Paola Prestini
2025
Music by Paola Prestini, libretto by Brenda Shaughnessy, co-directed by Jerron Herman and Jay Scheib. Community Lead Gregg Mozgala. Lead produced by VisionIntoArt with Beth Morrison Projects.
Paola Prestini, jazz sensation Magos Herrera and German vocal sextet Sjaella come together at the Met Cloisters to recreate the dream of the first Mexican proto-femenist, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.
A site-specific choral theater work, Port(al) offers a musical and civic exploration of the world through the lens of port cities – where human life and the oceans that connect and sustain us meet.
2024
Commissioned by the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Chamber opera with libretto by Royce Vavrek and direction/design/concept by Thaddeus Strassberger, foley by Sxip Shirey.
2023
Grand opera inspired by Hemingway. Directed by Karmina Šilec, Libretto by Royce Vavrek, and choreographed by Sidra Bell. Design by Dorian Silec.
2022
Grand opera commissioned by Minnesota Opera. Libretto by Mark Campbell, direction by Eric Simonson, based on the novel by Kate Di Camillo.
Piano Concerto for Awadagin Pratt, Roomful of Teeth and A Far Cry.
Solo Violin and Electronics, commissioned by Michael Lim
2021
Monodrama for mezzo soprano, piano and electronics. Co-commissioned by the Kennedy Center, San Diego Opera, The Momentary at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Arts and National Sawdust.
Comissioned by Cabrillo Music Festival, Ravinia, Oregon Bach Festival and Louisville Orchestra. Piano concerto for Lara Downes.
Commissioned by Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. For string quartet.
For mezzo-soprano and electronics. Commissioned by Jill Steinberg and WNET's ALL ARTS.
A Collaboration with cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, filmmaker Murat Eyuboglu, and dancer/choreographers Georgina Pazcoguin and Dai Matsuoka. Commissioned by the Broad Museum. Developed at MASS MoCA.
For string orchestra and solo cello. Paola Prestini and Tanya Tagaq.
Written during the pandemic for the Young People's Chorus and their amazing AloneTogether Project. For SSA
Solo piano commissioned by Min Kwon for America/Beautiful Project.
2020
Chamber work commissioned by The New York Philharmonic for Project 19. Words by Maria Popova, for soprano, violin, viola, cello, percussion, and fixed and live electronics.
For soprano, cello, and electronics. Libretto by Brenda Shaughnessy
For baritone and cello
for solo tenor saxophone
Choral Sextet comissioned by the Sjaella Ensemble in 2020.
Con Alma is an album and live digital experience of original works by composer Paola Prestini and vocalist and composer Magos Herrera, along with some classics from the Mexican and Jazz songbook.
2019
Commissioned by Amanda Gookin for Forward Music Project. Solo cello and electronics.
Commissioned by Anthone de Mare for LIAISONS 2020. For solo piano.
For SSA choir. Biking Through Time is a work written for the Brooklyn Youth Chorus inspired by Maria Popova's Brain Pickings.
for string quartet
2018
Co-commission by the Young People's Chorus of New York City and Yale Choral Artists, for mixed choir and children's choir. Text by Royce Vavrek and live painting by Kevork Mourad.
Commissioned by Michael Straus for Suzi Digby and the ORA Singers. For mixed choir.
Commissioning project with Brooklyn Youth Chorus for Silent Voices II. For a cappella children’s chorus.
Commissioned by Allison Loggins-Hull. For flute and piano exploring the duality of being a mother and artist.
Commissioned by Yevgeny Kutik. For solo violin and piano.
Commissioned by Golden Hornet for Jeffrey Zeigler. For cello and electronics.
Film Score for violin, cello, guitar, percussion, piano and vocals. PBS Reframed.
2017
Commissioned by Heather Fetrow and Mila Henry for Voices of Women Project. For 2 sopranos and piano. Lyrics by Mark Campbell.
Commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra. For orchestra with film by Mami Kosemura.
Commissioned by University of Nebraska Lincoln for Jonah Sirota. For solo viola and looper.
Commissioned by the UCLA Davise Fund for Inna Faliks. For solo piano.
Commissioned by The Juilliard School and the Morgan Library For The Juilliard School's Spring 2017 PianoScope Festival. For solo piano.
2016
Grand Opera commissioned by Friends of Madam Whitesnake. Libretto by Cerice Jacobs, direction by Michael Counts, video by S. Katy Tucker, produced by Beth Morrison Projects.
Commissioned by Bay Chamber Concerts. Cantata with libretto by Royce Vavrek, narration by astrophysicist Mario Livio, sound by ARUP, and VR by Eliza McNitt. Arias for soprano and piano exist.
Commissioned by The Met Museum and Houston Da Camera. Choral Eco-Documentary. Words by conservationist William de Boys, directed by Murat Eyuboglu. Roomful of Teeth, Jeffrey Zeigler and Glenn Kotche.
for solo violin
2015
Commissioned by the Walker Art Center and the Krannert Center. Choral Opera for singing actor, children's chorus and string quartet. Text by Rinde Eckert, direction by Julian Crouch.
Commissioned by BAM, the Young People's Chorus of NYC, and VisionIntoArt. A choral installation with text by Niloufar Talebi with visuals by Ali Hossaini, directed by Michael McQuilken.
Commissioned by the Krannert Center. House of Solitude for solo violin and electronics.
Solos for violin, viola, cello, and double bass.
Commissioned by Francesca de Pasquale. For solo violin.
Commissioned by the Krannert Center. Room 35 for solo cello and electronics.
2014
Song cycle for mezzo soprano, cello and guitar; mezzo soprano and piano; and 2 mezzo sopranos, cello, guitar, and piano. Libretto by Royce Vavrek.
For string quartet and vibraphone. Premiered and written for Ian Rosenbaum and Brooklyn Rider.
Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic for the Biennale. For solo cello.
2012
Commissioned by the Juilliard School for Beyond the Machine. For cello and percussion and electronics.
2011
Commissioned by Opera America for The Opera America Songbook. For baritone and piano, text by Donna Di Novelli.
2010
Commissioned by MATA. For singing pianist and electronics.
2009
Commissioned by Carnegie Hall. Folk Opera and song cycle with film. Concept and dramaturgy by Paola Prestini, libretto by Donna Di Novelli, and film by Ali Hossaini. Improvisations by Helga Davis.
Song Cycle for soprano and piano. Commissioned by Young Concert Artists for Sarah Wolfson.
2008
Commissioned by WNYC. For clarinet (or violin), cello, and vibes. Performed by the Chicago Symphony Music Now series and at WNYC’s Greene Space.
Developed and commissioned by Arizona State University and Carolina Performing Arts, produced by Beth Morrison Projects. For string quartet.
2007
A Concept by Paola Prestini, Erika Harrsch and Jeffrey Zeigler, commissioned by VisionIntoArt for the Whitney Live series. Exploring body parts and their history through surreal imagery.
Commissioned by WNYC. Song cycle for soprano, clarinet, string trio, percussion, and electronics.
For clarinet, string quartet, percussion, with or without voice. Performed at the Whitney Live. For clarinet, cello and vibes. Flexible orchestration. VisionIntoArt and Helga Davis performing.
Solo for vibraphone and electronics.
For string quartet and electronics. Commissioned by the Kronos Quartet.
2005
Solo piano written for Speranza Scappucci.
2004
2003
for solo cello.
For brass quintet. Commissioned by The Monumental Brass Quintet for the Women’s Commissioning Project, Washington, D.C.
2002
solo for marimba.
2001
Viola solo for Melia Watras.
2000
Opener for orchestra. Please email for rental inquiries.
For solo violin.
Double String Quartet. Premiered at the Juilliard School.
1996
Work for orchestra. Please email for inquiries.
For brass quintet. Premiered at The Juilliard School.
for mezzo-soprano, clarinet, and piano
for brass quintet