Commissioned Works

Since its inception, the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis has sought commissions from the world’s leading composers. A short piece, conceived either for solo violin or violin with piano, is included in the Competition’s repertory in order to test the interpretive skills of the young artists in playing a piece that has no performance history. This work is then performed at each Competition’s Semi-Final phase. In addition to challenging the musicians with a totally new work, the IVCI hopes to enrich the violin repertory by commissioning a truly outstanding composer to write a work that will be played long after the Competition for which it was written.

Incontro

ComposerJohn Harbison (b. 1938)
Year of Composition2022
TitleIncontro
InstrumentationViolin and Piano
Duration5:30 minutes
PublisherAssociated Music Publishers, Inc.
Recording Labelnone
Year of Competition2022

Suite No. 3 for Solo Violin

ComposerWilliam Bolcom (b. 1938, American)
Year of Composition2018
TitleSuite No. 3 for Solo Violin
InstrumentationViolin
Duration8-10 minutes
PublisherKeiser Southern Music
Recording Labelnone
Year of Competition2018
Composer’s DedicationIn Memory of Andre Hajdu

Fantasy for Solo Violin

ComposerEllen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939, American)
Year of Composition2014
TitleFantasy for Solo Violin
InstrumentationViolin
Duration6 minutes
PublisherTheodore Presser Company
Recording Labelnone
Year of Competition2014
Composer’s DedicationDedicated to Jaime Laredo
RecordingThe Indianapolis Commissions

String Force

ComposerJoan Tower (b.1938, American)
Year of Composition2010
TitleString Force
InstrumentationViolin
Duration7 minutes
PublisherAssociated Music Publishers Inc.
Recording Labelnone
Year of Competition2010
Composer’s DedicationDedicated to Jaime Laredo
RecordingThe Indianapolis Commissions

A Night at the Chinese Opera

ComposerBright Sheng (b. 1955, Chinese)
Year of Composition2006
TitleA Night at the Chinese Opera
InstrumentationViolin/Piano
Duration9 minutes
PublisherG. Schirmer, Inc.
Recording Labelnone
Year of Competition2006
RecordingThe Indianapolis Commissions

As Night Falls on Barjeantane

ComposerRichard Danielpour (b. 1956, American)
Year of Composition2001
TitleAs Night Falls on Barjeantane
InstrumentationViolin/Piano
Duration10 minutes
PublisherG. Schirmer, Inc.
Recording LabelIVCI
Year of Competition2002
Composer’s DedicationDedicated to Madame Anne Postel-Vinay
RecordingsThe Indianapolis Commissions
Live from the 2002 IVCI Competition – Barnabas Kelemen

Autumn Music

ComposerNed Rorem (b. 1923, American)
Year of Composition1996
TitleAutumn Music
InstrumentationViolin/Piano
Duration9 minutes
PublisherBoosey & Hawkes, Inc.
Recording LabelCatalpa Classics
Year of Competition1998
RecordingsThe Indianapolis Commissions
Judith Ingolfsson (1998) Debut Recording

Subito

ComposerWitold Lutoslawski (1913-1994, Polish)
Year of Composition1992
TitleSubito
InstrumentationViolin/Piano
Duration5 minutes
PublisherChester Music Ltd.
Recording LabelDiscover International
Year of Competition1994
RecordingsThe Indianapolis Commissions
Nightmusic: Encores from the 1994 IVCI Competition (Juliette Kang)

Rhapsody and Prayer

ComposerGeorge Rochberg (1918-2005, American)
Year of Composition1989
TitleRhapsody and Prayer
InstrumentationViolin/Piano
Duration9 minutes
PublisherTheodore Press Co. (#114-40510)
Recording LabelNone
Year of Competition1990
RecordingThe Indianapolis Commissions

For Violin Solo

ComposerLeon Kirchner (1919-2009, American)
Year of Composition1985
TitleFor Violin Solo
InstrumentationViolin
Duration8 minutes
PublisherG. Schirmer, Inc./AMP
Recording Labelnone
Year of Competition1986
RecordingThe Indianapolis Commissions

Improvvisazione

ComposerJoonas Kokkonen (1921-1996, Finnish)
Year of Composition1982
TitleImprovvisazione
InstrumentationViolin/Piano
Duration6 minutes
PublisherFennica Gehrman (#042-08738-1)
Recording Labelnone
Year of Competition1982
Composer’s DedicationDedicated to Josef Gingold
RecordingThe Indianapolis Commissions