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****(THIS PIECE WILL BE POSTED SHORTLY ON MAY 16TH 2025)*****
INSTRUMENTS/VOICES: double-viola string quartet (violin, viola I, viola II, cello)
DESCRIPTION: Double-viola string quartet commissioned by The Vasilicos of Santorini, Greece as part of their “[To Build] A [Temporary] Home” ad hoc residency program. Deriving its name from Efta, one of The Vasilicos’ most intimate and romantic suites, “EFTA Suite” captures a series of beautiful moments – a brilliant kaleidoscopic sunset, and a colorful breakfast unexpectedly accompanied by a pair of cheeky sparrows – as experienced by the composer from the cliff-hanging Efta terrace. While in residence at The Vasilicos in late May 2024, Mary conducted research and recorded detailed observations for “EFTA Suite” using her sound-to-color synesthesia. The composition process was complete by September; and in October “EFTA Suite” was recorded by members of The Budapest Scoring Orchestra, in partnership with The Vasilicos. The work consists of two movements, each conjuring a distinct and special memory Mary recalls from her residency in The Vasilicos’ Efta Suite. The titles for each movement are snippets of verses by the celebrated Greek poet Sappho, found in a dual-language anthology of Sappho’s poetry – If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho by Canadian poet and translator Anne Carson – housed in the Efta Suite’s capsule library.
PREMIERE: TBA
PERFORMED BY: Csongor Veér (violin), Gábor Homoki (viola I), Kálmán Dráfi (viola II), and Eszter Mády-Szabó (cello) of The Budapest Scoring Orchestra
INSTRUMENTS/VOICES: double-viola string quartet (violin, viola I, viola II, cello)
DESCRIPTION: Double-viola string quartet inspired by the stained-glass windows at Mount Auburn Cemetery’s Bigelow Chapel. The key of Eb major was selected as 7 of the 8 note colors from the Eb Major scale are found in the stained-glass windows (D, a pale teal green, is the only color missing). Commissioned by the Friends of Mount Auburn as part of Mary’s two-year composer residency at Mount Auburn Cemetery.
PREMIERE: June 3rd, 2017 at Mount Auburn Cemetery [Cambridge, MA, USA]
PERFORMED BY: Katharina Giegling (violin), Christopher McClain (viola I), Carroll Lee (viola II), Aron Zelkowicz (cello)
INSTRUMENTS/VOICES: The Narrator (spoken), cello, and piano
DESCRIPTION: Musical setting of Edgar Allan Poe poem “The City in the Sea” for narrator, cello, and piano. The key of Am (a bright red) was selected to mirror the many references to fire and flame in the poem.
PREMIERE: October 27th, 2012 at Mount Auburn Cemetery [Cambridge, MA, USA]
PERFORMED BY: Rob Vellela (The Narrator), Nick Dinnerstein (cello), and Mary Bichner (piano)
INSTRUMENTS/VOICES: Alice (spoken), The Narrator (spoken), The Queen of Hearts (spoken), The King of Hearts (spoken), The White Rabbit (spoken), The Juryman (spoken), The Knave of Hearts (spoken), Alice’s Sister (spoken), The Jury Chorus (spoken), flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and harpsichord
DESCRIPTION: Dramatic reading of Chapter 12 of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, set to music.
PREMIERE: June 17th, 2010 at Galapagos Art Space [Brooklyn, NY, USA]
PERFORMED BY: Mali Sastri (Alice), Mika Cooper (The Narrator), Edrie (The Queen of Hearts), Tee Jay (The King of Hearts), Jojo Lazar (The White Rabbit), Peter Moore (The Juryman), Rob Velella (The Knave of Hearts), Molly Zenobia (Alice’s Sister), Mary Bichner (aria vocals, harpsichord), Maria Johnson (flute), Warrick Moses (clarinet), Abby Swidler (violin), Nick Dinnerstein (cello) and the Jury Chorus: Sophia Cacciola, Michael J. Epstein, Allix Mortis, Ria, John Doherty, Ants Colney, David Brown, Jess Fox, Ian Adams, and Len Tower Jr.