Author: Justin Giarrusso

New Music Monday – Lauren Spavelko

Justin Giarrusso

It's New Music Monday again, and this week I'm sharing a piece by Lauren Spavelko. Lauren is a composer, musician, educator, artist, painter, and terrific person, based in Columbus, OH. Lauren's song cycle, Baby Book deals with issues of pregnancy, motherhood and loss, and is a work about women, for women, and by women. Setting… Continue reading New Music Monday – Lauren Spavelko

New Music Monday – Elainie Lillios

Justin Giarrusso

Happy Monday, all! This week I'm excited to share a piece by Ohio-based composer, Elainie Lillios. I've had the privilege of operating the electronics on three separate recitals for her flute and electronics piece, Sleep's Undulating Tide. The piece is based upon a poem by Margaret Atwood, Variations on the Word Sleep. In addition to playing in the… Continue reading New Music Monday – Elainie Lillios

New Music Monday – Rachel Whelan

Justin Giarrusso

This week’s New Music Monday features music by Rachel Whelan! In addition to composing, Rachel is also a flutist and she is also assistant director of Treefalls: New Music Series (501c3) in Spartanburg, SC, which is dedicated to the presentation of contemporary chamber music written by living, active composers. The piece featured this week, mountain… Continue reading New Music Monday – Rachel Whelan

New Music Monday – Stacy Garrop

Justin Giarrusso

This week’s New Music Monday features music by Chicago-based composer, Stacy Garrop! The piece I have selected is her “Frammenti,” which is a set of five movements where each movement elaborates one or more musical fragments. I am particularly fond of the second movement for it’s compelling use of silences in the opening coupled with… Continue reading New Music Monday – Stacy Garrop

New Music Monday – Emily Cooley

Justin Giarrusso

This week’s New Music Monday features music by Philadelphia-based composer, Emily Cooley! Her String Quartet No. 1, “Etched” was premiered by the JACK Quartet in 2011, and was also selected for the 2012 PARMA Recordings Anthology of music and as the winner for the 2012 Tribeca New Music Young Composers Competition. It is a cool… Continue reading New Music Monday – Emily Cooley

New Music Monday – Quinn Dizon

Justin Giarrusso

I apologize for the short hiatus from New Music Monday! Throwing together an orchestra, being a grad student, and teaching were all vying for my time this month, and something had to give. But enough excuses! Let’s hear some music! Today’s piece is “Concertante” by D.C.-area-based composer Quinn Dizon. In addition to being a composer,… Continue reading New Music Monday – Quinn Dizon

New Music Monday – Jennifer Jolley

Justin Giarrusso

For the second iteration of New Music Monday, I present Spielzeug Straßenbahn by Jennifer Jolley! With Baroque music being close to my heart, it is not all that surprising that a piece that re-imagines Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 stood out to me. There’s also something about the fusion of Baroque and Post-Minimalist idioms that… Continue reading New Music Monday – Jennifer Jolley