GORDON BEEFERMAN
composer & pianist

THE SWAY (2022)

Solo violin/voice, 15 minutes. Commissioned by Eden MacAdam-Somer and the New England Conservatory Department of Contemporary Musical Arts for the Department’s 50th Anniversary season. Premiere November 15, 2022, Jordan Hall, Boston

APOCALYPSCAPADES (2018-19)

for solo piano, 30 min. Premiered by Steve Beck, Stephen Gosling, Marilyn Nonken, and Gordon Beeferman, December 17, 2021, I-Beam Brooklyn

ALERTA! (ANTIFASCISTA) (2020)

for soprano, violin, clarinet, piano, 12 min. Written for the Washington Square Chamber Music Society. Texts: anti-fascist slogans and chants in Spanish, Greek, and Yiddish, plus speeches, interviews, and other writings by Crimethinc, Marek Edelman, Robert F. Williams, Clara Zetkin, and others. Premiere: April 15, 2023, Talea Ensemble, Washington Square Chamber Music Society at Tenri Cultural Center, New York City

written for ORGAN TRIO (2016)

Play Before the Play
Fathoms
Pistol/Pulse
Vanishing Point
Alley’s Allure

YOU, THE WEATHER, A WOLF (2016)

For 4 voices (SATB) and piano four-hands, texts by Laurie Stone. Commissioned by Lenore Davis for St. Urban. Premiere May 18, 2016 at St. Urban salon concerts. Duration: 25 minutes.

THERE ARE PEOPLE (2013)

Laurie Stone; for voice and piano. Premiere: Sharon Harms, soprano; Joanna Chao, piano; Argento at the Play Loud! Festival, November 6, 2014

TUNNEL VISIONS (2015)

Viola and piano. 26 minutes. Commissioned by Peter Pohly for violist Stephanie Griffin. Premiere: Momenta Festival, New York, October 4, 2015.

Video recording from Momenta Quartet Festival, October 4, 2015

OCCUPY BASSOON (2015)

Solo bassoon, 20 minutes. Commissioned and premiered by Peter Kolkay. First performance: Vanderbilt University, February 2015; second performances: Here and Now Festival at Bargemusic, Brooklyn NY, Sepember 2015

Watch a performance of this piece

ODE TO A NYC CONDOM (2014)

text: Charlotte Jackson. Premiere: AIDS Quilt Songbook, Phoenix Concerts, New York City, November 14, 2014

Watch a performance of this piece

written for OTHER LIFE FORMS (2005-2014)

Bed Head (2014)
Hourglass Daydream (2014)
Puddle Jump (2013)
Bad Strategy (2011)
Creep (2011)
Fresh Press (2006 rev 2011)
Get Got (2010)
Path (2007)
Vertical (2005 rev 2011)

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MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY REPORT (2002)

For full orchestra, 10 min. Commissioned by the BMI Foundation/Carlos Surinach Fund for David Alan Miller and the Albany Symphony Orchestra; Premiere: March 14, 2003 at the Troy Savings Bank Hall, Troy, NY, by the Albany Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Alan Miller. Additional performance by New England Philharmonic, Richard Pittman, conductor, 2004.

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Cutaneous

Kursk

Interlude (Fight Scene)

Grandmother in the Bed

LAST WASH (2010/2014)

fl, ob, b. cl, hn, tp, tbn, 2 perc, piano, vn, va, vc, cb; 5 1/2 min.
Premiere: May 6, 2014, by the Orchestra of the League of Composers at Merkin Hall, NYC

THE QUIET (2013)

text: Timothy Schirmer; for voice and piano, 4 min.

THE ENCHANTED ORGAN: A PORN OPERA

“The Enchanted Organ” is a burlesque opera that celebrates sexuality and satirizes the porn industry, while parodying four hundred years of the operatic tradition. Composer/librettist team Gordon Beeferman and Charlotte Jackson bring wit and polymorphous perversity to this journey through “the Magical Kingdom of Porn,” a place where past and present, straight and queer, and dead and living converge. Drawing on influences as diverse as classic 70s porn soundtracks, baroque oratorio, Ancient Greek hymns, and the Nutcracker ballet, this work-in-progress is as close as you’ll get (or want to get!) to “aural sex.”

Duration: two hours, with one intermission. Instrumentation: alto sax/recorder/bass clarinet, violin, guitar/elec. guitar, bass/electric bass, organ/piano/harpsichord (2 players), drumset

Act I was premiered as a work-in-progress at Dixon Place, June 22-23, 2012, directed by Beth Greenberg.


“An Edifying Masque” from Act Two, performed at Operotica, New York City, January 2015

For more information, including videos and photos of our 2012 preview production of Act One, visit www.enchantedorgan.com.

RACKET (2014)

fl, ob, cl, hn, tp, tbn, 2 perc, piano, vn, va, vc, cb; 5 1/2min.
Premiere: May 6, 2014, by the Orchestra of the League of Composers at Merkin Hall, NYC

FOUR PARTS FIVE (2012) 30 min.

Alto sax/bass clarinet/flute, piano/organ, electric guitar, bass, drumset. 30 minutes. Performed by Gordon Beeferman and quintet, February 2013.

SAN FRANCISCO SONGS (1998-2000)

words by Jane Barnes; for tenor and full orchestra, 25 min. (unperformed)

MINI SONATA (2007/2010)

6 min. recorded February 2012 by Gordon Beeferman.

THERE ARE PEOPLE (2013)

text: Laurie Stone; for baritone, trumpet, bass clarinet, and trombone. 5 min.
premiere: loadbang ensemble, Tenri Cultural Center, NYC, April 2013

QUADRILLE (2012) 9 min.

piano and string quartet, 9 minutes. Performed by the Momenta Quartet with Gordon Beeferman, piano; premiered at Gretna Music, August 2012. Additional performances at New York University, March 2013; and at Roulette, New York City, October 2013.

ROBERT (2013)

text: Laurie Stone. for bass voice and piano. 5 minutes. Premiere: Joe Chappel, bass; Gordon Beeferman, piano; AIDS Quilt Songbook, William Way LGBT Center, Philadelphia, May 11, 2013.

FOR ONCE, THEN, SOMETHING (2007)

live piano with recorded electronics, 20 minutes. Written for Anita Cheng Dance; premiere May 31, June 1-2, 2007 by Gordon Beeferman, piano, Mulberry Street Theater, New York, NY.

watch an excerpt

PETAL (2007)

solo bass, 5 minutes. Commissioned and premiered by James Ilgenfritz.

SYMPHONY #1 (1996-97)

for full orchestra, 25 min. Third movement (La Aurora, 15 min.) premiered by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Orchestra Hall, Chicago, conducted by Cliff Colnot, April 11, 1999; additional performance by Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra, Los Angeles, June 1999. First and second movements presented in a public reading by the Minnesota Orchestra, at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, conducted by Giancarlo Guerrero, March 2002.

Read more about "Symphony #1"

CITY SHORE (2003)

written for Anita Cheng Dance; Premiere January 9-10-11, 2003, at the Merce Cunningham Studio, New York, by Gordon Beeferman, piano. 11 min.

WEST OF WINTER (2004)

Score for 4 soprano voices, 15 min.  Written for Anita Cheng Dance; premiere January 13,14,15,16, 2005 at the Joyce SoHo, New York, Lisa Bielawa, soprano.

HABITATS (2011)

flute, viola, trombone, percussion, 25 minutes. Commissioned by the American Music Center Live Music for Dance program for choreographer Anita Cheng. Premiere April 28-May 1, 2011, Abrons Arts Center, New York, by Jen Baker, Stephanie Griffin, Margaret Lancaster, David Shively.

Shorter version for nine instruments (flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, horn, percussion, violin, viola, cello, bass). 10 minutes. Premiered by International Contemporary Ensemble, April 2012, at New York University.

RITES OF SUMMER (2007) 25 min.

flute/picc, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, duration 25 minutes. Commissioned by Eleanor Eisenmenger/20th Century Unlimited. Premiere May 14, 2008 by the California EAR Unit at REDCAT/Disney Hall, Los Angeles.

BRASS QUINTET (2007)

C Tpt., Bb Tpt., Horn, Ten. Trb, Bass Trb., 15 minutes. Commissioned by the American Brass Quintet with funds from the Jerome Foundation. 15 min. Premiere July 23, 2008 at the Aspen Music Festival; additional performance at Juilliard School, November 2008.

PASSAGES (2006)

For recorder quartet,14 minutes. Commissioned by Concert Artists Guild for Quartet New Generation recorder collective. Premiere: February 8, 2007 at the Symphony Space Thalia, NYC. Numerous additional international performances by Quartet New Generation.

CD available here.

STRING QUARTET (2006)

In two movements, 16 minutes. Premiered at the Deer Valley Chamber Music Festival, Park City, Utah, August 5, 2006 by the California Quartet. NYC premiere by the Momenta Quartet, November 9, 2009 at Serial Underground at Cornelia Street Café; additional performance by Momenta at Roulette, December 2010.

BURNT SIENNA (2006)

solo bassoon, 4 minutes. Commissioned by the Albany Symphony. Premiere: March 4, 2007, Albany NY. Version for bass clarinet premiered by Amy Advocat, October 12, 2010, New England Conservatory, Boston. Version for baritone saxophone premiered by Josh Sinton, Anti-Social Music Drinks Alone at Douglass Street Music Collective, May 9, 2013.

TRANSPARENT PATHS (2005)

flute/picc/alto, e.gtr, cello and perc., 21 minutes; written for choreographer Estelle Woodward; premiere: October 21-22, 2005 at the Chocolate Factory, Long Island City, NY

RELIQUARY (2005)

For flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin/viola, cello, percussion, and piano; 23 min. Commissioned by the Fromm Foundation for Music. Premiere by eighth blackbird: October 28, 2006 at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art. 

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PIANO QUARTET (1998)

for piano, violin, viola, and cello, 8 min. Commissioned by the New York Youth Symphony; Premiered April 7, 1999 by members of the New York Youth Symphony at Weill Recital Hall, New York City.

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THE IN-BETWEEN – NINE POEMS OF JANE BARNES (2010)

mezzo-soprano and piano, 20 minutes. Commissioned by the Keighton Fund at Curry College. Premiere November 7, 2010, Milton, Mass, Lois Shapiro, piano, Sarah Pelletier, mezzo-soprano.

written for MUSIC FOR AN IMAGINARY BAND (2009-2010)

trumpet, alto sax, tenor/soprano sax, baritone sax/bass clarinet, piano, bass, and drums/percussion; full concert-length program

Circus
Deep Six
Ex Communication
Far Interlude
Lady Shade
Last Wash
No Meat
POP-POP-POP-POP
Southern Spheres
Vicious Cycle

Read more about "The Imaginary Band"

THE RAT LAND (2003-08)

A chamber opera in four scenes plus a prologue, interlude and epilogue, 2 hours

Libretto by Charlotte Jackson

Instrumentation: flute/picc, Eb/Bb clar, Bass/Contrabass Clar, Alto/Bari Sax; Horn, Trombone; Percussion; Piano; Accordion; Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass

Cast: soprano (2), mezzo-soprano, countertenor/alto, tenor (2), baritone, bass-baritone

Stage premiere: The Industry, Los Angeles, 2014-15 season

Premiere of Prologue and Scene 1 on April 1, 2006 at the Improvised and Otherwise Festival in Brooklyn, NY, by Anti-Social Music and soloists. Concert performance of Prologue and Scene 1 by the New York City Opera / VOX 2007 Showcase, May 12, 2007; Scene two premiered at New York City Opera VOX 2009.


Laurie Rubin as Karen

Martha Sullivan as Louise, Michael Douglas Jones as Theodore

 

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PHENOMENA (2000-2002)

commissioned by Jack and Linda Hoeschler for Concert Artists Guild, with additional support from Premiere Commission, Inc. Premiere October 6, 2005 by Winston Choi, piano at Symphony Space Thalia, New York. 37 min.

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SONATA BOMBASTICA (1996)

for violin and piano, 9 min; Premiered by the composer at the piano and violinist Gabe Bolkosky at the University of Michigan, February 10, 1997

SESAME STREET VARIATIONS (1998)

based on themes from the television series “Sesame Street”; premiered by Gordon Beeferman at the University of Michigan, April 26, 1998. 14 min.

Read more about "Sesame Street variations"

SAN FRANCISCO SONGS (1998-2000)

tenor and piano, 25 min. words by Jane Barnes. Premiered March 10, 2001 at the Greenwich House Music School, New York City, by Tony Boutte, tenor, and Gordon Beeferman, piano. Also version for full orchestra (unperformed).

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ANONYMOUS LYRICS (1994)

soprano and piano, 5 min., settings of anonymous ancient Greek texts translated by Richmond Lattimore. Premiere: Jane Schoonmaker-Rodgers, soprano; Kevin Bylsma, piano.

Read more about "Anonymous Lyrics"

THREE NIGHT MOODS (1995-96)

for two harps and two percussion, 18 min; Premiered April 14, 1997 at the University of Michigan

BE SILENT (1993)

for violin and piano, 7 min.

THE BALLAD OF BODY DYSMORPHIA (2013)

text: Charlotte Jackson; for baritone, trumpet, bass clarinet, and trombone. 4 min.
premiere: loadbang ensemble, Tenri Cultural Center, NYC, April 2013

NOW NO ONE WILL LISTEN TO SONGS (1995)

for bass-baritone, B-flat clarinet, violin, cello, and piano; settings of Russian texts by Akhmatova, Bobyshev, Lermontov, and Mandelstam; First complete performance by Collage New Music with bass-baritone David Ripley, at the C. Walsh Theater in Boston, Mass., March 31, 1996. 18 min.

Read more about "Now no one will listen to songs"

THE GREEK GAZE (1998)

“mini-opera” for 3 women, 2 men, electric guitar, electric bass, and drums. Premiered by members of the ensemble “Caterwaul” at the University of Michigan, March 27, 1998; 4 min.

Read more about "The Greek Gaze"

SAFE, THIS DANGEROUS NIGHT (2000)

solo guitar, 9 min.; Commissioned by guitarist David Leisner; Premiered November 29, 2000 by David Leisner at Jordan Hall, Boston.

Read more about "Safe, This Dangerous Night"