Works
Set the World on Fire (2022)
Commissioned by, and dedicated to Santa Sabina College. Performed by the full choirs and orchestra of the College. Conducted by Artistic Director Timothy Chung and premiered at Sydney Town Hall on June 19, 2023. Click here to read more about this commission.
Concord Concertino (2022)
Commissioned as part of winning the Layton Emerging Composer Award (UNSW). Composed for the Australia Ensemble UNSW: David Griffiths (clarinet), Dene Olding (violin), Irina Morozova (viola), Julian Smiles (cello), Ian Munro (piano). Pre-recorded concert shown at the International Alliance of Women in Music 2022 Conference. Interview: 23:30; Performance: 25:03.
The Fertile Crescent: I. Belly Dance (2021)
The Fertile Crescent: II. Khaleegy (2021)
The Fertile Crescent: III. Dabke (2021)
Commissioned as part of the ABC Classic and ABC Jazz Composer Commissioning Fund. Written for and dedicated to the prog-baroque quartet, Croissants & Whiskey: Ryan Williams (recorders), Katie Yap (baroque viola), Joy Lee (harpsichord), Miranda Hill (violone in G).
Fantasia No. VI for Solo Clarinet “On Freedom” (2021)
Commissioned by, and dedicated to Charles Davidson. Performed by, and dedicated to Lloyd Van’t Hoff.
…your heart dreams of spring (2021)
Commissioned by, written for, and dedicated to Jennifer Koh. The “Alone Together” album featuring 40 violin solos won the GRAMMY for ‘Best Classical Instrumental Solo.’ Also available on Spotify.
Ava’s Groove (2021)
I was delighted to compose “Ava’s Groove” for the young Ava Gardner, performed by Philadelphia Orchestra principal players Jeffrey Curnow (trumpet), Jennifer Montone (horn), Harold Robinson (bass), Danny Matsukawa (bassoon), and Don Liuzzi (percussion). Interview: 7:06; Performance: 8:55.
Gossamer Wings (2021)
I was honoured to be invited by the Curtis Institute of Music and Seoul National University to compose a piece for one Korean and one Western instrument; I picked the geomungo and flute. Performed by Milk Yoo (flute) and 선채린 (geomungo).
Fantasia No. V for Solo Oboe (2021)
Curtis Institute of Music student composer’s spring semester concert, 2021. Composed as a third-year AD student at Curtis. Written for, dedicated to, and performed by fellow student Mekhi Gladden. Introduction: 17:40; Performance: 18:47.
Lone Song (for Solo Trombone) (2021)
Curtis Institute of Music student composer’s spring semester concert, 2021. Composed as a third-year AD student at Curtis. Written for, dedicated to, and performed by fellow student Robert Conquer. Introduction: 00:00; Performance: 2:48. Buy the score HERE.
String Quartet No. 2 (2021)
Commissioned by Julian Burnside AO QC for the 2020 Musica Viva Australia International Concert Season. World Premiere by The Chen Family String Quartet: Robert Chen (violin I), Laura Chen (violin II), Beatrice Chen (viola), Noah Chen (cello). Recorded by Pianoforte Chicago.
Fantasia No. IV for Solo Violin (2020)
Curtis Institute of Music student composer’s fall semester concert, 2020. Composed as a third-year AD student at Curtis. Written for, dedicated to, and performed by fellow student Emma Carina Meinrenken. Introduction: 42:44; Performance: 44:28.
Poem (2020)
Momentum III Sue W COVID-19 Special Commissions.
Written for, dedicated to, and performed by Vatche Jambazian (piano) and Anna Da Silva Chen (violin).
Interview with Richard Willgoss, Anne Cawrse, Nicole Murphy, Elizabeth Younan: 0:00-21:010; Performance: 27:32.
Fantasia No. III for Solo Harp (2020)
Curtis Institute of Music student composer’s fall semester concert, 2020. Composed as a third-year AD student at Curtis. Written for, dedicated to, and performed by fellow student Claire Thai. Introduction: 00:00; Performance: 1:10.
String Quartet No. 1, “Interwoven” (2016-19)
First movement composed as a first-year Masters student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Mvts. 2-3 commissioned by Musica Viva Australia in 2018. Performed by Emma Carina Meinrenken (violin I), Emily Shehi (violin II), Kathryn Epperson (viola), Jiyeon Kim (cello) on December 11, 2019, Field Concert Hall, the Curtis Institute of Music.
Fantasia No. II for Solo Flute (2019)
Commissioned by Ensemble Offspring for their Noisy Women program. Written for, dedicated to, and performed by Lamorna Nightingale. Another performance by Curtis alum Mimi Stillman can be viewed here.
Fantasia No. I for Solo Viola (2019)
Composed as a first year AD student at the Curtis Institute of Music for the 2019 Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival in Vermont. Performed by fellow Curtis musician Beatrice Chen.
On Stage at Curtis: “Excitement, Agitation and Grief”
Watch my PBS WHYY On Stage at Curtis episode! Features interviews and performances of my viola and double bass duo, Litany (2019): Kathryn Epperson (viola), William Karns (double bass) and my Piano Trio (2018): Tsutomu William Copeland (violin), Francis Carr (cello), Jenny Chen (piano).
Litany was commissioned by the Curtis Institute of Music for the Free Library of Philadelphia’s “One Book, One Philadelphia” kick off event featuring Jesmyn Ward’s novel, “Sing Unburied, Sing”. Aired October 4, 2019.
Piano Sonata (2018)
Commissioned by Julian Burnside AO QC for the 2018 Musica Viva Australia International Concert Season. Dedicated to Julian Burnside, Carl Vine, and Joyce Yang. Premiered by Joyce Yang and recorded live on July 19, 2018 at Perth Concert Hall, WA. Audio courtesy of ABC Classic. Buy the score HERE.
Piano Trio (mvt. II) (2018)
Composed as a first-year AD student at the Curtis Institute of Music, arr. for clarinet in lieu of cello. Performed by Oliver Shermacher (clarinet), Anna Da Silva Chen (violin) and Vatche Jambazian (piano) on July 31, 2020, Sydney Opera House. Introduction: 00:00; Performance: 16:50.
Electors of Middlemarch (for percussion soloist) 2017
Composed as a second-year Masters student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s “Composing Women” program. Written for, dedicated to, and performed by Claire Edwardes on December 4, 2018, Carriageworks, Sydney, in their “Lone Hemispheres” concert.
Microsonata No. I for Viola and Piano (2017)
Composed as a second-year Masters student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s “Composing Women” program. Performed by Stefanie Farrands with Collaborative Artist Leigh Harrold at the Semi-Finals of the 2018 ABC Young Performers Awards on July 16, 2018, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney.
Clarinet Concerto (2016)
Awarded the 2016 Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and 102.5 Fine Music Young Composer of the Year Award. Performed by the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra with clarinet soloist Som Howie and conductor Paul Fitzsimon on September 17, 2016, the Concourse, Chatswood.
Woodwind Quintet No. 1, “Shoreditch Grind” (2015)
Composed as a fourth-year undergraduate at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Arcadia Winds performs Elizabeth Younan’s Shoreditch Grind at the Musica Viva Festival on April 23, 2017, Verbrugghen Hall, The Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney.
Gestures (for saxophone, vibraphone, pre-recorded electronics) (2015)
Commissioned by Side Band. Performed by brothers Brad Gill (vibraphone) and Sam Gill (saxophone) and recorded on Side Band’s album, “From the Depths” (2020).
New Waves Podcast: ABC Classic FM
Five Persian Preludes (2014)
Composed as a third-year undergraduate student at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Awarded the Jean Bogan Youth Prize for piano composition. Click here to hear the Jean Bogan Recital with accompanying interviews. Performed by Michael Kieran-Harvey.
More works …
Metamorphosis (2024) - Commissioned by the Merian Ensemble (Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, GA), Emory University and Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra. To be performed by the commissioners and conducted by Paul Bhasin on February 26, 2025, at Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Espoir (2023) - Commissioned by the Sydney Chamber Choir. Premiered on September 23, 2023.
Nineteen Seventy-Three (2023) - Commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as part of their “50 Fanfares” Project. Buy tickets HERE.
And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow… (violin solo) (2023) - Commissioned by Michele Mohammadi for Rabia Brooke (Juilliard senior). Premiere date TBA.
Fantasia No. IX for Solo Tuba (2022) - Commissioned by the Curtis Institute of Music for their 100th anniversary. To be performed and recorded by Cristina Cutts Dougherty.
Fantasia No. VIII for Solo Bassoon (2022) - Commissioned by, and written for, Matthew Kneale. Chosen as one of the competition pieces for the 2024 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox Competition for Bassoon, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ (International Double Reed Society).
Piano Quintet (2022) - Commissioned by the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington, Kentucky. Premiered by Nathan Cole (violin), Akiko Tarumoto (violin), Burchard Tang (viola), Priscilla Lee (cello), Lucille Chung (piano) in September 2022.
Fantasia No. VII for Solo Double Bass (2021) - Commissioned by the Australian National Academy of Music for Ken Harris. https://anam.com.au/theanamset
Ollie’s Groove (2021) - Commissioned by Nathan Cole for the 2021 Violympic Games (for violin or viola). Recording available soon.
Mettle (2020) - for brass and percussion ensemble. Composed for the Willgoss Ensemble Composition Prize. https://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/article/willgoss-ensemble-composition-prize-to-elizabeth-younan-and-michael-grebla
Microsonata No. II for Violin and Piano (2020) - Awarded the Watermark Composition Prize. Live recording to be uploaded soon. https://www.kendallviolin.org.au/watermark-composition
Woodwind Quintet No. 2 “Kismet” (2020) - Commissioned by The Curtis Institute of Music for the Rock School for Dance Education: https://www.therockschool.org/gala2. Original premiere cancelled due to COVID-19. Score awarded an ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award (2021).
Trumpet Fanfare (2017) - Commissioned by ABC Classic FM for International Women’s Day. Performed by Sarah Henderson at the State Library of Victoria, March 8, 2017. Recording to be uploaded soon.