, DiMenna Center, New York
How quiet at the bottom of the lake.. (2023) 24’
for solo violin
Composed for Marina Kifferstein
Premiere: March 4, 2024, CUNY, New York
Fables (2022-23) 40’
for Clarinet Solo and Chamber Ensemble of 8 Musicians
for Daniel Boeke and Ensemble Oerknal
Premier: Spring 2024, The Hague, Netherland
Commissioned by Fromm Foundation, Harvard University
Partita (2022-23) 22’
for Solo Cello
for Juan Aguilera Cerezo
Premiered: January 25, 2023, Espacio Turina, Seville
Commissioned by ((XXII Encuentros Sonoros)) Festival
Blue Harebell (2021)14’
for Carillon and Electronics
for Joey Brink
Premiered: Ear-Taxi Festival, Chicago, September 2021
Commissioned by Ear-Taxi Festival and Joey Brink
Lobelia (2020) 5’
for Violoncello Solo
for Mariel Roberts of Wet Ink Ensemble
Premiered: Live-Stream Performance, June 2020
Commissioned by: the Library of Congress and Wet Ink ensemble
Wisteria (2020) 8’
for Clarinet Solo and chamber ensemble of 8 performers
for Ensemble Dal Niente
Premiered: (March 2020, postponed due to COVID-19 Pandemic)
Ensemble Dal Niente
Convex (2020) 15’
for Large Ensemble of 13 musicians
to be premiered by Grossman Ensemble
Commissioned by The Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition
Three Songs on Poems by Michael Hartnett (2019) 12’
for Soprano and Piano
to be premiered by Daire Halpin and John Hess
Commissioned by The Art Council of Ireland as part of Irish Language Art
Iris (2019) 8’
for Chamber Ensemble of 12 Players
Premiered by Talea Ensemble as part of Columbia Composers Concert Series
Willow (2019) 9’
for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Violoncello, Piano and Percussion
Commissioned and Premiered by Amalgama Ensemble
Calluna (2018) 11’
for Piano Quintet
Piano and Percussion
Premiered by Sara Laimon and Moliniari Quartet
Commissioned and Premiered as part of Graham Sommer Composition Competition for Young Composers
Petunia (2018) 9’
for Two Pianos and Two Percussions
Premiered by Yarn/Wire as part of Columbia Composers Concert Series
Love, Crystal and Stone (2017) 45’
a Song Cycle on Poems by Federico García Lorca
for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Percussion
Commissioned and Premiered by TAK Ensemble
Purple-Almond (2017) 15’
Two Pieces for Piano Trio
Premiered by Ensemble Alternance
Commissioned by Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation as part of ACIMC Music Festival
Fling (2017) 7’
for Piano and Violoncello
Commissioned and Premiered by Anssi Karttunen and Nicolas Hodges
Gÿorgy (2017) 5’
for Two Violin and Trumpet
Commissioned and Premiered by Arcus Collective
Mince and Quince (2017) 11’
for Marimba Quartet
Premiered by DRUMMING
Commissioned by Mixtur Festival
Five Sketches for String Quartet (2017) 17’
for String Quartet
Premiered by JACK Quartet as part of Columbia Composers Concert Series
Mince and Quince (2016) 11’
for Marimba Quartet
Premiered by DRUMMING
Commissioned by Mixtur Festival
Ballad of forgotten hours (2016) 7’
for Soprano, Violin and Accordion
Premiered by NAMES Ensemble
Commissioned by Dialogues Festival at Stifung Mozarteum
Carnivalesque (2014/ rev. 2016) 9’
for Chamber Ensemble of 7 Players
Revised Version Premiered by Divertimento Ensemble
Recorded by Oerknal Ensemble as part of Album narrow numerous,
Published by 7 Mountain Records
Foldings (2016) 7’
for Violoncello Quartet
Premiered as part of Creative Festival VIII
Velum (2016) 7’
for Flute and Piano
Premiered by Zachary Sheets and Wei-Han Wu
Commissioned by New Music USA
Till-Still-Again (2016) 14’
for 6 Voices, Two Pianos and Two Percussions
Premiered by Ekmeles and Yarn/Wire Ensembles as Part of Columbia Composers Concert Series
Flip (2015) 9’
for Flute, Viola, Accordion, Harp and Percussion
Commissioned and Premiered by nueverBand Ensemble
Diptych: Irène’s Lament-Auguste’s grief (2015) 9’
for Video and Chamber Ensemble of 14 Players
Premiered by Wet Ink Ensemble as Part of Columbia Composers Concert Series
Crescita Plastica (2015) 14’
for Violin and Viola
Commissioned, Premiered, and Recorded by andPlay Duo as part of Album andPlay playlist Published by New Focus Recordings
Creux: Ombragé (2015)12’
for Dance and 4 Singers
Premiered by Charleroi Danses and Exaudi Ensemble
Commissioned by Manifeste Festival 2014
Cronistoria Plastica (2014) 10’
for Piano and Live-Electronics
Premiered by Julia den Boer
Commissioned by Centre of Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT)
Madrigal (2014) 4’
for Speaking Percussion Quartet
Commissioned and Premiered by Architek Percussion Ensemble as part of Cluster New Music Festival
“Az hoosh mi..” (2013) 9’
for Soprano and Violin
Premiered by Colin Infante and Rachel Koblyakov
Recorded by TAK Ensemble as part of Album OOR
Plasticamente Colorato (2012) 7’
for Violin, Violoncello, Piano and Percussion
Premiered as part of Columbia Composers Concert Series
Morfismo Plastico (2012) 11’
for Violin and Marimba
Commissioned and Premiered by Noam Bierstone and Sarah Frank
Fantasia Plastico (2012) 12’
for String Trio and live-Electronics
Commissioned and Premiered by Noam Bierstone and Sarah Frank
The Urban Trilogy (2011) 11’
for Chamber Orchestra of 16 Players
Commissioned and Premiered by McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble
Fluctuant (2011) 10’
for Flute and Live-Electronics
Premiered by Anabel Maler
“Abyss: Refractive” (2010) 8’
for Flute, Clarinet, Viola, Violoncello, Piano
Commissioned and Premiered by le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne
Agony, Rage of Forgotten People, Elegy (2010) 10’
for Violin and Electronics
Premiered by Teodora Dimova
(2009) 11’
for Percussion Quartet
Commissioned and Premiered by McGill Percussion Ensemble
Three Nocturnes (2009-16) 12’
for Piano Solo
Premiered by Julia den Boer
Sonata (2007) 9’
for Piano
Premiered by the composer
The Urban Pictures (2005) 7’
Three Pieces for Piano
Premiered by the composer
Published in Iran Contemporary Music (Vol.I): Works for Piano, Hamavaz Publication, Tehran, Iran
“Agnosia: Metamorphosis” (2001) 5’
for Piano
Premiered by the composer