Compositions and Performances
Chamber (3 to 4 players)
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SUNSHINE CITY AND THE GREEN DEMONS, for flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon (9½ min.), 1985-1986.
• Published by Earnestly Music (of Frank E. Warren Music Service).
• Performed by the New England Reed Trio, Brookline, Massachusetts, May 1998.
• Performed at the University of Miami, April 1996.
• Performed at the College Music Society's 30th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, October 1987.
• Performed at the Florida State University Festival of New Music, April 1987.
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SANDSONG, for double bass, accompanied by violin, viola, and cello (12 min.), 1984.
• Performed by Bertram Turetzky and members of the Memphis State University faculty at the MSU New Music Festival XIV (now the University of Memphis), February 1986.
• Performed by Timothy Cobb (double bass), Thomas DiSarlo (violin), Susan Ung (viola), and Larry Figg
(cello) on a Penn Composers’ Guild concert, Philadelphia, April 1985.
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FRAGMENTS OF SAPPHO, for soprano, piccolo/alto flute, and harp (16 min.), 1982-1983.
• Performed by members of the New Music Consort (Barbara Martin—soprano, Rachel Rudich—
piccolo/alto flute, and Elizabeth Panzer—harp) at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York
City, January 1987.
• Performed on a Penn Composers’ Guild concert, Philadelphia, November 1983.
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DESMODUS ON G-SHARP, for two trumpets, french horn, and trombone (7 min.), 1980-1981.
• Performed at Oberlin, May 1981.
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FOUR POEMS OF E. E. CUMMINGS, for soprano, flute, alto flute, and bass clarinet (9½ min.), 1979-1980.
• Performed at Oberlin, May 1980.
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STRING QUARTET, for two violins, viola, and cello (13½ min.), 1995-1996.
• First movement performed at the University of Miami, May 1996.
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CAN YOU HEAR ME? (A CELL PHONE DUET), for soprano, mezzo-soprano, and piano (3½ min.), 2020.
• Text by Skye McManus and Ruth Meyer Sacks.
• Performed by Skye McManus (soprano), Chelsea DeLorenz (mezzo-soprano), and Ruth Meyer Sacks (piano) on an Orpheus Academy of Music faculty recital, Austin, March 2020
KLEZMER-STYLE COMPOSITIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS, for the Hot Matzohs (clarinet, violin, keyboard, and percussion), 1998-2003.
• Several performances in the Pittsburgh area, 1998-2005.
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Chamber (5 or more players)
LOVE OF MUSIC, for youth ensemble: voices, violins, cellos, guitars, pianos, and percussion (1½ min.), 2022.
• Commissioned by Klondike Steadman for the Twentieth Anniversary of the Orpheus Academy of Music.
• Upcoming performance by an Orpheus Academy student ensemble, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., July 2023.
CLOUDS OF MAGELLAN, for chamber orchestra (8 min.), 1984.
• Read by the New School of Music Chamber Orchestra, Philadelphia, May 1985.
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SEQUENCES, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, french horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano, two violins, viola, cello, and double bass (11½ min.), 1996-1997.
• Performed by the University of Miami’s Other Music Ensemble, conducted by Dennis Kam, Miami, Florida, November 1997.
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ICON, for flute, clarinet, trumpet, two violins, viola, and cello (11½ min.), 1982.
• Performed on a Penn Composers’ Guild concert, Philadelphia, May 1983.
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A CELEBRATION, for two french horns, electric piano, two violins, viola, cello, and double bass (9 min.), 1984.
• Musical score for the documentary film produced for the twenty-fifth anniversary celebration of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Performed and recorded by members of the Penn Contemporary Players, conducted by Ruth Meyer, March 1984.
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5:5:4:5:5, for flute, french horn, cello, percussion, harp, and piano (13½ min.), 1981.
• Performed at Oberlin, March 1982.
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FOLKSONG FRENZY, for flute, violin, viola, two guitars, piano four-hands, and percussion (5 min.), 2019.
• Commissioned by the Orpheus Academy of Music.
• Performed by members of the Orpheus faculty, Austin, March 2019 and April 2023.
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PRELUDE, for youth string ensemble and piano (4 min.), 2008-2009.
• Performances by The Pittsburgh Youth Pops String Ensemble, conducted by Erika Pierce, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March and April 2009.
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BOTTICELLI (JUNGLE MUSIC), for tenor recorder, clarinet, cello, and two percussionists (12½ min.), 1983.
• Musical score for Terrence McNally’s play, Botticelli, which was presented by Theater Lab II at the University of Pennsylvania.
• Performed and recorded by members of the Penn Composers’ Guild, November 1983.
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Solo/Duo
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THREE POEMS, for cello and piano (13½ min.), 2006.
• CD recording by Barbara George (cello) and Jim James (piano), September 2019.
CD title: Femme, Music by Women Composers.
• Performed by Barbara George and Jim James, as part of the Elements Concert Series, Austin, April 2019.
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IN MEMORIAM, MUSIC FOR OUR TIME, for guitar solo (14 min.), 2020-2021.
• Commissioned by guitarist, Klondike Steadman, of the Orpheus Academy of Music.
• Performed by Klondike Steadman, Boston, November 2022 and Austin, January 2023.
• Published by Bergmann Edition.
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FOUR IMPRESSIONS, for piano solo (17 min.), 2003-2004; revised 2020.
• Impression 1 performed at the University of Nebraska at Kearney New Music Festival IV, March 2005.
• Impression 1 performed by Liliana Maffiotte at the Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona, Spain, November 2003.
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MELODRAMA, for piano four-hands (4½ min.), 2019-2020.
• Performed by Ruth Meyer Sacks and Jae-Eun Baek on an Orpheus Academy of Music faculty recital, Austin, January 2020.
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SIX PIECES FOR PREPARED PIANO (7 min.), 2019.
• Commissioned by the Orpheus Academy of Music as educational compositions.
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PRELUDE: DARK RIVER, for piano solo (2 min.), 2019.
• Commissioned by the Orpheus Academy of Music as an educational composition.
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FIVE SONGS, for violin solo (11 min.), 1984.
• Performed by Thomas DiSarlo on a Penn Composers’ Guild concert, Philadelphia, October 1984.
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WHAT IS SHADOW?, for two pianos (12 min.), 1983.
• Performed by Ruth Meyer and Christian Hertzog on a Penn Composers’ Guild concert, Philadelphia, March 1984.
FIVE PAINTINGS BY GEORGIA O’KEEFFE, for piano solo (8 min.), 1981.
• Performed by Ruth Meyer at the Ethical Society Auditorium in Philadelphia and at Saint Joseph’s Church in
New York City as part of the Perpetuo Mobile concert series, November 1985.
• Performed by Ruth Meyer on a Penn Composers’ Guild concert, Fall 1982.
• Performed by Ruth Meyer at the Midwest Composers’ Symposium, Northwestern University, April 1982.
• Performed by Ruth Meyer at Oberlin, November 1981.
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Orchestral/Choral
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ANYTHING HELPS, for chorus and orchestra (36 min.), 2013-2024.
• Seven poems, assembled by Ruth Meyer Sacks from signs held by members of the homeless population in Austin, Texas.
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FANTASY OVERTURE, for orchestra (10 min.), 2004-2006.
• Performed by the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra, conducted by Bruce Lauffer, Pittsburgh, May 2006.
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NOCTURNE, for orchestra (9½ min.) 2001-2003.
• Performed by the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra, conducted by Bruce Lauffer, Pittsburgh, April 2004.
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MI SHEBERACH (A PRAYER FOR HEALING AND PEACE), for orchestra (11½ min.), 1999-2000.
• Read by the University of Pittsburgh Orchestra, conducted by Roger Zahab, Pittsburgh, April 2001.
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DRUM SYMPHONY, for orchestra (12 min.), 1994-1996.
• Performed by the South Florida Youth Symphony, conducted by Dennis Kam, University of Miami, June 1997.
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AN AVALANCHE SYMPHONY, for orchestra (20 min.), 1985-1986.
SEVEN KLEZMER-STYLE ARRANGEMENTS, for clarinet and violin, accompanied by orchestra (30 min.), 2003.
• Performed by the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra and members of the Hot Matzohs (a Pittsburgh Klezmer ensemble), conducted by Bruce Lauffer, Pittsburgh, December 2003.
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LET’S CELEBRATE, for chorus, string orchestra, piano, and percussion (3½ min.), 2001.
• Performed by the Washington Festival Chorale and the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra, conducted by Bruce Lauffer, Pittsburgh, December 2004.
• Performed by the Quaker Valley Middle School Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Michelle Crawford, Sewickley, Pennsylvania, December 2001.
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