Frederic Rzewski: Humanitas for solo piano
        composed in six movements in celebration of Terry Riley's 80th birthday)

Roscoe Mitchell: Cards in 3D Colors for violin and piano
        to be performed with violinist Kate Stenberg

Pamela Z: Presence for violin, piano, and voice with electronics
        Commissioned through IntermusicSF, to be performed with violinist Kate Stenberg and composer-performer-media artist Pamela Z

Robert Pollock: Enneagram for solo piano
        composed in nine movements

Mary Watkins: Summer Days for solo piano

Regina Harris Baiocchi: Piano Poems for solo piano
        inspired by Gwendolyn Brooks and Richard Wright

Michelle Li: Controlled Explosion for solo piano
        Commissioned through Musaics of the Bay's "Stay at Home Symposium"

Riley Nicholson: Up for two pianos
        Commissioned and to be performed with Regina Myers

Terry Riley and Sarah Cahill

2015 is the eightieth birthday year of composer-pianist Terry Riley, who has had a profound influence on generations of composers and musicians. As a master pianist himself, he writes virtuoso pieces which encompass his wide-ranging musical pursuits, from classical music to blues to ragtime, from Indian raga to jazz. This 80th birthday milestone deserves a huge celebration, and since Riley’s primary instrument is piano, A Piano Party for Terry Riley at 80 will honor his enduring impact with the creation of nine new solo piano pieces by a group of composers, ranging in age from 23 to 82, who have been inspired by him.

Samuel Carl Adams, Danny Clay, Keeril Makan, Dylan Mattingly, Pauline Oliveros, Gyan Riley, Elena Ruehr, Christine Southworth, and Evan Ziporyn are the composers for this project (Ruehr, Makan, and Southworth are being commissioned by MIT to write new works for this Piano Party). Sarah will also premiere a new piece by Michael Harrison, dedicated to Terry Riley. In concerts across the country during 2015 and 2016, Sarah will perform these new compositions along with Terry Riley’s own piano music, ranging from his 1963 Keyboard Studies to his most recent work, culminating in a recording of the entire project in December of 2016.