Montserrat
Torras Salvador
30El Cercle Fantàstic
(2011)
6’
25”
Arrangement : Duet
Premiere : Premiered June 11th, 2011, at Knuth Hall, San Francisco State University School of Music, as part of a Festival organized by The International Society of Bassists.
Josep Quer-Agustí, doublebass.
Dianne Frazer, piano.
29El Color de las Mariposas
(2010)
8’
Arrangement : Ensemble
Premiere : Premiered on May 12th, 2010 by Plural Ensemble and conducted by Wolfgang Lischke in the Auditorio Nacional de Música de Madrid.
Comments : Work commissioned by Plural Ensemble.
28Imagenología
(2009)
13’
20”
Arrangement : Soloist instrument
Premiere : Auditorio Nacional de Música.
Pianist: Dimitri Vassilakis.
Comments : Work commissioned for ANM“s 20th Aniversary.
27Hèlix
for Orchestra
(2009-2010)
10’
Arrangement : Symphony orchestra
Premiere : Premiered on March 26th, 2010 by Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya, conducted by José Ramón Encinar, at the Auditori in Barcelona.
Comments : Work commissioned by Obra Social Caixa Catalunya and Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya.
26Pas
(2008)
5min.’
Arrangement : Trio
Premiere : Work premiered at l'Auditori del MACBA, Barcelona for the series Llocs de Pas organized by Associació Catalana de Compositors.
Comments : Trio for soprano, Bb clarinet and doublebass.
25Pas
Preludio
(2008)
1’
30”
Arrangement : Duet
Premiere : Work premiered at l'Auditori, MACBA, Barcelona as part of the series LLocs de Pas.
Comments : Instrumentation: piano and doublebass.
24Luces de Bárdenas
(2008)
6’
15”
Arrangement : Band
Premiere : Work premiered by Haize Berriak wind ensemble, conducted by Luis Orduña.
Comments : Work commissioned by Haize Berriak to celebrate “Día Internacional de la Mujer Trabajadora“
23Álbum para Sofía (Trabalenguas)
Trabalenguas: I. No me mires II. Cómo quieres que te quiera III. El amor es una locura IV. Cuando cuentas cuentos...
(2007)
11’
mezzo., electr.
Arrangement : Mixed electronics
Premiere : Brown Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, USA
Voice: Sofía Koutsovitis
Tape recording
22Álbum para Sofía (Motive 3)
Motive 3
(2007)
2’
5”
mezzo., electr.
Arrangement : Mixed electronics
Premiere : Brown Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, USA
Voice: Sofía Koutsovitis
Recording with Cool Edit Pro
21Álbum para Sofía (Nana)
Nana
(2007)
2’
45”
mezzo., electr.
Arrangement : Mixed electronics
Premiere : Brown Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, USA
Voice: Sofía Koutsovitis
Recording with Cool Edit Pro
20Cross-Pollination
I.Unfolding: the weight of silence II. A Woman’s Touch: liquid courage III. Hunger: hints of something sweet IV. Justice: immortal passion
(2007)
11’
30”
vl., perc.
Arrangement : Duet
Premiere : Brown Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, USA
Performed by:
Rose Drucker, violin and John Andress, percussion.
Comments : Work commissioned by Marvin Duo.
The piece was born from a collaboration with South-African artist Gabisile Nkosi and Human Rights writer Amy West.
19Music on Photography
I. 8th Street Subway II. Fortress III. Havana IV. Lisbon
(2007)
13’
45”
vl., vlc., perc., pno.
Arrangement : Ensemble
Premiere : Allen Hall
Community Music Center
Boston, USA
Performed by:
Biliana Voutchkova, violin
Agnieszka Dziubak, cello
Sarah Bob, piano
Aaron Trant, percussion
Comments : Work commissioned by the New Gallery Concert Series
18Norte
(2007)
12”
Arrangement : Soloist instrument
Premiere : Brown Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, USA
Performed by: Cristina Pato, Galician bagpipes.
17Two Tangos for Henschel
I. Aires II. Recuerdos
(2006)
8’
2 vl., vla., vlc.
Arrangement : String quartet
Premiere : Munchen, Germany.
Intérpretes: Henschel Quartett
Comments : Work commissioned by Henschel Quartett.
16Nomad
(2005)
8’
30”
fl., ob., cl.sib, trpa., pno., perc., vl., vlc., cb.
Arrangement : Ensemble
Premiere : Paine Hall.
Harvard University.
Cambridge, USA.
Performed by: Collage New Music.
Conducted by: David Hoose.
Comments : Work commissioned by Collage New Music.
15Néctar
(2005)
3’
ob., vlc., 4 perc.
Arrangement : Ensemble
Premiere : Tanglewood Music Center.
Ozawa Hall.
Lenox, USA.
Performed by: Tanglewood Music Center Performers.
Comments : Work commissioned by Tanglewood Music Center
14Margarideta
(2005)
6’
50”
acd., electr.
Arrangement : Mixed electronics
Premiere : Bookstore.
Medford, USA.
Michael McLaughlin, accordion.
Tape recording using Cool Edit Pro Software.
13Impromptus for Chamber Ensemble
(2005)
9’
20”
sopr., fl. / picc., cl.sib / cl.b., vl., vla., vlc.
Arrangement : Ensemble (voice(s) and instruments)
Premiere : Jordan Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, USA
Performed by: Firebird Ensemble
Comments : Work commissioned by Firebird Ensemble.
12Four Miniatures for Solo Marimba
(2004)
12”
marimba
Arrangement : Soloist instrument
Premiere : Williams Hall.
New England Conservatory.
Boston, USA.
Percussionist: Thomas Wagner.
Comments : Work commissioned by Thomas Wagner.
11Textures
(2004)
9’
30”
vl., sax.c.
Arrangement : Duet
Premiere : Jordan Hall.
New England Conservatory.
Boston, USA.
Harry Cherrin, Alto Sax.
Ben Russell, Violin.
Comments : Work commissioned by Harry Cherrin, premiered at the Composers Series of Jordan Hall.
10Album para Sofía (Sapucay Dreams)
Sapucay Dreams
(2004)
7’
30”
mezzo., electr.
Arrangement : Mixed electronics
Premiere : Zeitgeist Gallery.
Cambridge, USA.
Voice: Sofía Koutsovitis.
Tape recording using Cool Edit Pro.
09Winter Habanera
(2004)
7’
2 fl., ob., cl.sib, cl.sib / cl.b., fg., 6 vl., 6 vla., 3 vlc.
Arrangement : Ensemble
Premiere : Killian Hall.
Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Cambridge, USA.
Performed by: Dinosaur Annex.
Comments : Work c ommissioned by Dinosaur Annex for their Salute to Young Composers Festival.
08Album para Sofía (On Deaf Ears)
On Deaf Ears
(2004)
8’
mezzo., electr.
Arrangement : Mixed electronics
Premiere : Jordan Hall.
New England Conservatory.
Boston, USA.
Voice: Sofía Koutsovitis.
Tape recording made with Cool Edit Pro.
07String Quartet In One Movement
(2003)
12’
2 vl., vla., vlc.
Arrangement : String quartet
Premiere : Tanglewood Music Center
Ozawa Hall.
Lennox, USA.
Performed by: Fromm Players
Comments : Winner of the NEC String Quartet Honors Competition.
06La Jornada
(2003)
10’
30”
Arrangement : Band
Premiere : Tanglewood Music Center
Ozawa Hall
Lenox, USA.
Performed by: Boston University Tanglewood Institute
Conducted by: Fred Harris.
Comments : Work Commissioned by BUTI (Boston University Tanglewood Insitute).
05Three Movements for Sarah
(2003)
13’
fl., pno.
Arrangement : Duet
Premiere : Williasm Hall.
New England Conservatory.
Boston, USA.
Sarah Tidemann, Flute.
David McGrory, Piano.
Comments : Work commissioned by Sarah Tidemann.
04Finestres
(2002)
8’
Arrangement : Symphony orchestra
Premiere : Jordan Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, USA.
Orchestra Reading by NEC Honors Orchestra.
03Abans
(2002)
6’
Arrangement : Chamber orchestra
Premiere : Jordan Hall.
New England Conservatory.
Boston, USA.
Peformed by: Boston Modern Orchestra Project.
Conductor: Gil Rose.
Comments : Abans was the winner work of the 5th Annual BMOP/NEC Composition Contest.
Reviews
“The winners of the BMOP/ NEC Composition and Concerto competitions, Montserrat Torras and violinist Rimma Yermosh, made particularly impressive debuts.
Torras, a 29-year-old Barcelona native and student of Michael Gandolfi, composed Abans, her prizewinning competition entry, last summer. The title is a Catalan word meaning “before.“ She explains that the piece “recalls a simpler, more playful time in the past. “ Indeed, the lucidly organized and colorful piece opens with a bright, childlike innocence. There is an almost chinoise quality about the opening pages that gives way later to a more obsessive and brutal militancy.“
Ellen Pfeifer, The Boston Globe, 1/20/2003
“Spanish composer Montserrat Torras“ Abans created a riot of energy. Torras received a masters in composition at New England Conservatory, and Abans offers great promise. Concentrating on repeated figures in the higher pitches, it raced headlong to its gong conclusion supplied by the huge and beautiful Zildjian at the back of the stage.“
Keith Powers, Boston Herald, 1/20/2003
“This year“s BMOP student contest winners held their own capably in the face of such formidable competition. Abans (2002) by Montserrat Torras shows its young tonemeister exploring more consonant waters, owing much in sound to Stravinksy and Copland. Hints of Iberian sunniness, conveyed via use of indigenous percussion, jumpy rhythms, and piquant wind passages impart a unique flavor to the proceedings, though. There“s also a delightful clarity of orchestration and a nicely expressed sense of melodic shape (primarily a Bolero upward wedge with many side alleyways explored).“
David Cleary, New Music Connoisseur, 9/3/2003
02Two Piano Preludes
I. Glide Reflections II. Machine Tools
(2001)
6 ’
piano
Arrangement : Soloist instrument
Premiere : Williams Hall
New England Conservatory
Boston, USA.
Piano Performer: David McGrory
Comments : Work written using Set Theory that explores several trichords.
01Theme with Two Variations and Coda per violí i piano.
(2001)
12’
vl., pno.
Arrangement : Duet
Premiere : Williams Hall.
New England Conservatory.
Boston, USA.
Serena McKinney, violin.
David McGrory, piano.
Comments : Work written using Twelve Tone Theory.