News

Anthracite Fields
world premiere
of a new realization
for orchestra and chorus

BBC Philharmonic
BBC Singers
John Storgårds, Conductor
Jeff Sugg, lighting/visuals

March 21, 2026
Bridgewater Hall
Manchester, UK

On March 21, in Manchester, UK, the BBC Philharmonic and BBC Singers give the world premiere of a new realization of Julia Wolfe’s 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning Anthracite Fields, now for orchestra and chorus…

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A symbol of freedom prompts Julia Wolfe to compose ‘Liberty Bell’

Julia Wolfe grew up in a town north of Philadelphia, so it’s only logical that she would take inspiration from the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

In a program note for her Liberty Bell (2025), Wolfe observes: “The image of the silent, cracked Liberty Bell is emblazoned in my memory.” The bell, which arrived to Pennsylvania in the 1750s, was originally called the State House Bell, and was later renamed Liberty Bell in the 1830s by New York and Boston abolitionists…

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unEarth
BBC Symphony
23 January 2026
UK premiere

Martyn Brabbins, conductor,
BBC Singers (male chorus)
soprano Else Torp
National Youth Voices and
Finchley Children’s Music Group
stage direction by Anne Kaufman
scenic projection design by Lucy MacKinnon
lighting design by Ben Stanton
Asher Lloyd Ehrenberg, associate director
Produced by Bang on a Can
Kenny Savelson, executive producer
[event link]

On Friday, 23 January, conductor Martyn Brabbins leads the BBC Symphony, soprano Else Torp, with the BBC Singers (male chorus), National Youth Voices and Finchley Children’s Music Group in the UK premiere Julia Wolfe’s unEarth…

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Pulitzer-winning composer Julia Wolfe: “Music is a fountain of youth.”

The BBC Philharmonic’s first Composer in Residence on making music with washboards and trapeze artists — and reaching listeners beyond echo chambers.

by Hannah Nepilová
Published Aug 30 2025
[link to article]

Thirteen years ago I was in the audience for Julia Wolfe’s body percussion concerto Body Language, and can say, hand on heart, that I have never enjoyed a world premiere more…

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At the Kennedy Center, the NSO offers a bracing history lesson

The Lorelei Ensemble joined the National Symphony Orchestra for the D.C. premiere of Julia Wolfe’s engrossing oratorio “Her Story.”

The Lorelei Ensemble joined the NSO for Thursday night’s performance of Julia Wolfe’s “Her Story,” conducted by Marin Alsop. (Scott Suchman)

February 28, 2025
Review by Michael Andor Brodeur

On Thursday night at the Kennedy Center, the National Symphony Orchestra gave the DC…

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This week, February 27 through March 1, two recent Wolfe works for orchestra receive commissioner premieres: Her Story (for orchestra and women’s vocal ensemble) is performed by conductor Marin Alsop, the National Symphony Orchestra and Lorelei Ensemble. Pretty, is performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Her Story

Her Story (1-min video excerpt) performed by
Boston Symphony with Lorelei

Co-commissioned by the Nashville Symphony, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and National Symphony Orchestra, Julia Wolfe’s Her Story is written for orchestra and women’s vocal ensemble …

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January 24-26, conductor Giancarlo Guerrero and the Nashville Symphony perform Julia Wolfe’s Flower Power, featuring the Bang on a Can All-Stars.

A concerto for the All-Stars and orchestra, with video art by Jeff Sugg, Flower Power was co-commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Danish Radio Orchestra.

From Julia Wolfe:

Flower Power is about optimism, idealism, psychedelia, breaking with convention, and a little bit of love and peace…

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On December 12 at Brooklyn’s National Sawdust, the electrifying Bang on a Can All-Stars play an intimate concert of music by Bang on a Can co-founder Julia Wolfe – a set of new, recent, and ‘classic’ works featuring Wolfe’s signature combination of driving rock energy and minimalist serenity. Join us for an end-of-year hang as Bang on a Can performs Wolfe’s Big Beautiful Dark and Scary, Reeling, Lick and a “sneak peek” of her work Flower Power, for the Bang on a Can All-Stars and orchestra…

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November 7, 8, 9 and 12 the New York Philharmonic and conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali perform Julia Wolfe’s Fountain of Youth.

Fountain of Youth is noisy! Washboards! Wild trumpet screams! The search for the fountain of youth went on for thousands of years. Mythology has it that when someone baths in or drinks from the fountain they are transformed, rejuvenated. My Fountain of Youth is music — a sassy, rhythmic, high energy swim…

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