Composer Premieres

Celebrating Innovation and Collaboration in Contemporary Classical Music
Thomas Piercy has Premiered over 300 Pieces Composed for Him, Redefining the Clarinet and Hichiriki Landscape

The works - for clarinet, bass clarinet, or hichiriki - include solo pieces, duos, trios, quartets, larger mixed ensembles, concertos and double concertos. They include a wide variety of styles of music, from contemporary classical to Japanese avant-garde; from the abstract to minimalism; from J-pop to jazz-influenced pieces.

Piercy has had the opportunity to work with many of these composers. The composers have ranged from 10 to 98 years of age, and come from all walks of life and experience: from elementary and university students to university professors; from self-taught composers to composers with PhDs; from emerging composers to composers that have won such prominent awards as the Grammy Award, the Latin Grammy Award, the Takemitsu Prize, the Geneva Prize, and the Pulitzer Prize.  

Renowned clarinetist and hichiriki player Thomas Piercy continues his groundbreaking musical journey, captivating audiences and composers alike with his unwavering dedication to the promotion and performance of contemporary classical music. With an extraordinary repertoire that spans across genres and styles, Piercy has recently reached an astonishing milestone by premiering over 300 compositions specifically composed for him. This exceptional feat not only showcases his exceptional artistry but also highlights his commitment to pushing the boundaries of the clarinet and the hichiriki as a solo instrument.

Collaboration and innovation have been at the core of Piercy's career, and his collaboration with composers from around the world has resulted in an unparalleled body of work. Piercy's open-mindedness and eagerness to explore new musical horizons have attracted the attention of numerous contemporary composers, who were inspired to create new works tailored to his virtuosic abilities.

The list of composers seen below serves as a testament to this remarkable achievement. It proudly presents an extensive list of composers' premieres that span a diverse range of musical styles, including classical, avant-garde, experimental, and cross-cultural compositions. Each premiere represents a collaboration between Piercy and a visionary composer, resulting in a symbiotic relationship that pushes the boundaries of the clarinet's expressive capabilities.

The clarinet  and the hichirki are both capable of evoking a wide range of emotions. Piercy's collaboration with composers has further expanded these instrument's repertoire, allowing them to explore uncharted territories and embrace new sonic landscapes. From hauntingly introspective solos to virtuosic displays of technical mastery, Piercy's performances of these premieres showcase the depth and breadth of musical possibilities inherent in both instruments.

One of the remarkable aspects of Piercy's approach is his commitment to working closely with composers throughout the creative process. By fostering a collaborative environment, he ensures that the composers' visions are fully realized. This dedication to collaboration has earned him the admiration and respect of composers worldwide, who recognize his ability to bring their musical ideas to life with authenticity and nuance.

Piercy's premieres have taken place in prestigious venues and festivals around the globe, captivating audiences with his technical brilliance and interpretive sensitivity. His performances not only provide an engaging listening experience but also serve as a platform for discovering new compositional voices and exploring the evolution of contemporary classical music.

In addition to his premieres, Piercy has also championed the recording and dissemination of these unique compositions that showcase the wealth of music composed for him. These recordings not only allow the wider audience to experience the richness and diversity of contemporary clarinet repertoire but also provide a lasting legacy of Piercy's artistic contributions.

Thomas Piercy's unwavering dedication to expanding the repertoire for the clarinet and the hichiriki has brought forth a new era of innovation and collaboration in contemporary classical music. His premieres of over 300 compositions demonstrate the transformative power of artistic collaboration, pushing the boundaries of expressive capabilities and redefining its role in the classical music landscape.

As Piercy continues to inspire composers and audiences alike, his ongoing journey serves as an inspiration to musicians, composers, and music enthusiasts around the world. Through his passion, talent, and unwavering commitment to musical excellence, he paves the way for future generations of performers to embrace and contribute to the ever-evolving world of contemporary classical music

A partial list of composers whose works have been premiered by Thomas Piercy. 
Most of these works were composed specifically for Mr. Piercy.
​

Eliane Aberdam
Jake Adams
Ramin Akhavijou
Beth Anderson
Alyssa Aska
Lera Auerbach
Armando Ayala
Milton Babbit
Trevor Bachman
Rodrigo Baggio
Guy Barash
Greg Bartholomew
Michael Begay
Richard Rodney Bennett
​Helga Beier
Jean-Patrick Besingrand
Can Bilir
John Bilotta
Gordon Francis Blaney, Jr.
Allan Blank
Ed Bland
Philippe Bodin
David Bohn
Seth Boustead
Erik Branch
Susan Brewster 
Scott Brickman
Margaret Brouwer
Julius Bucsis
Canary Burton
John Cage​
​Oliver Cameron
Nerissa Campbell
Utsyo Chakraborty
Wendy Mae Chambers
Kanokpak Changwitchukarn
Kevin Charoensri
Chen Yi 
Yihan Chen
Monica Chew
​Young-Shin Choi
​William Coble
Andy Cohen 
Steve Cohen
Michael Coleman 
Douglas DaSilva  
​Seth David
Andrew Davis  
Malcolm Dedman  
David Del Tredici  
Paul Dice 
Nick Didkovsky  
​Dominic Dousa
Peter Eotvos
​Alan Elkins
Elisenda Fabrégas
David Fetherolf
Dagmar Feyen
Jay Fluellen
Donal Fox
Jim Fox
Michael Frazier  
Reiko Fueting
Gilbert Galindo
Whitney George 
Lyudmilla German
Gardika Gigih 
David Gonzalez
Jacob Goodman
Ulf Grahn  
Eli Greenhoe  
​Adam Giese
Nicolas Gilbert
Jacob Goodman
Melissa Grey
Daron Hagen  
Jin Hee Han
​Daniel Hass 
David Heuser 
Jennifer Higdon  
​Joel Hobbs
​Kevin Holland
Katherine Hoover   
​Cindi Hsu
Zhihua Hu
Silas Huff
Justin Hung
Kento Iwasaki  
Yohei Kurihara
​Daryl Jamieson
Kittiphan Janbuala  
​Wang Jie
JP Jofre  
Emil Khoury
Sakiko Kosaka
Steven Kreamer
Tim Labor
Benjamin Lees
Paul Yeon Lee
Tania León  
Bin Li  李彬  
Qi Li
​Lukas Ligeti
Elizabeth Lim  
David Loeb  
Piyawat Louilarpprasert 
Raymond Luedeke  
Joshua Banks Mailman 
Matt Mason
Eli Marshall 
Peri Mauer  
William Mayer
Daniel Mihai  
Dom Minasi  
Paul Morin
Sandro Montalto
Beata Moon
Luigi Morleo    
David Morneau
Charalambos Navrozidis
Alon Nechustan  
Ian Ng  
​James Soe Nyun
Sean O'Boyle
Takeshi Ogawa
​Lucas Oickle
Sergey Oskolkov
Fernando Otero 
Manos Panayiotakis
Akmal Parwez
Alla Pavlova
Joseph Perhson
Troy Peters
Jonathan Pieslak
Russell Platt
Gene Pritsker
Ugo Raimondi
Renaldo Ramai
​Fabio Rambelli 
Giuseppe Rapisarda
Marty Regan
Dana Richardson 
​André Ristic
Aaron Robinson 
Robert Xavier Rodriguez
Erin Rogers
Manly Romero
Paul Anthony Romero
Ned Rorem
Michael Rose
Richard Rosenfeld
Marjorie Rusche
Michael Schelle
Colleen Schmuckal
​Brian Schober
​David Schober 
Allen Schulz
Thomas Schuttenhelm
Edward Schocker  
Thanakarn Schofield 
​Jose Serebrier
Candra Bangun Setyawan  
Alex Shanafelt
Emma Shifrin
Bob Siebert
Nina Siniakova
John Spartan
Steven Serpa
Bob Siebert
Samuel Stokes
David Su
Dorian Tabb
Conrad Tao
​David Taylor
Emilio Teubal
Olav Anton Thommessen
Daniel Thompson
Ruben Toledo
Douglas Townsend
Frank Warren
Dalit Warshaw
Frances White
Blair Whittington
Benjamin Williams
Donald Reid Womack
Rain Worthington
Russell Wimbish  
David Wolfson
Anna Vriend 
Sebastien Zaczek
​Parsa Zandi

會田瑞樹  Mizuki Aita
AYUO
坂野嘉彦   Yoshihiko Banno 
大胡恵   Kei Daigo 
藤倉大  Dai Fujikura
合屋正虎   Masatora Goya  
平井 京子 Kyoko Hirai
平山 智   Tomo Hirayama  
細川 俊夫   Toshio Hosokawa  
一柳慧   Toshi Ichiyanagi
井上一平   Ippei Inoue  
石井美栄子   Mieko Ishii 
清水一徹   Shimizu Ittetsu
伊藤美由紀  Miyuki Ito  
岩岡一志　Kazushi Iwaoka  
伊左治直  Sunao Isaji
​川上統  Osamu Kawakami  
川崎真由子  Mayuko Kawasaki  
橘川琢   Migaku Kitsukawa  
小林祥恵  Sachie Kobayashi 
Akari Komura 
桑原ゆう  Yu Kuwabara  
増本 伎共子 Kikuko Massumoto
松本祐一   Yuichi Matsumoto  
マクイーン時田深山  Miyama McQueen-Tokita
三界秀実   Hidemi Mikai
三木稔 Miki Minoru
見澤ゆかり  Yukari Misawa  
森田泰之進   Yasunoshin Morita  
村松崇継  Takatsugu Muramatsu  
長生 淳   Jun Nagao  
Akemi Naito
中堀海都　 Kaito Nakahori
Kaori Nakano
​西村 朗 Akira Nishimura
小栗克裕 Katsuhiro Oguri  
大江千里 Senri Oe  
大羽田 大輔 Daisuke Ohata  
Koh Okumura
佐原詩音  Shion Sahara
酒井健治  Kenji Sakai
坂本 龍  Ryuichi Sakamoto
​Miho Sasaki  
沢井 忠夫  Tadao Sawai
清水チャートリー  Chatori Shimizu 
下山一二三   Hifumi Shimoyama
​篠原 眞   Makoto Shinohara  *
白藤淳一  Junichi Shirafuji  
鈴木治行  Haruyuki Suzuki  
鷹羽弘晃  Hiroaki Takaha  
高橋久美子 Kumiko Takahashi
​田中カレン  Karen Tanaka
田中 翔一朗  Shoichiro Tanaka  
​田口和行  Kazuyuki Taguchi  
壺井 一歩   Ippo Tsuboi  
​徳山美奈子 Minako Tokuyama  
内田輝   Akira Uchida
梅本佑利 Yuri Umemoto
Kenjiro Urata
宇澤とも子  Tomoko Uzawa  
薮田翔一  Shoichi Yabuta
山田悠人  Yuto Yamada 
山口恭子   Kyoko Yamaguchi
山本和智   ​Kazutomo Yamamoto
山本 哲也  Tetsuya Yamamoto
吉仲 淳   Atsushi Yoshinaka
湯浅譲二   Joji Yuasa