2014 Abandoned
Songs with other Words
2013 Two Step Passion ver. for piano trio
Fortuna Sepio Nos
it's a nasreddin
Zamboturfidir
2012 Drawings vers. for cello and piano
Judgment of Midas (opera in two acts)
Asumani
Symphony in Blue
2011 Still, Flow, Surge
The Invasion
Two Step Passion
Thyestes
2009 Requiem for Mehmet
Far Variations
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2008 Dreamlines
Road to Memphis
2007 Partita in E
Nihavent Longa
Music for a Lost Earth
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Sheherazade Alive (2004)
First Performance

June 2003 Oender Piano Duo
Vienna, Austria

Instrumentation

two pianos

Duration

12'30"

Listen

Sheherazade Alive

Program Notes

Sheherazade Alive was commissioned by Ferhan and Ferzan Onder piano duo. When Ferhan and Ferzan suggested that I write a work inspired by the 1001 Nights Tales my reading led me more to the circumstances of Sheherazade’s telling these stories rather then to the stories themselves. Sheherazade was Vezir’s (the right hand man of the Sultan) daughter. It was known that the Sultan had killed all his previous wives on the mornings after their marriage. Vezir was against Sheherazade’s desire to marry the Sultan but he could not stop her. As Sheherazade joined the Sultan in marriage, her plan was to tell him tales that would always remain unfinished by the following mornings. This went on for 1001 nights, during which they had many kids, and at the end the Sultan could not bring himself to kill her. This is an amazing story about the strength and conviction of women. Various sections of the work have subtitles that convey the many states Sheherazade must have been in during the 1001 nights: convinced; strong; creative; persuasive; patient; passionate; powerful; wife, mother; sensitive; triumphant. This work is dedicated to the strength of women everywhere.