5BMF Commissions

Since our very first season, 5BMF has been committed to the creation of new works, commissioning and co-commissioning nearly 75 composers to date. We have presented World Premieres of these works in every borough of NYC.

Terra Nova

Oracle Hysterical (Brad Balliett, Doug Balliett, Elliot Cooper Cole, Majel Connery, Dylan Greene)

Co-commissioned by Hub New Music

Concert-length song cycle composed by the members of Oracle Hysterical and performed in partnership with mixed-instrument quartet Hub New Music, comprised of works inspired by a range of ambitious, gritty (and sometimes naive, cruel, and myopic) explorers.

New York Premiere: May 15, 2021 | Brooklyn Public Library
Digital World Premiere: June 17, 2021 | Filmed at Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Staten Island

Beautee & Bountee: An Arthurian Refraction

Elliot Cole

Co-commissioned by Alkemie

Concert-length work for voices and medieval instruments, comprised of an original setting of the fourteenth-century stanzaic romance, the Morte Arthur, presented via spoken word, monophonic songs, motets, and instrumental commentary and interludes.

World Premiere: Nov 23, 2019 | The Noble Maritime Collection, Staten Island
Encore Performance: Nov 24, 2019 | Areté Venue & Gallery, Brooklyn

free – whereof – wherefore

Reiko Füting

Co-commissioned by Longleash

Work for piano trio based on the second movement of Beethoven’s Piano Trio Op. 1, No. 3 in c-minor.

World Premiere: Jan 10, 2020 | Flushing Town Hall, Queens
Encore Performance: Jan 12, 2020 | Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, Manhattan 

After Stonewall

Kayla Cashetta, Jennifer Higdon, Laura Kaminsky, Laura Karpman, Paula M. Kimper, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum

Co-commissioned by New York Festival of Song

Six-song cycle on poetry by Elaine Sexton, commissioned as part of New York Festival of Song’s NYFOSNext composer-curated series.

World Premiere: June 11, 2019 | The LGBT Center, Manhattan

Five Borough Songbook, Volume II

Matthew Aucoin, Lembit Beecher, Conrad Cummings, Jonathan Dawe, Evan Fein, Daniel Felsenfeld, Herschel Garfein, Whitney George, Marie Incontrera, Laura Kaminsky, Libby Larsen, Hannah Lash, Missy Mazzoli, Jessie Montgomery, Robert Paterson, Paola Prestini, Kevin Puts, Kamala Sankaram, Gregory Spears, Bora Yoon

The second volume of 5BMF’s celebrated Songbook, comprised of 20 new songs by 20 composers.

READ MORE

World Premiere: Feb 11, 2017 | Baryshnikov Arts Center, Manhattan
Encore Performances:
Feb 12, 2017 | Flushing Town Hall, Queens
Sep 26, 2017 | Trinity Lutheran Church, Staten Island
Sep 27, 2017 | Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, Bronx
Nov 16, 2017 | National Sawdust, Brooklyn

5×5

Timo Andres, Caleb Burhans, Clarice Jensen, Caroline Shaw, Ben Russell

Five instrumental works, each no more 5 minutes in duration, composed and performed by five members of the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME).

World Premiere: Sep 11, 2015 | National Opera Center, Manhattan 

Five Borough Songbook

Christopher Berg, Lisa Bielawa, Tom Cipullo, Christina Courtin, Mohammed Fairouz, Renee Favand-See, John Glover, Ricky Ian Gordon, Yotam Haber, Daron Hagen, Martin Hennessy, Gabriel Kahane, Gilda Lyons, Jorge Martín, Russell Platt, Glen Roven, Matt Schickele, Richard Pearson Thomas, Christopher Tignor, Scott Wheeler

5BMF’s acclaimed original collection of 20 songs by 20 composers, all about New York City.

READ MORE

World Premiere: Oct 6, 2011 | Galapagos Art Space, Brooklyn
Encore Performances:
Nov 12, 2011 | Flushing Town Hall, Queens
Jan 12, 2012 | Baruch Performing Arts Center, Manhattan
May 31, 2012 | The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx
June 2, 2012 | The Staten Island Museum, Staten Island