William Harvey compositions

Given the frequency with which CiH Founder William Harvey has composed and arranged music for our projects, and the extent to which his experiences as a cultural diplomat have influenced his composing, we are pleased to host here a general listing of his compositions for your reference. To perform works below, please contact the composer at his official Facebook.

Orchestra

  • “Saudade do Afeganistão” (2022) for rubab, sitar, santur, tabla, and orchestra. Commissioned by Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) Residency Program for performance in Portugal. Recording of the world premiere in March 2023 with Midori as assistant concertmaster. Recording in Victoria Hall, Switzerland.
  • ¡México Independiente! Variations on a theme of Elízaga (2021). A concerto for violin and string orchestra written on the occasion of the bicentenary of the consummation of Mexican independence and premiered by the Orquesta de Cámara de Bellas Artes in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Ludwig Carrasco conducting, with the composer as soloist. Recording.
  • Seven Decisions of Gandhi (2020). A concerto for violin and full orchestra inspired by the life of Mahatma Gandhi and dedicated to his granddaughter Ela (whom William met in South Africa in 2017) on the occasion of her 80th birthday. Recording. Scores and parts. World premiere performances in 2023: Princeton Symphony and Santa Cruz Symphony. Story about the piece by State of the Arts that aired on PBS.
  • Chaconne on “Ch’anwi” (2017). Commissioned by the Spokane Symphony for performance with Barry Moses at the Wellpinit Reservation; based on the Spokane hymn “Ch’anwi.” Recording from 2023 in Oaxaca, Mexico.
  • Guide to the Afghan Orchestra (2011). Written for the Afghan Youth Orchestra of Afghanistan National Institute of Music, which performed it with the composer conducting in Afghanistan and Oman. Article about the Oman concert.
  • Four Seasons of Afghanistan (2010). Written for the Afghan Youth Orchestra of Afghanistan National Institute of Music, which performed it with the composer conducting in Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Based on the Vivaldi Four Seasons and on Afghan folk music. Reviews: New York Times and New Yorker. Recording from Kennedy Center.
  • Mutations (2000). Written for the New World Youth Symphony Orchestra (now known as Indianapolis Youth Orchestra).
  • Tarantella for Strings (1998). Written for the Indiana University String Academy Chamber Orchestra. Later performed in Zimbabwe in 2015 and Campeche, Mexico, in 2024.
  • Dance of Pan for Violin and Orchestra (1998). Written for the New World Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Violin unaccompanied

Violin Ensemble

  • Connecting Again (2021) for 6 violins. Written for Mimi Zweig, this piece imagines what it will be like when we “connect again” after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recording (composer playing all 6 parts).
  • Gloss on a Ciconian Virelai (2003) for 3 violins. Commissioned by Mimi Zweig for the Indiana University Violin Virtuosi and based on a virelai by Johannes Ciconia (1370-1412). Recording.
  • Echo (2001) for 6 violins. Commissioned by Mimi Zweig for the Indiana University Violin Virtuosi.
  • Suite Humoresque (1999) for 4 violins. Commissioned by Mimi Zweig for the Indiana University Violin Virtuosi for performances throughout France. Recording from the ASTA Conference in Kentucky, 2024.
  • Clouds Pass Silently in the Night (1998) for 6 violins. In memory of Andrew DeGrado.

Other String Works (alone or with piano)

  • Bruckner in Mexico, a counterrevolutionary unaccompanied cello sonata (2021). Written for Theodore Harvey. Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) seriously contemplated moving to the Second Mexican Empire until Maximilian was overthrown. This work imagines a solo cello sonata the great composer might have written had the empire remained in place throughout his life and had he followed through with his intention to move there. 
  • Double Sonata for 2 violins and 2 pianos (2019). Commissioned by Mimi Zweig for the 35th anniversary of the Indiana University Summer String Academy. Recording.
  • Dialogue for 2 violins (2009). Commissioned by Mimi Zweig for the 25th anniversary of the Indiana University Summer String Academy. Inspired by the importance of dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims; in particular, by the CiH projects in Turkey. Recording.
  • Woodcuts for cello and piano (2006). Inspired by the “War” series of woodcuts by Käthe Kollwitz. Recording.

String Quartet

  • #Taliban Just Bombed Play Criticizing Their #Attacks (2015). Written for the Signum Quartet project called “Quartweet,” in which pieces must contain no more than 140 notes. Recording.
  • Four Romances (2002). Commissioned for the String Quartet Survey class at The Juilliard School. Recording of the first movement.

Mixed Chamber Ensemble

  • Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (2018). Written for Sacha Rattle and Zeynep Özsuca. Begun during the 2015 CiH project in Turkey.
  • Four LaFate Pictures (2016/2023) in versions for violin and bassoon or trombone. Written for the Delaware week of CiH’s American culture project, based on paintings by Eunice LaFate. Recording of the bassoon version. Recording of the original solo violin version.
  • Arirang: Prayer for Unity, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano (2015). Inspired by hopes of unity between the Koreas.
  • Interplanetary Mullah (2014). Commissioned by DC8 in California, this piece imagines the life experiences of the first mullah to go to outer space. Piccolo, clarinet, percussion, guitar, violin, cello, double bass, piano. Recording. Review: Los Angeles Times.
  • Sinfonietta (2008). Composed for a 2008 CiH project in Mexico. Oboe, horn, trumpet, timpani, 2 violins, 2 violas, double bass. Recording from Sinaloa in 2018. Recording from 2008.
  • Borrowdale for clarinet, violin, and piano (2006). Commissioned by Wayne Lee and inspired by the neighborhood of the same name in Harare, Zimbabwe, where CiH lived and worked during our project there in 2006. Recording.
  • The Light Gleams An Instant (2004). Inspired by the Samuel Beckett quote, “They give birth astride a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it’s night once more.” For standard sinfonietta ensemble. Recording from Indiana University.
  • Pierian Spring for oboe and cello (1996). William’s first publicly performed composition, written for his brother Theodore Harvey and oboist Lisa Bennett.

Choir

  • Anthem of Anointment (2011). Commissioned by St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church, Fishers, Indiana, USA. SATB with piano. Recording.
  • America Rising (2006). Commissioned by an elementary school in Connecticut. Based on America the Beautiful.

Voice

  • Four Cow Poems for Narrator and Piano (2021). Poems by Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts. Written for Susan Raccoli. Recording.
  • Inclinado en las Tardes for Soprano and Piano (2020). Poem by Pablo Neruda. Written for Megan Cullen.
  • Speaking for the Afghan Woman for Soprano and Piano (2012). Poetry by Bahar Saeed, Nadia Anjuman, Parween Pazhwak, and Meena Keshwar Kamal. Commissioned by Susanna Phillips. Recording by Tiffany DuMouchelle. Article.
  • Apologia del Deseo for Mezzo and Violin (2009). Poem by Karina Rieke. Performed in the USA by Solange Merdinian and in Argentina by Romina Pedrozo.
  • …and the lilies revived for Soprano and Violin (2008). Written for CiH project in Papua New Guinea. Poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
  • Colors for soprano and 4 cellos (2002). Poem by Yevgeny Yevtushenko. Commissioned by Andre Emelianoff.
  • When I Have Fears for Soprano and Piano (2002). Poem by John Keats. Review: New York Times. Recording with Susanna Phillips.
  • Joyful Noise for 2 tenors and 2 violins (1999). Poems about insects by Paul Fleischman. Premiered by Alex Miller and Graham Miller, tenors; the composer and Chris Holmes on violins. Recording.

Piano

Film Score