OBF Announces World Premiere – Oregon Bach Festival

Grammy-winning composer Richard Danielpour has been commissioned by Oregon Bach Festival to compose a set of fifteen miniatures, titled “An American Mosaic,” for celebrated pianist Simone Dinnerstein to be premiered on December 6, 2020 at 2pm PST. Each miniature commemorates segments of the American population that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including parents, caretakers and those who have lost their lives to the virus.

^{_{“In these challenging and unparalleled times, I believe that music and our accessibility to it is even more important than it might have been in the past. When certain artistic works speak to all of us, and unite us, rather than divide us, these works become a catalyst for hope, courage, and consolation.”
– Richard Danielpour}}

Music has the unique ability to connect artists from coast to coast and bring people together. Los Angeles-based Danielpour and New York-based Dinnerstein embarked on this collaborative project this summer; all communications have taken place through Zoom. Likewise, the December premiere will be virtual.

This commission follows Oregon Bach Festival’s 2018 commission of Danielpour’s The Passion of Yeshua, with the Buffalo Philharmonic, and the SDG Foundation. The work premiered at Oregon Bach Festival with JoAnn Faletta conducting and has since seen other performances in Los Angeles and New York. A recording was released on Naxos in March 2020.

An American Mosaic is Sponsored by PacificSource