Shimmer, Tree: The Best Contemporary Classical on Bandcamp: September 2022
I’m so honored that my recently released album by Starkland, “Shimmer, Tree” has been selected on The Best Contemporary Classical on Bandcamp for September 2022, along with music by John Luther Adams, Greg Davis, Caroline Shaw, Michiko Ogawa, Harry Partch/Taylor Brook, Adrian Corker, Maya Bennardo, Clara de Assis/Ryoko Akama, and Alex Roth / Alice Purton. Please see the full article below:
Solo Album Release by Starkland Records
So happy to announce that my solo album will be finally released on September 16 by Starkland Records! Huge thanks to New Music USA, Canada Council & ASU HIDA Grant, and everyone who has helped me realize this (especially emotionally). And special thanks to John Chowning for writing a heartfelt, beautiful introduction. The album includes performances by the Spektral Quartet / Clara Lyon (violin), Theo Espy (violin), Doyle Armbrust (viola) & Russell Rolen (cello) (“Minyo”), UMS’n JIP /Javier Hagen (“Reservoir”), and Cristina Valdés (“Shimmer, Tree | In Memoriam Jonathan Harvey”); mastered by Grammy-winning artist Silas Brown.
You can listen to a short promo video from Starkland here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZFAM31ZIlo.
The CD & Digital album can be pre-ordered here as well: https://kotokasuzuki.bandcamp.com
Headshot photo: Guanglong Peng & Hengjie Zhao / Design: Janene Higgins / Assistant Executive Producer: Clare Shore / Executive Producer: Thomas Steenland / Mixed and Produced by Kotoka Suzuki / Mastered by Silas Brown
Picture: Kotoka Suzuki © Guanglong Peng & Hengjie Zhao
Digital in Berlin Interview | Heroines of Sound Festival
Excited to share my recent interview with Digital in Berlin in anticipation of my upcoming performance at the Heroines of Sound Festival. The concert will be on July 7 at 20.00 in Radialsystem and performed by LUX:NM ensemble. Please see link below for more info:
https://www.heroines-of-sound.com/festival-2022/#program-7-july
Picture: Kotoka Suzuki © Guanglong Peng & Hengjie Zhao
The American Prize in Composition |
I'm ecstatic to share that Orison received The American Prize 2021’s Special Judges' Citation Award for "Unique Creativity and Aural Vision" in the Chamber Music Composition category.
New Music Festival: In Praise of Shadows
A virtual performance of “In Praise of Shadows,” performed by Aiyun Huang (playing all parts!), will take place at the University of Toronto New Music Festival this weekend. Please join us this Saturday, February 27, at 7 pm for a virtual performance on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqAechyDarmJvayndYVG_Q
New Music Concerts | Premiere
Constraint Obstacle Studies for ‘distanced ensemble’ of 12 percussionists will be premiered and broadcast online through the New Music Concerts this evening at 8 pm (EST) and available to view after the event at this link on NMC’s YouTube channel. The work was commissioned by NMC’s as part of their 50th Anniversary Commissioning Series. Distanced Ensemble: Aiyun Huang, Austin Lamarche, Britton Rene Collins, Chung Ling Lo, David Schotzko, Haruka Fuji, Michael Murphy, Michelle Colton, Nikki Joshi, Rick Sacks, Ryan Scott & Zuri Wells.
Orbit - video
The video composition of “Orbit” - an octet for any instrument group (2019) is now officially released to the public on YouTube. Originally composed as a concert piece, “Orbit” was written for and performed by the Arizona State University Saxophone Ensemble:
Soprano Sax / Jarred Waters & Matt Fox
Alto Sax / Nathan Salazar & Tanner Bayles
Tenor Sax / Patrick Feher & Chris Sacco
Baritone Sax / Kirsten Zelenak & Bonson Lee
Director / Christopher Creviston
Director of Video / Daniel Dickson
Post-Production / Dan Shannon-Spence
Special thanks to ASU Student Creative Services
ISCM-World Music Days 2019 | Concert Review on 5:4
ISCM World Music Days 2019 concert review, and review of my work “Orison” for three music box players and electronics, published on 5:4 . For the full article, please visit here.
Voyage Phoenix →
A short interview with the Voyage Phoenix. Please visit their website here to view the full article.
ISCM-World Music Days 2019
Orison for three music boxes and electronics was selected by the international ISCM jury (International Society for Contemporary Music) for performance at ISCM World Music Days in Tallinn, Estonia this May. The work will receive a European premiere during the festival by Defunensemble from Finland. The festival will take place between May 2-10, 2019. Please visit the ISCM 2019 official website for more detail: https://www.worldmusicdays2019.ee/#
New Music USA: Recording Project
I'm excited to announce that I'll be recording "Minyo" with the Spektral Quartet and "Shimmer, Tree | In Memoriam Jonathan Harvey" with the pianist, Cristina Valdes in 2019 as part of my upcoming solo debut album project. These recordings are supported by the New Music USA Project Grant and HIDA Project Grant from Arizona State University. Please tune in for updates. You can also follow updates on this project on New Music USA site.
Recording Project: Music of Kotoka Suzuki was supported by New Music USA. To follow the project as it unfolds, visit my project page: https://www.newmusicusa.org/projects/recording-project-music-of-kotoka-suzuki
Enmei at Links Hall Chicago →
Enmei ("Long Life") will be traveling to Chicago as part of the Bridge Dance Festival. The work will be presented at Links Hall in Chicago on April 6th & 7th, 2018 with the support of Japan Foundation. This project was conceived by Mary Fitzgerald and Eileen Standley with Rose Weitz, in collaboration with Masako Kitaura, Kei Takei, Kotoka Suzuki & Laz Brezer.
In Praise of Shadows: Vancouver Electronic Ensemble
Vancouver Electronic Ensemble gave a beautiful performance of "In Praise of Shadows" at the ISCM World Music Days 2017 last month. The documentation of their performance is now available on ISCM World Music Days 2017 YouTube channel here!
Vancouver New Music spotlights international composers
Vancouver New Music will present "In Praise of Shadows" as the evening's grand finale of the November 3rd program as part of the ISCM World Music Days. Overview of the upcoming Vancouver new Music season is published on the Georgia Straight, the Vancouver news and premier guide for events.
National Portuguese Radio Broadcast | RTP N
The National Portuguese Radio RTP broadcast In Praise of Shadows on their Música Contemporânea program on June 6th, 2017. This broadcast is available on their archive for listening at this following link. This program includes works by Jummei Suzuki, Jacqueline Fontyn, Roderik de Man, Eliska Cilkova & Monty Adkins/Paulina Sundin.
*If you are listening outside of Portugal and have problem accessing the video, please follow the steps indicated at this link.
World Premier of Orison | 21C Music Festival
ISCM World New Music Days 2017
In Praise of Shadows was selected by the international ISCM jury (International Society for Contemporary Music) to represent Canada at the World Music Days Festival in Vancouver, Canada. It will receive a Canadian premier performance by the Vancouver Electronic Ensemble (directed by Giorgio Magnanensi) on November 3, 2017 during the festival. The festival will take place between November 2-8, 2017 and will feature approximately 25 concerts from over 50 countries. For more information about the venue and schedule, please visit the ISCM 2017 official website: http://iscm2017.ca/home/
Czech Music Quarterly →
THE AMERICAN PRIZE
I'm thrilled to announce that In Praise of Shadows received the Special Judges' Citation Award from The American Prize in the Chamber Music Composition category for "Creating a Unique, Sustained Sound World".