5 October, 2024
Commission from Hong Kong New Music Ensemble
The esteemed Hong Kong New Music Ensemble has commissioned Donald Womack to compose a concerto for sheng and the ensemble, with virtuoso soloist LOO Sze-Wang. This work will reunite the composer with the ensemble, which also premiered his chamber concerto for geomungo, Power Lines, at the 2019 Tongyeong International Music Festival in Korea. The new work is slated to be premiered during the 2025-26 season.
11 July, 2024
Goblins to be premiered
Donald Womack's impishly playful Goblins (도깨비), for oboe and piano, will receive its premiere at the 2024 conference of the International Double Reed Society, July 25 in Flagstaff, Arizona. Commissioned by oboist Younjoo Lee, the piece takes its inspiration from Dokkaebi, mischievous creatures from Korean mythology.
18 May, 2024
Crossing Boundaries in Paris
Donald Womack's Tiger Burning Bright, for geomungo and piano, was presented at the Corée à Paris Festival in France. Virtuoso geomungo player Yoon Jeong Heo, who commissioned the piece, and pianist Jonghwa Park performed at the historic Salle Gaveau concert hall, as part of their ongoing "Project Thing".
8 May, 2024
Excellence in Research Award
Donald Womack was named a recipient of the 2024 Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Research, the highest honor awarded by the University of Hawaiʻi. The award is given "in recognition of scholarly contributions that expand the boundaries of knowledge and enrich the lives of students and the community." Womack was one of three recipients, and one of only a few artists ever to receive the honor, which is normally awarded to accomplished researchers in scientific fields.
19 November, 2023
Quadruple concerto premiered
7 (月火水木金土日), a concerto for koto, guzheng, gayageum, and geomungo, with ensemble of Korean instruments, was premiered by the Asia Zither Musicians Association (아시아 琴 교류회) at the National Gugak Center in Seoul. The organization reached out to Donald Womack for his expertise working with musical instruments across East Asia to commission a piece in celebration of the organization's 30th anniversary and its mission of presenting new and traditional music for the zither instruments of Korea, Japan and China.
13 October, 2023
신명 (Shinmyeong)
The Seoul National Gugak Center Orchestra performed 신명 (Shinmyeong) at Yeakdang Hall. Commissioned by the Jeollabuk-do Gugak Orchestra as an homage to the music of shaman ritual, the piece draws on the free spirited, energetic character of sinawi, with its its driving rhythms, and wild, almost chaotic character.
9 September, 2023
Emerging Light at Ieum Festival
The Ieum Festival Gugak Orchestra performed Donald Womack's Emerging Light 서광 (極光) at the 2024 Ieum Festival. Sponsored by the National Orchestra of Korea, the Ieum Festival Orchestra brings together many of the most promising young gugak musicians from across Korea to perform new works.
25 April, 2023
Geomungo concerto commissioned
The Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra (서울시국악관현악단) has commissioned a major work. The orchestra will premiere Donald Womack's geomungo concerto Black Dragon '검은 용' at Sejong Arts Center June 13, 2023, with virtuoso soloist Yoonjeong Heo (허윤정). 27 minutes and in three movements, the piece will be the first concerto for 9-string geomungo.
23 March, 2023
굿울림 Ritual Resonance released
As part of her ongoing series of recordings of new and traditional works, gayageum virtuoso Jung Gil Seon 정길선 has issued her latest release. "굿울림 Ritual Resonance" features four new works, including the title track, Donald Reid Womack's title 굿울림 Ritual Resonance for gayageum, ajaeng and janggu.
25 February, 2023
Keynote Speech in Taiwan
Donald Reid Womack has been invited as keynote speaker at the 2023 International Symposium on New Music for Chinese Instruments, hosted by the Taipei Chinese Orchestra April 22-23, 2023. At this conference for many of the leading composers for Chinese instruments, he will present several of his works and speak about his experiences working with East Asian instruments, particularly in Korea and Japan.
10 June, 2022
Lecture at International Gugak Workshop
Donald Womack has been invited to give a lecture at the 2022 International Gugak Workshop, hosted by the Seoul National Gugak Center, where he will present his music and discuss his long-time experience working with Korean instruments. The International Gugak Workshop, held annually, invites composers, musicologists and other top musicians from around the world who are interested in Korean music for an intensive two-week immersion into gugak, both traditional and contemporary, and is the premiere such international event.
1 June, 2022
Second portrait concert
Gayageum Ensemble 사이 will present a concert of Donald Womack's music at the National Gugak Center on June 9. The group will perform six of his works for solo gayageum and one work for gayageum ensemble. This will be the second portrait concert of his music this year, following last month's presentation of his gayageum ensemble music by Seoul National University.
Read more here.
21 May, 2022
Portrait concert of gayageum ensemble works
The Gugak Department of Seoul National University presented a concert of Donald Womack's gayageum ensemble works on May 21. 30 students performed five works on the concert organized by SNU professor and gayageum virtuoso Jiyoung Yi as one of the culminating events of Womack's year in residence at SNU.
5 May, 2022
Scattered Rhythms – Womack conducts gayageum concerto in Seoul
Donald Womack conducted the Seoul National University Gugak Orchestra in its performance of his gayageum concerto Scattered Rhythms at the National Gugak Center. Soloist Yu Soeun (유소은) and the orchestra gave a flawless, charged and exciting performance, which was received enthusiastically.
15 April, 2022
New recording and Carnegie Hall premiere
Donald Womack's 한줌 봄바람에 쌓인 눈이 녹듯... (A spring breeze melts the snow…) for haegeum, gayageum and janggu has been released on an album of new haegeum works by Eunah Noh (노은아). Eunah Noh, The World of Haegeum: Contemporary Music, is produced by Sound Press Records. Eunah Noh premieres the work at Carnegie Hall in New York April 18, 2022.
1 July, 2021
Fulbright Fellowship, year in Korea
Donald Womack has received a Fulbright Fellowship to Korea. Beginning in July 2021, he will spend a year in Seoul, working with top gugak musicians. He will also teach a graduate seminar at Seoul National University. This is Womack's second Fulbright, having spent a year in Tokyo in 2007-08 working with the Japanese instrument ensemble AURA-J.
10 April, 2021
National Orchestra of Korea premiere
The National Orchestra of Korea (국립국악관현악단) gave the premiere of Donald Womack's 서광 (Emerging Light) April 7. The 17-minute work was commissioned by the orchestra to celebrate the beginning of emergence from the pandemic.
1 October, 2020
미로 Labyrinth video released by National Gugak Center
The National Gugak Center in Seoul has released a video of Donald Womack's tour de force gayageum quartet 미로 (Labyrinth), as part of its Gugak in (人) series. The Seoul Gayageum Quartet, which gives a brilliant and exciting performace, was one of few selected from numerous groups applying to the project. View their performance here.
15 July, 2020
Two Womack works released on new recording
Gayageum virtuoso Seyoun Park (박세연) has released a new album, 상상의 숲 (Forest of Myth), including two works by Donald Womack. 달에 비친 아홉 꼬리 (Gumiho) for 25-string gayageum and 해태 (Haetae) for sanjo gayageum were simultaneously commissioned by the performer as a set of companion pieces. 상상의 솦 is released on Gogeum Records, Korea.
14 April, 2020
Guggenheim Fellowship
Donald Reid Womack was named a 2020 Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. As stated by the Guggenheim Foundation, fellowships were awarded "to a diverse group of 175 scholars, artists, and writers. Appointed on the basis of prior achievement and exceptional promise, the successful candidates were chosen from a group of almost 3,000 applicants in the Foundation’s ninety-sixth competition." Womack plans to use the fellowship to write a geomungo concerto for virtuoso Yoon Jeong Heo.
15 December, 2019
Taiwan Residency
Donald Womack was in Taiwan this month for a three-day residency at Taipei's Chinese Culture University (中国文化大学), where he worked with students and faculty of both the Chinese Music and Western Music Departments. While there he gave presentations on his music, masterclasses for composition students, and a lecture on his experience in intercultural composition. Womack's gayageum concerto will be performed by soloist Jiyoung Yi and the Taipei Chinese Orchestra in March, the premiere of a new version for Chinese orchestra.
1 October, 2019
New recording “Intertwined” released
Donald Womack's album "Intertwined" has been released on Albany Records. Featuring performances by many of the top players of Korean, Japanese and Chinese instruments, the recording includes six of Womack's works for East Asian and Western strings. From the singing lyricism of "A Glinting Edge of Sky", for cello and koto, and "Splashed Ink", for violin and guzheng, to the driving, manic energy of "雷神 (Raijin)" for Japanese ensemble with cello, and the title work "Intertwined", for gayageum, viola and janggu, the music braids interwoven textures of multiple rhythmic layers, constantly shifting accents, and gritty, buzzing intensity, with a broad range of expression, and is a representative sampling of Womack's extensive work with Asian instruments.
1 September, 2019
K’Arts in Hawaii
Donald Womack and the University of Hawaii Composition Program will host 13 musicians from Korea National University of Arts next month. Faculty and student composers and performers from K'Arts will collaborate with UH faculty and students in a weeklong residency of workshops and two concerts featuring six premieres of new works. The residency will be reciprocated in 2020 when a group of UH faculty and students visit K'Arts in Seoul.
30 June, 2019
Instrumentation article published by National Gugak Center
The National Gugak Center has published its groundbreaking book "Traditional Korean Instruments: A Practical Guide for Composers." The book, which is specifically geared toward composers, and is the first to present an introduction to all the major Korean instruments, includes Donald Womack's article "Thoughts on Korean Instruments, from a Western Composer's Perspective". The composer was asked by the Gugak Center to share his experience working with Korean instruments, and to offer advice to aspiring Gugak composers.
8 May, 2019
Scattered Rhythms in Bogota
Donald Womack's gayageum concerto Scattered Rhythms was performed in Bogota, Colombia. Featured on the Seda y Madera: Traditional Meets Contemporary festival, soloist Jiyoung Yi performed with the National University of Colombia Symphony under the baton of Gustavo Parra.
28 February, 2019
Hong Kong New Music Ensemble premieres geomungo concerto
The Hong Kong New Music Ensemble and soloist Yoon-jeong Heo 허윤정 give the world premiere of Donald Reid Womack's concerto for geomungo and large chamber ensemble "Power Lines". The virtuoso tour de force, which was adapted from the solo geomungo piece of the same title, merges the sounds of gugak, the structural development of contemporary music, and a seemingly relentless driving energy borne of rock music. The work will be featured as part of the Tongyeong International Music Festival in Korea. Afterward, the composer will travel to Seoul for the premiere of Rippling Liquid Metal, for mixed ensemble, as well as a performance of 금강 전도 (Geumgang Jeondo) for piri and janggu on a concert by piri master Kyung-ah Kim 김경아 at the National Gugak Center.
5 October, 2018
Premieres of two new concertos in North Carolina and South Korea
Next month sees the premiere performances of two major new works by Donald Reid Womack on opposite sides of the globe — a viola concerto and a gayageum concerto. First, the composer travels to North Carolina, where on November 5 soloist Ralph Farris and the Raleigh Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Peter Askim, will perform Blue Ridge Seasons, a bluegrass-tinged work inspired by the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the composer's homeland. 2 weeks later, he will be in Seoul to conduct the Gyeonggi Korean Orchestra with gayageum soloist Gilseon Jung in the premiere of 무노리 (Mu Nori). The piece, which was inspired by Korean shaman ritual, was named a winner in the international competition for new works sponsored by the orchestra.
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28 June, 2018
Highwire Act 줄타기 released on CD
Donald Womack's "Highwire Act 줄타기" has been released on renowned gayageum virtuoso Jiyoung Yi's monumental 6-set album, "Silk Butterly." Comprised of representative works spanning virtually every genre of gayageum music, from traditional to new, the set promises to be a guidepost of important gayageum repertoire. "Highwire Act 줄타기," which was originally commissioned by the performer, and has since become a staple of the gayageum repertoire, is the first track on "Contemporary Masterpieces," the final album of the set.
11 March, 2018
Haegeum Concerto featured by the Seoul National Gugak Center Orchestra
Donald Reid Womack's haegeum concerto "혼무 Dancing With Spirits" will be featured in two upcoming performances by the National Gugak Center Orchestra (국립국악관 창작악단) with soloist Aera Kim 김애라 on its April 12 and 13 concerts. The program, titled "기원 (Origin)", celebrates 30 years in Seocho of the premiere institution for Korean music. Commissioned in 2014 by the Busan National Gugak Center, a sister organization of the Seoul National Gugak Center, "혼무 Dancing With Spirits" has received numerous performances from most of Korea's premier gugak orchestras, as well as a New York performance of its version for haegeum and western chamber orchestra.
14 October, 2017
雷神 (Raijin) recorded in Tokyo
Donald Reid Womack has just returned from Tokyo, where he oversaw the recording of his septet 雷神 (Raijin) with members of the storied ensemble Pro Musica Nipponia 日本音楽集団. "Raijin" will be included on the upcoming album "Intertwined", which is scheduled for release in 2018 and will feature his works for Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Western string instruments.
1 September, 2017
Gayageum Concerto with the National Orchestra of Korea
Donald Reid Womack will be in Seoul for a September 28 performance of his gayageum concerto"Scattered Rhythms". Soloist Jiyoung Yi 이지영 will perform with the National Orchestra of Korea 국립국악관현악단, which commissioned and premiered the gugak orchestra version of the piece in 2016. This will mark the fifth performance of the concerto in either its western orchestra or gugak orchestra version.
5 May, 2017
Seoul and Tokyo
Donald Reid Womack will be in Seoul and Tokyo for two weeks this month. The Seoul visit will see the premiere of 금강 전도 (Geumgang Jeondo) for piri and janggu at the National Gugak Center, as well as a performance of 소리 (Sori) for haegeum, cello and janggu at Donhwamun Traditional Theater. He will also give presentations on his music at Seoul National University and Korea National University of the Arts. In Tokyo he'll be conducing 日本音楽集団 (Pro Musica Nipponia) in a performance of his triple concerto "Three Trees 三木" for shakuhachi, biwa and koto, at Toyosu Hall.
1 March, 2017
Haegeum Concerto in New York
Donald Reid Womack heads to the Big Apple this week for the U.S. premiere of his hageum concerto Dancing With Spirits 혼무. Soloist Sooyeon Lyuh 여수연 performs with Ensemble 212, conducted by Yoon Jae Lee.
1 January, 2017
Commissions from Korea
Fresh off completing 도깨비 (Demons), a solo gayageum work commissioned by Jieun Lee 이지언, Donald Reid Womack heads into the new year with a slew of commissions for Korean instruments. First up is a work for piri and janggu based on the iconic Korean landscape painting 금강 전도 (Geumgang Jeondo), commissioned by Seoul National University faculty member Kyung-ah Kim 김경아. After that are works commssioned by the Seoul Gayageum Ensemble 서울 가야금 앙상블, a work for ajaeng and percussion commissioned by Mi Jung Jung 정미정, and a geomungo work commissioned by Yoon Jeong Heo 허윤정, Seoul National University Professor and member of progressive fushion group Black String.
17 October, 2016
Gayageum Concerto in Korea
Donald Reid Womack is in Korea this week for a performance of his gayageum concerto Scattered Rhythms at the Gimhae Gayageum Festival. Soloist Samsoo Jang 정삼수 performs with the Changwon Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Byeonguk Yi 이병욱.
1 September, 2016
Orchestra works in Korea
The next few weeks see performances of several large ensemble works by Donald Reid Womack. The Gyeonggi Korean Traditional Orchestra, with soloist Yumi Dan 단유미, performs the haegeum concerto "Dancing With Spirits 혼무", and the Korea National University of the Arts Traditional Orchestra performs "The Sound of Drums Echoes Beyond the Heavens". In addition the Seoul Gayageum Ensemble performs "Highwire Act 줄타기", and the Gimhae Gayageum Orchestra performs "Liquid Metal" at the Uijeongbu Gayageum Festival. Finally, the Gimhae Gayageum Festival will feature Womack's gayageum concerto "Scattered Rhythms" with soloist Samsoo Jang 정삼수.
1 June, 2016
Prague Shakuhachi Festival
Donald Reid Womack is represented at International Shakuhachi Festival Prague this week with performances of two works. "A Glinting Edge of Sky" for shakuhachi and koto , and "太刀花 (Sword Flower)" in its version for shakuhachi and violin are featured at the world's premiere international shakuhachi event, with renowned shakuhachi performer Hiromu Motonaga 元永拓.
18 April, 2016
Two major works performed in Korea
Donald Reid Womack is in Seoul this week for performances of two major works. His haegeum concerto "Dancing With Spirits 혼무" is scheduled to be played April 21 at KBS Hall by the KBS Traditional Music Orchestra, with soloist Semi Lee 이새미. April 22 will see the world premiere of "Scattered Rhythms", the gugak orchestra version of Womack's gayageum concerto, with Ji-young Yi 이지영 performing the solo part, at the main hall of the National Theater of Korea.
18 March, 2016
Hawaii 5-oh!
Donald Reid Womack at 50
The UH Contemporary Music Ensemble presented a musical celebration in honor of Donald Womack’s 50th birthday. Guest performers from as far away as New York and Seoul joined the ensemble members and the composer himself onstage, as they performed five of Womack's recent works for Japanese, Chinese, Korean and western instruments.
22 February, 2016
Pro Musica Nipponia tour of USA
Donald Reid Womack is joining the Tokyo-based Japanese-instrument ensemble Pro Musica Nipponia 日本音楽集団 for their three-city tour of the United States. Womack will host the group as they present concerts along cultural and educational activities in New York City and Houston, before stopping in Honolulu for a weeklong residency at the University of Hawaii. In addition to Womack's music, the group will perform many new and traditional works by Japanese and American composers.
1 November, 2015
巫 무 Mu released on CD
As part of her ongoing series of recordings of new and traditional works, gayageum virtuoso Jung Gil Seon 정길선 has issued her latest release. "Sanjo & Sanjo 산조 그리고 산조" features four new works, including Donald Reid Womack's Korean shamanism-inspired 巫 무 Mu for gayageum and janggu.
3 October, 2015
Gaygageum Concerto at Seoul Arts Center
This week sees the Korea premiere of Donald Reid Womack's Gayageum Concerto "Across the Scattering Sky" at the prestigious Seoul Arts Center. Soloist Ji-young Yi 이지영 joins the Ulan Ude Symphony, which also gave the world premiere of the work last month in Ulan Ude, Russia.
6 July, 2015
“Raijin 雷神” premiered
Donald Reid Womack is in Tokyo this week for the July 11 world premiere of "Raijin 雷神". Inspired by the eponymous Japanese god of Thunder, the work for mixed septet of Japanese instruments, was commissioned by the illustrious ensemble Pro Musica Nipponia 日本音楽集団, which will give the premiere at Yomiuri Otemachi Hall.
10 January, 2015
Two new CDs for Korean instruments released
The Busan National Gugak Center has released its new recording "전통에 대한 경의" ("Respect for Tradition"), including Donald Reid Womack's concerto for haegeum and Korean traditional orchestra "Dancing With Spirits 혼무", which is based on a traditional Korean shaman ritual. This follows the recent release of Womack's "소리" ("Sori") for haegeum, cello and janggu by the Seoul National Gugak Center on their recording "이면을 빚다" (which translates loosely to "Reaching the Other Side"). Both recordings were part of Womack's 2-month residency in Japan and Korea this past fall.
19 December, 2014
Breaking Heaven 破天 named one of
top ten releases of 2014 by New Music Box
Breaking Heaven 破天 was included on the list of the year's best recordings by Frank J. Oteri, composer advocate and senior editor for the prominent new music site, who writes "For the past decade, Donald Reid Womack has been creating a fascinating body of chamber music utilizing both Western and Asian instruments. Breaking Heaven, Womack’s trio for cello, shakuhachi, and 21-string koto, is a great starting point for listeners eager to hear the exciting sonic result of this synthesis."
Hear the title track streamed at New Music Box.
1 November, 2014
Donald Reid Womack in Korea
Donald Reid Womack was a featured guest composer at Seoul National University and at the National Busan Gugak Center in Korea. Womack was recently in residence with the students and faculty of the Korean composition program at SNU for a week of workshops and masterclasses that culminated in a lecture concert with performances of three of his works for Korean instruments. Visits to Busan in September and again in October centered around the world premieres of two works for Korean traditional orchestra — "The Sound of Drums Echoes Beyond the Heavens" and his haegeum concerto "Dancing With Spirits". His works were also presented at the Seoul National Gugak Center in September and October. A December 6 concert at Seoul's Bukchon Changwoo Theater will feature several more of his works. In all, his works were given 14 performances in Korea this fall, with two works recorded for release on CDs.
1 October, 2014
New CD of works for Japanese instruments released
邦楽器のための作品の新しいCD
On October 1 Albany Records released Breaking Heaven 破天, featuring five works for Japanese instruments by Donald Reid Womack. Check it out on iTunes, Amazon, and other major online retailers.
1 April, 2014
‘Aina recorded by Palisades Virtuosi
The Palisades Virtousi Trio releases its CD "New American Masters, Volume 5" on the Albany label, including Donald Reid Womack's ‘Aina, which the trio commissioned. ‘Aina, for flute, clarinet and piano, is a set of character pieces, ranging from broad landscape to intimate vignette, evoking the beauty and mystery of the composer's home of Hawai‘i.
1 December, 2013
New CD Released!
On December 1 Albany Records released Elements 五行: New Music for Pipa by American Composers, featuring exciting and soulful performances by reknowned pipa virtuoso Yang Jing. The CD was produced by Donald Reid Womack, and includes two of his works: Elements 五行 (pipa solo) and An Enveloping Rain (pipa, viola, guzheng). It also includes a song cycle for soprano and piano by Thomas Osborne, as well as solo pipa works by Takeo Kudo and Jeff Myers. Check out the first recording ever dedicated to works by American composers for this iconic Chinese instrument.
