Reena Esmail

Composer

chronological list of works

(click here for a list of works by instrumentation)

2017

  • Nadiya (2016)
    for flute and cello (12 min)
    alternate versions for flute/viola and violin/bassoon
    commissioned by Pieces of Eight – Benjamin Larsen and Martha Cargo

2016

  • This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity (2016)
    for SATB Chorus, baroque orchestra, sitar and tabla (40 min, 7 mmts)
    commissioned by Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Juilliard Historical Performance
  • Partita for solo violin (2016-17)
    commissioned by Vijay Gupta
  • I Rise: Women in Song (2016)
    for women’s chorus and string orchestra (25 min, 5 mmts)
    versions available for women’s chorus and piano, women’s chorus and flute, and a chamber version (one on a part)
    commissioned by Lehigh University Choral Arts, Sun Min Lee, conductor
  • TaReKiTa (2016)
    for SATB chorus (3 min)
    commissioned by Urban Voices Project
  • Amrit (Ramnath, arr. Esmail) (2016)
    for string quartet (7 min)
    commissioned by Kronos Quartet for the Fifty for the Future project
  • Take What You Need (2016)
    Versions for: double choir and string orchestra; SATB; SATB+violin obbligato; SATB+string quintet, solo violin, voice and piano 
    commissioned by Street Symphony and Urban Voices Project
  • E Safar (2016)
    for Hindustani vocals (variable timing – improvised)
    commissioned by Payton MacDonald for Sonic Divide Project
  • Side by Side (2016)
    for viola and oboe (7 min)
    commissioned by River Oaks Chamber Orchestra
  • Teen Murti (new arr. for string quartet + cello) (2016)
    for string quartet + cello (12 min)
    commissioned by Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for Joshua Roman, cello
  • Tuttarana (new arr. for brass quintet) (2016)
    for brass quintet (3 min)
    commissioned by CityScape project, Curtis Instutite of Music
  • Avartan (आवर्तन) (2016)
    for orchestra (10 min)
    commissioned by American Composers Orchestra
    with a film by Neeraj Jain

2015

  • Dadra in Raga Bhairavi (N. Rajam arrangement) (2015)
    for string quartet (9 min)
    commissioned by Kronos Quartet
  • Perhaps (2015)
    for cello and film (rev. from 2005 version) (10 min)
    with a new film by Heather McCalden
  • Earth Speaks (2015)
    for SATB chorus, horn and piano (45 min)
    commissioned by Pasadena Master Chorale

2014

  • Tuttarana (2014)
    for women’s chorus (3 min)
    commissioned by Mt. Holyoke Glee Club
  • score for Radha (2014)
    short film
    Rupeshi Shah, filmmaker
  • Curiosity (2014)
    for SATB Chorus and piano (13 min)
    commissioned by the Pasadena Master Chorale

2013

  • String Quartet (Ragamala) (2013) (19 min)
    I.   Fanatsie (Bihag Overlay)
    II.  Scherzo (Malkauns)
    III. Recitativo (Basant)
    IV.  Rondo (Jog)
    commissioned by the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and premiered by the Flux Quartet

2012

2011

  • Prelude #1
    for piano (4 mins)
  • Four Vignettes
    commissioned by Duel – 
    Dariya Nikolenko, flute     Candy Chiu, marimba
  • Silence
    for alto, violin, cello, flute, oboe and clarinet (6 mins)
    commissioned by Chamber Music Conference East
  • Asterion in the Tropics
    commissioned by the Haverford College Choir (7 min)
    Tian Hui Ng, conductor
    poetry by Edgar Garcia

2010

  • Answering
    with Nazima Ahmad, artist
    for two dancers, nine contact mics and live electronic processing     (7 mins)
  • Zinfandel
    for unaccompanied bassoon (5 mins)
    commissioned by Bruno and Norma Repp
  • Feritas
    for trumpet sextet (7 mins)
    commissioned by the Yale School of Music trumpet studio
  •  Aria
     for hindustani vocalist and orchestra (13 mins)

2009

  • White Key
    for SSAATTBB Chorus (14 mins)
    poetry of Carol Muske Dukes

2008

2007

  • two tones
    for soprano/alto, violin and piano (5 mins)
    poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke

2006

  • this is just to say
    for soprano, violin and piano (4 mins)
    poetry of William Carlos Williams
  • Ritual
    for SATB Chorus, clarinet and piano (5 mins)
    poetry of William Stafford

2005

  • Perhaps
    for unaccompanied cello (5 mins)
  • Unfortunate Coincidence
    eight songs for soprano and chamber ensemble (string quartet, 2 flutes (picc)
    2 clarinets in b-flat (bass clarinet) and harp     (18 mins)
    poetry of Dorothy Parker
  • Three Haikus for a Bench
    for soprano and piano (5 mins)

2004

  •  passing|thought
     for orchestra (4 mins)

2003

  • Children’s Suite
    for piano (5 mins)

2002

  • The Primordial Basement
    for solo bass trombone (5 mins)
  • Two Rasas
    for unaccompanied viola (8 mins)

2001

  • Spirals on Light
    or flute, viola and harp (7 mins)
  • Elegism
    for unaccompanied cello (8 mins)
  • Enigma, I
    for three violins, bass, piano, trombone, drum set, narrator and dancer (18 mins)

2000

  • Desire
    for clarinet and piano (4 mins)
  • Fantasia
    for flute, viola and harp (8 mins)

1999

  • Sunrise Toccata
    for piano (5 mins)