THEATER WORKS

CDs (available from the composer):

Blind Witness News (2006)

An operatic parody of the television news. With Deborah Karpel – soprano, Nathan Resika – baritone, Leandra Ramm – mezzo-soprano, Aram Tchobanian – tenor, and Ishmael Wallace – piano.

The Constitution: a secular oratorio (2005)

A setting of the U.S. Constitution. With Beth Anne Hatton – soprano, Silvie Jensen – mezzo-soprano, Aram Tchobanian – tenor, Bruce Rameker – baritone, and Ishmael Wallace – piano.

The Subject (2003)

A psychiatric opera in one 50-minute act. With Carla Wood – mezzo-soprano, Thomas Bogdan – tenor, Stephen Kalm – baritone, and Elizabeth Rodgers – piano.

April 15th Blues, CRI #1040 (1999)

A musical theater piece about taxes. With Elaine Valby – mezzo-soprano, Randall Scarlata – baritone.

A Marriage Cantata (20′)

A setting for mezzo, baritone and piano of nine poems on the theme of marriage, love and aging by Edward Lear, Donald Hall, Muriel Rukeyser, Ogden Nash, Billy Collins, William Carlos Williams and William Shakespeare. Premiere March 28th, 2010 at Bargemusic by David and Majie Kravitz.

Clarence & Anita (90′)

A "docu-opera" in two acts based on the Anita Hill–Clarence Thomas hearings. Libretto adapted by the composer from the official transcript of the Judiciary Committee hearings. Excerpts performed October, ’93, and May, ’95 at Merkin Hall, NYC. Entire opera given a semi-staged reading by the Center for Contemporary Opera, October 29, ’08 at the cell theatre, NYC, with Roland Burks and Adrienne Danrich.

Excerpts available on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMM9Qfk6aAk

The Constitution: a secular oratorio (80′)

A setting of large portions of the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights and subsequent amendments, for SATB chorus and soloists, with piano accompaniment. Premiered Nov. 18th, 2005 at the General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen. NYC. Performed again at the same venue in September, 2006. Featured on Cat Radio Café on WBAI radio in January of 2006.

April Fifteenth Blues (30′)

A musical theater piece about taxes for mezzo, baritone, violin, cello, piano and percussion, book and lyrics by the composer. With Elaine Valby and Randall Scarlata. Commissioned by Composers Recordings, Inc. in 1999. Recorded on CRI, catalog # 1040. Premiered live on April 15th, 2005, St. Michael’s Church, NYC, with Melanie Mitrano and Bruce Rameker. CD played often on April 15th on WNYC Radio.

A Brief Encounter (15′)

A chamber musical for three singer/actors, with book and lyrics by the composer. Performed at the BMI Musical Theater Workshop. Spring, 1995, and at Greenwich House Music School, March 1997, with Elaine Valby.

The Life of Me (20′)

A chamber musical for baritone, mezzo and chamber ensemble (flute/clarinet, piano, harp, 'cello and percussion, with book and lyrics by the composer. Premiered at Greenwich House, Spring, ’93, with Carla Wood – mezzo-soprano, and Stephen Kalm – baritone.

Music Appreciation (full evening)

Work in progress

A musical-theatre piece centered on a college music appreciation classroom, with book and lyrics by the composer. Excerpts performed April 9th, ’04 at the South Oxford Street Space in Brooklyn, and in May, ’07 at St. Michael’s Parish Hall.

Amendments (12′)

A cantata for solo baritone and piano setting Constitutional amendments. Premiered by baritone André Solomon-Glover in 1992 at Greenwich House Music School. Arranged for chorus and incorporated into The Constitution in 2005.

The Subject (50′)

A psychiatric opera for mezzo-soprano, baritone and tenor, with keyboard accompaniment. Libretto by Charles Bernstein. Excerpts performed Nov. 12, 1991, and Feb. 12, 1992, at Friends & Enemies of New Music concerts, Greenwich House, NYC, with Carla Wood – mezzo, Tom Bogdan – tenor, Stephen Kalm – baritone and Elizabeth Rodgers – piano.

Excerpts available at: http://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/Yarmolinsky.html

The Lenny Paschen Show (50′)

A late-night television talk show opera (companion to Blind Witness News) for SATB soloists and five-piece band, Libretto by Charles Bernstein. Premiered in a semi-staged reading at American Opera Projects, November, ’92.

Excerpts available at: http://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/Yarmolinsky.html

Blind Witness News (30′)

A television news opera for soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor and baritone soloists and two keyboards. Libretto by Charles Bernstein. First performed in December 1990 at American Opera Projects, Inc. NYC. Robert Black conducting. Revised and expanded for Cantiamo Opera, Dec. ’05, with Deborah Karpel – soprano, Leandra Ramm – mezzo, Aram Tchobanian – tenor, Nathan Resika – baritone, Ishmael Wallace – piano.

Excerpts available at: http://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/Yarmolinsky.html

The Bill of Rights: A Secular Oratorio (25′)

For SATB chorus, SATB soloists and piano – ’88. Performed at Bargemusic, Ltd., NYC, the composer conducting. Premiered 8/8/ ’88. Revised and incorporated into The Constitution in 2005.

Blanche (60′)

Chamber opera based on Balzac's short story Le Péché Véniel. Libretto by the composer. First half performed by American Opera Projects, Inc., November 1989 at the Blue Door Studio, Broome Street, New York City. Entire piece given unstaged reading, Spring ’91, with soprano Marci Jellison.

Alice (50′)

Musical theater piece on Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass – ’81. Performed as a puppet show at the American School of Tangier, the composer conducting a student ensemble, Fall ’81. New version revised and arranged for violin, cello, piano and percussion in 2005, premiered at St. Michael’s Church NYC, April 2005, with Silvie Jensen – mezzo-soprano, Judith Barnes – soprano, Erin Shields – mezzo-soprano, Aram Tchobanian – tenor, Bruce Rameker – baritone.

FILM SCORES, INCIDENTAL MUSIC AND ORCHESTRATIONS

Streetcar Suite (20′)

Incidental music for “A Streetcar Named Desire” for trumpet, violin and piano. Commissioned by and presented at the American School of Tangier, June 2004.

Going Home (40′)

(With Joel Hamburger), Score for a documentary film about women in prison, directed by Mark Benjamin. Premiere Sept. 20, ’02. Laemmle Theater, Los Angeles. Shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination, Nov. ’02, broadcast on Cinemax, Sept. ’03.

AST Drama Festival 2000 (20′)

Incidental music linking twelve scenes from twelve plays. Commissioned and presented by the American School of Tangier. Premiered June 2000, in Tangier.

Saint Joan (20′)

Incidental music for the play by George Bernard Shaw. Commissioned by the American School of Tangier. Premiered June 1998, in Tangier.

The Big Mirror (40′)

(Film score) For string quartet, flutes, guitar, percussion and piano – ’88. Recorded in New York, winter ’88, the composer conducting. (Score commissioned and ultimately not used by the director Moumen Smihi.)

"44" or “Les Récits de la Nuit” (20′)

(Film score) for flute, violin, clarinet, piano and guitar. Recorded in Paris, ensemble conducted by the composer. Directed by Moumen Smihi. Released 1985.

Eggs (4′)

(Animated short) 16mm, 1977 Animation by Ruth Hayes.

Genevieve de Brabant (20′)

An orchestration for seven instruments of Erik Satie's puppet opera – ’86. Performed with the Penny Jones Puppet Company at Bargemusic, NYC, Summer ’86.

VOCAL WORKS

CHORAL MUSIC

Twelve Rounds (20′)

Canonic settings for SATB chorus, with piano accompaniment, of poems by A.R. Ammons, William Blake, Robert Frost, Rabbi Hillel, Samuel Menashe, Charles Simic, Wallace Stevens, and Ben Yarmolinsky. First six rounds written for the Saint Ann's School Chorus, performed on May 2, ’96. Revised and expanded version performed by Equal Voices, May ’08 at Greenwich House Music School, NYC.

Kaddish (6′)

A setting of the mourner’s Kaddish prayer for soloist, chorus, strings and harp. Premiered on Nov. 17th, ’02 at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church, NYC, with the Douglas Frank Chorale, Gregg Lauterbach – soloist, the composer conducting.

The Star-Spangled Banner (3′)

An arrangement of the national anthem for SATB chorus, with or without piano accompaniment.

Psalms for Jerusalem (25′)

Eight psalm settings for chorus and soloists with flute, oboe, harp, organ or strings, and percussion. Revised in the summer of 2001. Excerpts performed on Nov. 17th, ’02 at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church, NYC by the Douglas Frank Chorale. Three psalms were given a reading by Vocalessence, Jan. 10, ’04, Minneapolis, MN.

SONGS

CDs (available from the composer):

New Music by Ben Yarmolinsky (2007)

Includes New York Minutes, Menashe Songs and Berry Songs. Bruce Rameker – baritone, Marija Ilic and Ishmael Wallace – piano.

Late Valentines (2006)

A concert of love songs for voice and guitar by Yarmolinsky & Gershwin. Silvie Jensen – mezzo-soprano, Ben Yarmolinsky – guitar.

In Lieu of Flowers (2001)

Occasional songs performed by the composer.

Menashe Songs (36′)

Twenty-four songs on poems by Samuel Menashe. Premiered June ‘05, Henry Street Settlement House, NYC, and at Greenwich House Music School, May ’08. Bruce Rameker – baritone, Francisco Roldán – guitar, Ishmael Wallace – piano. Released on CD, December ’07, Bruce Rameker with pianist Marija Ilic

Berry Songs (8′)

Four songs on poems by Wendell Berry. Premiered June, 05, Henry Street Settlement House, NYC, Bruce Rameker – baritone, Ishmael Wallace – piano.

Shakespeare Songs (10′)

Five songs from Shakespeare plays set for voice & guitar. Premiered Feb. 17th, 2006, Symphony Space, NYC, Silvie Jensen – mezzo-soprano, the composer accompanying.

Frost Songs (10′)

Six poems by Robert Frost. set for medium voice and guitar. Premiered at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church in May, ’04, Bruce Rameker – baritone, accompanied by the composer.

Songs of Experience (12′)

Seven songs on poems by William Blake, set for medium voice and piano. Premiered May 16th, 2003 at the Elebash Recital Hall, NYC, Robert Osborne – baritone.

Schubert Songs (15′)

A cycle of songs on poems by David Schubert. Premiered at Elebash Recital Hall, May, ’02. Scott Murphree – tenor, Kelly Horsted – piano. Second performance by baritone Chris Pedro Trakas at the cell theatre, May ’09.

Excerpt available on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCCiU-XYiM

In Lieu of Flowers (80′)

A collection of 32 occasional songs on lyrics by the composer. Performed at the Cornelia Street Café, Winter, ’01. Released on CD, Sept. ’01.

Cast A Cold Eye (15′)

A song cycle on eight poems by William Butler Yeats for medium voice and guitar, piano or harp. Premiered in 1999 at Greenwich House Music School, NYC, Richard Lalli – baritone, the composer accompanying.

Cante Jondo (12′)

Nine songs on poems by Federico García Lorca, for mezzo, guitar and hand percussion. Commissioned by Elaine Valby. Premiered March 26th, ‘98, Christ & St. Stephen's Church, NYC. Elaine Valby – mezzo, B.Y.-guitar, Tom Kolor – percussion.

Stevens Songs (25′)

Settings of twelve poems by Wallace Stevens for medium voice and piano. Six performed on Dec. 6, ’95 at Greenwich House, NYC. Nine perfomed on June 4, ’99 at Weill Recital Hall, NYC. Elaine Valby – mezzo-soprano, Kelly Horsted – piano.

From Ashbery to Zukofsky (Ongoing)

Settings of poems for solo voice accompanied by piano or guitar.

John Ashbery — No Longer Very Clear

Charles Bernstein — Don’t Get Me Wrong, Wherever Angels Go, O Heart of Mine, Shenandoah, Endless Destination, Love is Like Love (see also operas)

William Blake — (see Songs of Experience)

Paul Bowles — (see Bowles Songs)

Basil Bunting — Briggflats Coda

Lewis Carroll — (see Alice)

Billy Collins — Endangered, Forgetfulness, Litany, Vade Mecum

ee cummings — in just-spring

Babette Deutsch — Damnation, Hope, “The Laurels Are All Cut” (see also Animal Songs)

Emily Dickinson — Evening Comes

Ray DiPalma — (see DiPalma Songs)

Paul Goodman — Rain in Spring

Edward Gorey — The Doubtful Guest, The Sinking Spell

Donald Hall — The Impossible Marriage

Oliver Herford — The Swan

Edward Lear — The Jumblies, The Owl & the Pussycat

Federico Garcia Lorca — (see Cante Jondo)

Brad Leithauser — Hundreds of Fireflies

Judith Malina — Song

Samuel Menashe — (see Menashe Songs)

Ogden Nash — I Do, I Will, I Have

Leonard Nathan — A Reading of History (see also Nathan Songs)

William Pillin — She Set Him Free

Theodore Roethke — The Sloth

Muriel Rukeyser — Myth

James Schuyler — Salute

James Sherry — She’ll Be Comin’ Round

Wallace Stevens — (see Stevens Songs)

Dylan Thomas — In My Craft

Walt Whitman — To You

William Carlos Williams — Marriage

Elinor Wylie — Little Elegy

William Butler Yeats — (see Cast a Cold Eye)

Louis Zukofsky — Song of Degrees

Animal Songs (8′)

Song cycle on six poems by Babette Deutsch, for medium voice and seven instruments – ’86, piano version – ’88. First performed at Bargemusic, NYC, ensemble conducted by the composer, Summer, ’86, with Marcella Calabi – soprano.

Nathan Songs (12′)

Song cycle on five poems by Leonard Nathan, for medium voice, string quartet and clarinet – ’86, (revised ’88). First performance at Greenwich House, NYC, Later arranged for piano and premiered by mezzo-soprano Mary Ann Hart in 2001.

Bowles Songs (15′)

Song cycle on seven poems by Paul Bowles for baritone and piano – ’82–’83, revised ’89. First performance at Greenwich House, NYC, Stephen Kalm – baritone, Elizabeth Rodgers – piano, Sept. ’89.

INSTRUMENTAL WORKS

CDs (available from the composer):

Music for Guitar (2004)

Original works for solo classical guitar, played by the composer.

Suite for Tangier and Brotherhoods (2000)

Chamber music inspired by Morocco.

ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

Concerto for guitar & orchestra (22′)

Concerto in three movements for classical guitar and chamber orchestra. Premiere of third movement with the Bronx Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Scott Jackson Wiley, May 5th, ’04.

Blues for a Dead Princess (7′)

Movement for orchestra. Commissioned by the American Composers Forum for Saint Ann’s School Orchestra. Premiered May 27th, 1998, Brooklyn. Revised in the summer of 2001.

Clockwork for Orchestra (7′)

November, ’97. A symphonic overture (unperformed).

CHAMBER MUSIC

Two Duets for Two Guitars (15′)

Premiered in May ’08 at the Tenri Cultural Institute by Francisco Roldán and the composer.

New York Minutes (6′)

Duo for guitar and piano, later arranged for the Zigzag Quartet with bass and percussion. Premiered by the Roldán-Wu Duo. Performed by the Zigzag Quartet at many venues, including Lincoln Center, ’07–’09.

Twinkle Variations (8′)

Twelve variations on “Twinkle, twinkle” for violin, cello and piano. Written as an overture to Alice. Premiered April 15th, ’05, St. Michael’s Parish Hall, NYC.

French Suite (24′)

Suite in the Baroque style for cello and harpsichord. Commissioned by the Simpson-Spieth Duo. Premiered April 19th, ’03 in Paris at La Vieille Grille. U.S. premiere May, ’04 at the Elebash Recital Hall, NYC.

The Power of One (13′)

Suite for unaccompanied cello. Premiered at CAMI Hall, Spring 2001, by David Simpson.

Klezmer Wedding Music (10′)

Five movements for clarinet, trumpet, trombone, piano and bass. Premiered by the Klezmer Conservatory Band. Commissioned for the wedding of Michelle Menken and Joshua Crain, March 10th, ’01, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, Boston.

Suite for Tangier (20′)

Thirteen short movements for oboe, violin, cello and guitar. Commissioned by the American School of Tangier for its 50th anniversary Premiered at Greenwich House, Spring, 2000.

Ballpark Variations (10′)

A set of variations for clarinet, cello and piano. Premiered 9/9/99 at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church, NYC

Suite for Flute & Guitar (12′)

Premiered June 4th, ’97, Christ & St. Stephen's Church, NYC, with Karl Kraber – flute, B.Y.-guitar.

Nine Pieces (20′)

For piano 4-hands. Commissioned by Anne & Sig Abeles. 1996. Revised and expanded in 2000. Selections premiered Nov. 27, ’00, Greenwich House, NYC. Recorded by the Hoke-Birk Duo.

Piano Quartet (15′)

A four-movement work for violin, viola, 'cello and piano. Commissioned by Saint Ann's school with a grant from Meet the Composer's New Music for Schools. Premiered June 17, ’96.

Brotherhoods (12′)

Three dance movements based on Moroccan Sufi trance music for two oboes, percussion quartet and cello. Premiered March 20, ’96 at the Washington Square Church, NYC, by the Talujon Percussio Quartet and guests.

Dark Eyes Variations (10′)

For flute, clarinet, violin, viola, 'cello, and piano – ’87. First performed at the Third Street Music School, New York City, Spring ’87. Choreographed by Diane Gozemba and presented by "Convergence" at St. Mark's in-the-Bowery, June ’90, the composer conducting.

Violin Sonata (15′)

For violin and piano – ’87. Performed on many occasions in New York, Fall ’89. Premiered by Ting Fan and Gary S. Hammond.

Funfair (5′)

For brass quartet – ’80, (revised ’86).

First performed at Bargemusic, New York City, August 1980.

GUITAR SOLO

Farewell Variations (10′)

Variations on an original theme for solo guitar.

Guitar Sonata (22′)

Sonata in four movements for classical guitar. Premiered in November, ’04.

We Shall Overcome (10′)

Variations for solo guitar on the eponymous spiritual. Premiered 10/10/99 at Greenwich House Music School, NYC.

The Star-Spangled Banner (3′)

An arrangement of the national anthem for solo guitar.

Suite (12′)

Five movements for solo guitar. Premiered in November, ’04.