Concert Music

Rick's string quartet, Chthonic Dances, was premiered by the eminent downtown string band ETHEL at the Tribeca New Music Festival, NYC, on May 23, 2011.

All music by Rick Baitz; all rights reserved.

Concert Music

PALIMPSEST for violin and live electronics, composed for violinist Cornelius Dufallo (in progress, 2018).

CHTHONIC DANCES FOR STRING QUARTET (2011, revised 2016). composed for the ETHEL String Quartet.  Premiered by ETHEL at the Tribeca New Music Festival, NYC, May 2011. Allan Kozinn of the NY Times wrote: “For Mr. Baitz, Brazilian rhythms (often in a pizzicato cello line, sometimes driven home by the full ensemble) underpin a chord progression that evokes the lively spirit of South African township rock in a brightly-hued, vigorously melodic score.”  To be released on Innova Recordings, 2018, with Joyce Hammann & Mary Rowell, violins; Beth Meyers, viola & Ashley Bathgate, cello.

Chthonic Dances was the winner of a “Composers Assistance Grant” from the American Music Center.

CHTHONIC DANCES, PART I FOR STRING QUARTET (2009).  Premiered by ETHEL at Lafayette College, PA, Sept. 2009; subsequent performances at Grand Canyon Music Festival, New Mexico History Museum, Festival of New American Music (Sacramento), Brooklyn Public Library.

HALL OF MIRRORS (2015) for Percussion Quartet with live electronics, commissioned by The Juilliard School’s Center for Innovation In The Arts for its Beyond The Machine concert series. Premiered March 26, 2016, featuring Rick Baitz on live electronics, and Brian Shankar Adler on tabla.  To be released on Innova Recordings, 2018.

INTO LIGHT (1984) – Clarinet, viola & piano. To be released on Innova Recordings, 2018, with Ken Thomson, clarinet; Jessica Meyer, viola; Stephen Gosling, piano.

GLORY, GLORY (2002) for SATB Chorus, piano and percussion.  Co-composed with Buryl Red.   Published by Hal Leonard, 2005.  CD Recording: ”Beautiful Star…A Celebration of Christmas (The Centurymen, Conducted By Buryl Red)”, Resimiranda Records.  Premiered at Carnegie Hall by New York City Gay Men’s Chorus, Christmas, 2002.

WHO’LL BE A WITNESS (1999) –  Traditional gospel medley, arranged by Rick Baitz, for CD recording: “WONDROUS LOVE…FEEL THE SPIRIT  (Buryl Red Conducts The Century Men)”, Resimiranda Records. Grammy Nomination, Best Classical Crossover Album.

DARK FIRE (1992)  – violin & cello.  Commissioned by the Hammann/Calhoun Duo.  Performances at The New School and Christ & St. Stephens Church, NYC, by Joyce Hammann and David Calhoun.

RIVER OF JANUARY  (1991)  – Flute, violin, cello, percussion, synthesizer. Commissioned by The Juilliard School.  Grand Prize and Chamber Music Award, Delius Composition Contest.  Selected to represent the US at ISCM World Music Days, Mexico City 1993.  Other performances: The California Ear Unit,  Jacksonville Symphony, Juilliard Chamber Players, Marc DeGarmo & Dancers.  Termed a “glowing jewel of a new score” by the New York Times.

THREE MURDERS  (1991) – 18 piece chamber orchestra.   Recorded by studio orchestra, Los Angeles, 1991; Rick Baitz, conductor.

THE RIVERFISHER (1989) – Antiphonal chamber ensemble: double string quartet, two flutes, two percussion, saxophone and French horn, harp and electric guitar, soprano and mezzo soprano; Yamaha DX7 synthesizer.  Text by Tory Dent.  Doctoral thesis composition. Performed by The Prism Orchestra, Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, 1991.  Rick Baitz, synthesizer; Robert Black, conductor, Christine Schadeberg and Janice Edwards, vocals.

OJALÁ (1987) for solo guitar.  Commissioned by Benjamin Verdery.  Festival of Classical guitar, Cordoba Spain; First American Classical Guitar Conference, Washington, D.C.; Merkin Hall, NYC; Contemporary Music Festival, Manhattan School of Music; Pure Play Contemporary Music Series.

KALEIDOCYCLES (1985) – Synclavier Digital Synthesizer.  Commissioned by iEAR Studios, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  CD recording: CDCM Volume II, Centaur Records; Rick Baitz, Synclavier.  Performed at Tanglewood Contemporary Music Festival, 1989; Pure Play Contemporary Music Series (NYC); The Alternative Museum (NYC); Rensselaer Chapel and Cultural Center, Troy, NY.

SHAKIN’ THE AIR  (1985) – Piano, cello, double bass.  Pure Play Contemporary Music Series, NYC; Rick Baitz, piano.  New Music Festival, Heildleberg College, Ohio.

TWO POEMS FOR FLUTE AND ALTO FLUTE SOLO (1984) – Performed live by CUBE at WFMT Public Radio Chicago, Feb. 4, 2008; Columbia College Chicago Faculty Composers Recital, Apr. 27, 2008. Caroline Pittman, flutes.  Other performances:  Pure Play Contemporary Music Series, NYC; Festival Of American Music, Bristol, Rhode Island; Georgetown University.  Rie Schmidt, flutes.

DIAPASON (1983)  – Chamber orchestra.  Readings by Riverside Symphony, George Rothman, conductor, 1990; National Orchestral Association of New York, Efrain Guigui, conductor, 1985.

MUSIC FOR HORN AND ORCHESTRA (1980).

SEPTUOR CINEMATIQUE (1980)  – Bb clarinet, soprano saxophone, piano, percussion, violin, cello, double bass.

MUSIC FOR ORCHESTRA (1979) – Manhattan Philharmonia, Manhattan School of Music; George Manahan, conductor.

SEVEN HAIKU BY BASHO (1978) – Soprano, flute, violin, classical guitar, 2 percussion. Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music, 1980.

SILKY (1978) – Electronic tape; commissioned by Diane Lynch Fraser, choreographer.

TRIOPHANY (1977) – Piano, alto saxophone, double bass.

AFRICAN DREAMS (1977) – Electronic tape.  Electronic Music Festival, Rutgers University; Symphony Space, NYC; The Brook Contemporary Music Series, NYC;  Allied Arts Theater, NYC. River to River Dance Company, NYC.