Concert Works – Kareem Roustom

Commissioned by A Far Cry and Lorelei Ensemble Hurry To The Light is a work for women’s choir and string orchestra based on a new translation of Homer’s They Odyssey here. by Emily Wilson. This work will be premiered on May 17th, 2019 in Boston USA at Jordan Hall. Details of the premiere are here.

Violin Concerto No. 1 (2018)

for violin & chamber orchestra

Instrumentation • Solo Instruments: Violin • Orch: 1.1.1.1(cbsn.)-2.1.1.0-2perc-pno-str(1.1.1.1.1)

Duration ca. 25′

Premiere date: March 6th, 2019, Berlin. Details here.

Browse the score here.

CLARINET CONCERTO • Adrift on the Winedark Sea (2017)

for clarinet & orchestra

Instrumentation • Solo Instruments: Clarinet • Orch: 2(picc.)2.eh.2.bcl.2.cbsn-4.3.3.1-timp.2perc-hp-str

Duration ca. 29′

Aleppo Songs for orchestra (2017)

Instrumentation: 2(picc.)2.(eh).2.2-2.2(tpt in D).3.0-timp.2perc-hp-str

Duration ca. 16′

Hewar (2015)

Instrumentation: takht (nay, oud, qanun, violin, 2 hand percussion & double bass) Orchestra: 2(picc.).2.2.2-4.3.3.1-timp.2perc-hp-str

Duration ca. 25′

Dabke (2014)

Instrumentation: String Orchestra.

Duration: ca. 7′

Ramal (2014) for orchestra

Instrumentation: pic.2.2.2.bcl.2.cbsn-4.3.3.1-timp.2perc-hp-cel-str

Duration ca. 12′ 30″

Dabke (2015) for wind ensemble

Instrumentation: 2(picc.)2.ca.3.bcl.2-2asx.tsx.bsx.-4.3.3.1-cbs-timp.3perc.

Duration ca. 7′

Upon Eastern Breezes (2007) This work has been removed from the active repertoire list and is no longer available for performance.

– Instrumentation: Clarinet, Oud, Arabic percussion, Arabic violin, Cello and Orchestra.
Commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Education Department and premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra February 2007.
Duration 8 minutes.

Choral Music

Choral Music:

A Whitman Cantata [working title] (2018/19)

Duration ca. 15 minutes

Instrumentation: 3(picc.)2.eh.2.bcl.2.cbsn-4.3.3.1-timp.3perc-hp-SATB-str

Work in progress; Commissioned by the Grant Park Music Festival this work is scored for large orchestra and chorus. The text includes excerpts from Whitman’s Thoughts on social justice, inequality, and corruption.

World-premiere will take place in Chicago on June 14 and 15, 2019. Details coming soon.

Hurry To The Light (2018)

A choral cycle of the women in The Odyssey of Homer, as translated by Emily Wilson

Duration ca. 32 – 35 minutes.

Rage Against the Tyrant(s) (2017)

Embroidered Verses (2015)

Instrumentation: S.A.T.B. and takht: Nay (ad lib.) qanun, oud, percussion, violin & cello.

Duration ca. 19 minutes.

Embroidered Verses was commissioned for the Crossings Choir under Donald Nally and the Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture Takht ensemble through a grant from the Pew Trust. The work is a setting of four Arabic Andalusian poems for a western choir and a traditional Arabic ensemble. The poems are a by Ibn Khafaja (11th century Alzira) Um Al-Kiram (11th century Almira) and A-Qazaaz (11th century Almira) as well as an anonymous text.

Watch selected excerpts from the premiere performance (December 5th, 2015) at Bryn Mawr College.

View the score here.

Scores and parts available through ECS Publishing here.

The Son of Man (2011)

Instrumentation: Trumpet, Percussion, Soloists (Soprano, Mezzo Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass Baritone) S.A.T.B. & Organ.

Duration ca. 58 minutes

Text by Kahlil Gibran from “Jesus The Son of Man: His words and His deeds as told and recorded by those who knew Him”

A WOMAN, ONE OF MARY’S NEIGHBORS:
A Lamentation (2011)

For mezzo soprano soloist and S.A.T.B. The a capella movement from The Son of Man can be performed as a stand alone work. Duration ca. 5 minutes.

Hot Tea, Mint & Olives (2009)

For S.S.A. & piano. Three movements based on the poetry of Ibtisam Barakaat. Duration ca. 12 minutes

Arrangements & Transcriptions

Arrangements & transcriptions

Armenian Dances (2016)

Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2-4.3.3.0-timp.3perc-hp-str

Duration ca. 12′ 30″

Three Rivers (2011)

Instrumentation:
Nay, Clarinet in Bb, Oud, Qanun
Percussion(2) (Frame Drums, Riqq & Dumbek)
Yayli Tanbur doubling on Arabic Violin
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello & Contrabass
I. Mayr Araxi Aperov (traditional Armenian) – anonymous
II. Evç Ilahi’Uyaney Gözlerim Gafletden Uyan’
Sultan Murad 1612-1640 (Turkey)
III. Al-Nahr Al-Khaled ‘The Eternal River’
Mohammad Abdel Wahaab 1902-1991 (Egypt)

Duration ca. 15 minutes

Three Rivers

Browse the score here.

To purchase score please e-mail: publishing(at)kr-music(dot)com

Bernard Herrmann – Overture to North by Northwest (2012) transcribed for string quartet. Duration ca. 4 minutes.

John Field – Nocturne 4 (solo piano) (2010) transcribed for string quartet. Duration ca. 6 minutes.

Three Klezmer Dances – (2009) for violin, tambourine & strings or clarinet, tambourine & strings.

Bela Bartok – Roumanian Folk Dances (2011) transcribed for solo violin & string quartet. Duration ca. 5 minutes.

Classical Arabic Compositions

Classical Arabic Music Compositions:

The Sama’i is a classical Arabic musical form that dates back to 16th century Ottoman music. A Sama’i is often performed as an instrumental introduction to a vocal suite of classical songs. Here are two offerings with my own interpretation of the genre.

Sama’i Hijazkar – Recorded in 2009 at the Concord Library Concert Series. Kareem Roustom – Oud, Michel Moushabeck – Percussion

Sama’i Nahwand – Recorded Live at the Kennedy Center 2005. Kareem Roustom – Oud, Hanna Khoury – Solo Violin with the Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble.