FULL LIST OF WORKS

Composition Commissions

  1. Adu-Gilmore, new work for Unheard of Ensemble (piano, clarinet, cello, violin) funded by New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), late 2025. 
  2. Adu-Gilmore, new work for Stroma, mixed chamber ensemble, funded by Creative NZ (the New Zealand Arts Council, late 2025. 
  3. Adu-Gilmore, “Inertia,” for bass clarinetist Alicia Lee and Adu-Gilmore voice/electronics; commissioned by Assistant Professor of Clarinet UW-Madison Alicia Lee, Fall Research Competition through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies at UW-Madison, 2024. 
  4. Adu-Gilmore, L. Agua Es Vida” for Symphony Orchestra, commissioned by Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, 2024.
  5. Adu-Gilmore, L. “DOM” for piano and electronics, commissioned by Henry Wong Doe funded by Creative NZ (NZ Arts Council), 2023. https://rattle.co.nz/catalogue/releases/perspectives
  6. Adu-Gilmore, L. “Disco Military Budget Afterparty” for new-music marching band Asphalt Orchestra commissioned by Carnegie Hall, May 2022.
  7. Adu-Gilmore, L. & Avia, T. “The Massacre” for piano and soprano with words by Tusiata Avia, commissioned by Jenny Wollerman and funded by Creative NZ, 2022. https://www.atoll.co.nz/album.php?acd=282
  8. Adu-Gilmore, L. & Mull, M. “The 2100,” collaborative electroacoustic/radiophonic composition with hip-hop artist BL Shirelle (Mull), commissioned by Network for New Music Philadelphia, 2021.
  9. Adu-Gilmore, L. “Black-Crowned Night Heron” for solo electric guitar for Allstar Mark Stewart commissioned by Bang On A Can, 2020. 
  10. “Coloring-In Book” for choir (SATB) for Donald Nally conductor of The Crossing, Dec 2021. https://youtu.be/mmsgE3cqM-g?si=QT5mPW8ex_pv5bnS
  11. Adu-Gilmore, L. “America The Beautiful (ATB Project): e plurius unum” commissioned by Steinway Artist Min Kwon for Center for Musical Excellence, NJ, Jan 2021
  12. Adu-Gilmore, L. Roulette Intermedium, Artist Commission Concert with Leila Adu Trio & PUBLIQuartet, commissioned by Roulette Intermedium, Brooklyn, May 2021
  13. Adu-Gilmore, L. “Returning Home” & “The Mourn (An Afro-Futurist Chorale),” Death by Life Opera, Scene I, with libretto from incarcerated poets, animated VR opera commissioned by Cerise Jacob Whitesnake Productions, May 2021
  14. Adu-Gilmore, L. & Shore, C.  “Mahakala Oratorio” for large chamber ensemble + mezzo and soprano, Buddhist Texts translated from Pali by Chime Shore, performed Chatterbird ensemble + Leila Adu & Rebeskah Alexander, 2020, commissioned by Chatterbird, Nashville with New Music USA Grant Award, Dec 2020. Multimedia video: https://www.chatterbird.org/mahakala-oratorio-text
  15. Adu-Gilmore, L. “Aksobya” for piano, voice and electronics, Buddhist Texts translated from Pali by Chime Shore, performed by Leila Adu commissioned for Longbeach Opera Songbook commissioned by Long Beach Opera, Nov 2020.
  16. Adu-Gilmore, L. & Howe,  M.  “The Landing,” for string quartet, harp + voice with poem by Mary How, commissioned by Danielle Birrittella for Prototype Fesitval, 2019.
  17. Adu-Gilmore, L. “For Edna,” for solo cello, commissioned and performed by Amanda Gookin, Forward Music Project (empowering women and girls through music),  2016.
  18. Adu-Gilmore, L. & Halpern, K. “Two Voices,” 2016, for voice (text by K. Halpern) + BitKlavier, commissioned and performed by for K.A.T.E.S. piano/Kate Campbell and dance/Katelyn Halpern.
  19. “Blessings as Rain Fall,” for symphony orchestra and voice, commissioned by Orchestra Wellington as 2014-Composer-in-Residence, 2014.
  20. Works-In-Progress: “Hui” VR movement theater project composition, commissioned by director Kasia Pol in collaboration with Maori traditional singer/performing artist Ria Paki funded by Creative New Zealand (New Zealand Arts Council).

Premières & Special Performances

Many of the following compositions are performed frequently and unlisted here. The following contains performances through prestigious venues and ensembles (with “originally composed” date), or world premières.

  1. Unheard of Ensemble with Leila Adu-Gilmore, Gowanus Cultural Ecologies Festival, May 24, 2025. 
  2. Haus de Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures, Berlin), Always, Already There: An Incubator for Afrodiasporic New Music ‘Composing While Black’ Concert International Contemporary Ensemble, “Freedom Suite” song cycle composed by Adu-Gilmore, performed by members of the International Contemporary Ensemble with Damian Norfleet (baritone), and Leila Adu-Gilmore (mezzo-soprano), Nov 2024.
  3. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York Philharmonic co-presented with MoMA Concert Series: Sound On: Composing While Black: Volume II, International Contemporary Ensemble’s performance of “Alyssum” (for string quartet & harp), Oct, 2024.
  4.  Dussseldorf Tonnehalle (Düsseldorf) “Agua Es Vida” for Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, Green Mondays Sustainability Series, Feb, 2024.
  5. REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney Cal Arts Theater (LA) “The Landing,” for string quartet, harp + voice, part of Magdalene opera performed by Danielle Birrittella, 2024.
  6. Tanglewood Contemporary Music Festival (Lennox, MA) “United Underdog” for solo piano, 2024.
  7. Jack H. Skirball Center For The Performing Arts (New York), “Freedom Suite” for large chamber ensemble & voice, Alyssum for string quartet & harp, and Mahakala Oratorio large chamber ensemble & voice; Anthony Davis & Leila Adu-Gilmore Double-Bill Concert, 2024. World Première on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/923527319
  8. Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Indiana), Perspectives world première, “DOM” for piano and electronics, Henry Wong Doe, 2023.
  9. ACDA (American Choral Directors Association), (Cincinnati, OH), “Colouring-In Book” for choir, The Cleveland Chamber Choir, 2023.
  10. Royal Albert Hall (London) “Freedom Suite,” for large chamber ensemble + voice (originally composed 2014), performed by The London Sinfonietta with Elaine Mitchener, 2022.
  11. Carnegie Hall Citywide Series, Bryant Park (NY) “Disco Military Budget Afterparty” for new-music marching band Asphalt Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Citywide series, May 2022.
  12. Le Poisson Rouge (NYC) “Negative Space” for large chamber ensemble plus voice, Helix! feat. soprano, Joel Dyson conducted by Kynan Johns, 2022.
    • Review: David Wright, Helix! Reflects Social Justice Streams with Bryan Cantata, Diverse New Works, New York Classical Review, 2022.
  13. Big Ears Festival (Knoxville, TN), “Black-Crowned Night Heron” for solo electric guitar performed by Bang On A Can Allstar Mark Stewart, 2022.
  14. Michael Fowler Centre, New Zealand Festival of the Arts, Broadcast on Radio New Zealand Concert FM ,“The Massacre” for piano and soprano with words by Tusiata Avia, performed by Jenny Wollerman and Jian Liu, 2022.
  15. WoCo Fest (Women Composer Festival) Leila Adu Duo, 2022.
  16. Lincoln Center, Bruno Walter Auditorium at the NYPL for the Performing Arts; Chamber Music NY, “if the stars align…” performed by the Overlook Quartet, 2021. 
  17. Zellerbach Theatre, Annenberg Center, Penn Arts Live & Dekelboum Concert Hall at the University of Maryland, “Colouring-In Book” The Crossing Choir, 2021.
  18. Hispanic Society of America, Overlook Quartet peforms “if the stars align…”
  19. Bang On A Can Loud Weekend, MASS MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art, Massachusetts), “Black-Crowned Night Heron” for solo electric guitar performed by Bang On A Can Allstar Mark Stewart, 2021.
  20. Death of Classical series, Catacombs Greenwood Cemetary (NY) “United Underdog” for solo piano as part of Steinway pianist Min Kwon’s “America The Beautiful (ATB Project): e plurius unum”, 2021 National Tour, 2021.
  21. REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney Cal Arts Theater (LA)  Magdalena Opera “The Landing,” for string quartet, harp + voice (originally composed for HERE Arts (NYC) PROTOTYPE Festival 2020), Danielle Birrittella, 2024.
  22. HERE Arts PROTOTYPE Festival (NYC) “The Landing,” for string quartet, harp + voice, part of Magdalene opera performed by Danielle Birrittella, 2020.
  23. Bang On A Can Marathon (online) “Black-Crowned Night Heron” for solo electric guitar performed by Bang On A Can Allstar Mark Stewart, 2020
  24. Ojai Music Festival, “if the stars align…”  for string quartet and “Alyssum” and for string quartet and harp (originally composed 2014), performed by Calder Quartet feat. Bridget Kibbey, 2016 and “if the stars align…” for string quartet (originally composed for Brentano String Quartet, 2012), performed by the Calder Quartet, 2016.
  25. Taplin Auditorium, Princeton University, “Colour Wheel,” set of piano studies, performed by Kate Campbell, 2013
  26. Taplin Auditorium, Princeton University, “if the stars align…” for string quartet composed and performed for Brentano String Quartet, 2012.
  27. Princeton Richardson Auditorium: “Te Wairua O Ma Wai Kainga,” for orchestra, performed by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, 2012.