2009 in classical music

Events

September 12 - Australian radio station ABC Classic FM reveals the results of its Classic 100 Symphony poll. The winner is Dvořák's Symphony no. 9 - From the New World.

October - With the release of his new album Nightbook, Ludovico Einaudi takes a new direction, incorporating synthesized sounds alongside his solo piano playing.

New works

John Adams – String Quartet No. 2

Thomas Adès – Lieux Retrouvés, for cello and piano

Kalevi Aho - Hommage á Schubert, string quintet

Richard Barrett – Mesopotamia for 17 instruments and electronics

Harrison Birtwistle – The Corridor, scena for two singers and ensemble

John Brunning – Sahara, for guitar

Elliott Carter

Duettino, for violin and cello

Figment V, for marimba

Ludovico Einaudi – Nightbook

Lorenzo Ferrero

Op.111 – Bagatella su Beethoven, for piano solo

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2

Fantasy Suite No. 2, for violin and orchestra

Three Simple Songs, for flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello and piano

Tourists and Oracles, for eleven instruments and piano four-hands

Francesco Filidei – Ogni gesto d'amore, for violoncello and orchestra

Howard Goodall – Enchanted Voices

Philip Glass

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, No. 2, "The American Four Seasons", premiere in December

Sonata for Violin and Piano

String Sextet

Sofia Gubaidulina – Fachwerk, for bayan, percussion and string orchestra

Mehdi Hosseini

Baluch, for alto flute, contrabassoon, horn, xylophone, violin and cello

Peshtpa, for oboe, bass clarinet and violoncello

Magnus Lindberg – Graffiti, for chorus and orchestra

Frederik Magle – Symphonic suite Cantabile, premiere June 10 in Koncerthuset, Copenhagen

Christopher Rouse – Odna Zhizn

David Sawer – Rumpelstiltskin

Steven Stucky – Dust Devil, for solo marimba

John Tavener

Tu ne sais pas, for mezzo-soprano, timpani and stings

The Peace that Passeth Understanding, for choir

Mark-Anthony Turnage – Five Processionals, for clarinet, violin, cello and piano

Opera premieres

Operas which premiered in 2009 include:

Contents

• Events
• New works
• Opera premieres
• Albums
• Musical films
• Deaths
• Classical Brits
• Grammy Awards
• References

Kepler by Philip Glass, September 20, Landesthater Linz, Austria

Aquarius by Karel Goeyvaerts, June 9, Antwerp

The Letter by Paul Moravec, July 25, Santa Fe Opera

Sparkie: Cage and Beyond by Michael Nyman, with Carsten Nicolai

Brief Encounter by André Previn, May 1, Houston Grand Opera

The Lunch Box by Thanapoom Sirichang, March 26, Hobart, Tasmania

Prima Donna by Rufus Wainwright, July, Palace Theatre, Manchester

Albums

Nicola Benedetti - Fantasie

Bradley Joseph - Suites & Sweets

Julian Lloyd Webber - Romantic Cello Concertos

Hayley Westenra - Winter Magic

Musical films

La Danse

Mao's Last Dancer

Pianomania

The Soloist

Deaths

January 13 – Mansour Rahbani, 83, Lebanese composer

January 14 – Angela Morley, 84, English conductor and composer

January 15 – Veronica Dudarova, 92, Russian symphony conductor

February 1 – Lukas Foss, 86, American pianist, conductor and composer

February 24

Svatopluk Havelka, 83, Czech composer

Pearl Lang, 87, American dancer and choreographer

March 29 – Maurice Jarre, 84, French composer

July 16 – D. K. Pattammal, 90, Indian classical singer

July 27– George Russell, 86, American composer

August 18 – Hildegard Behrens, 72, German opera singer

September 1 – Erich Kunzel, 74, American conductor

September 17 – Leon Kirchner, 90, American composer

October 12 - Ian Wallace, 90, British singer

Classical Brits

Male of the Year — Gustavo Dudamel

Female of the Year — Alison Balsom

Composer of the Year — Howard Goodall

Young British Classical Performer — Alina Ibragimova

Album of the Year — Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Spirit of the Glen–Journey

Soundtrack of the Year — The Dark Knight — Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard

Critics' Award — Sir Charles Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra — Mozart Symphonies nos. 38-41

Lifetime Achievement In Music — José Carreras

Grammy Awards

See 51st Grammy Awards