With the graduation of two DMA students this semester I wanted to feature here the works associated with their projects. First up is Dr. Bailye Hendley, who as part of her research project, “Unaccompanied Horn Works for Developing Horn Players: An Examination of the Current Repertoire and Commissioning a New Work,” commissioned a new work from hornist and composer Aliyah Danielle.
But before I get to that …
Luna: A new work for horn, tuba, and fixed media (2023)
Looking back in Horn Matters, I don’t know how I did this, but Deanna Swoboda and I commissioned and recorded a work by Aliyah Danielle for horn, tuba, and fixed media — and I inadvertently have not reported about here. This is such a nice work, and I think has all sorts of possibilities for programming on recitals. Horn and tuba is such a great combination. Check it out below!
Beyond her unique and engaging musical style, part of why we were excited to work with Aliyah as well is because she is a graduate of the ASU horn studio, working with myself on horn and with Dr. Swoboda on music entrepreneurship — skills she has certainly applied as her career has gone forward!
Expansions, Volume 1 for unaccompanied horn (2025) [Poem for unaccompanied horn]
Back to the Hendley Doctoral project, completed this semester, the basic idea was that there is a body of works for unaccompanied horn, but most of that music is really difficult. There needs to be more works written at a technical level that is approachable. As part of her project Bailye formed a consortium; the following is drawn from text associated with those efforts.
I am excited to announce that I am partnering with the incredibly talented composer and horn player, Aliyah Danielle, on a commissioning consortium. This commission is part of a larger project that I am organizing dedicated to expanding the nearly non-existent solo horn literature for developing hornists, in hopes of facilitating a practical introduction to unaccompanied horn repertoire for these young musicians. This consortium will commission Aliyah Danielle to compose a solo horn work geared towards developing horn players. In addition to the solo horn work, Aliyah will also be composing a set of etudes to facilitate the study and performance of this new work.
The final composition developed by Aliyah is a short work for unaccompanied horn, titled Poem for unaccompanied horn, with three short etudes. Poem is a very approachable work, and the concept of the overall project is really solid pedagogically. If you teach horn at all I think this work is one to seek out. The etudes and the solo horn work are both highly worthy of emulation; perhaps they will inspire you to compose or commission similar works.
And again, for more on Aliyah Danielle check her website and follow her on social media. She is an emerging artist to watch, and someone I am very happy to have been able to work with here at ASU. If you have the chance to hear her live, be sure to; she is among the featured artists as the IHS Symposium this summer, for example.
Continue to the Doctoral project of Isabella Kolasinski
