The Minnesota-based string ensemble Accordo gave the world premiere of Thakla, Vilomah, Shakul (Bereavement) for String Octet on June 2, 2025.
Thakla premiere article
Thakla premiere performance
Tough Turkey in the Big City was performed on May 4, 2025 at Rozca Centre at the University of Calgary. Claude Laplme conducted the Calgary Pro Musica and Samantha Whelan provided the narration.
Bruce Adolphe titles that were formerly under Pollyrhythm are now owned by Keiser Productions.
Last year, Oxford University Press published Adolphe’s new book Dreaming and Thinking in Music: Exercises for Exploring Inspiration and Imagination in Musical Creativity.
“Bruce Adolphe poses fundamental questions of inspiration and imagination. How does the subconscious affect our life decisions, our artistic output? Can imagination be taught? How do dreams become creation? And in his answers, he puts his finger on the beginnings of the human creative impulse. It’s a stunning achievement.” —Yo-Yo Ma, Cellist
“Dreaming and Thinking in Music poses a refreshing view on the creative act of music making. Composers will be ‘un-stuck,’ students will be inspired, improvisers engaged, and teachers will be relieved by the exercises and insights in Adolphe’s newest book! Not only is this a beautiful expression of Adolphe’s particularly multi-modal perspective on how music can be realized, but it is a practical road map for finding one’s voice and perspective on music. He flows freely between the wildly creative and pragmatic choices we must make along our artistic journeys. I know I will use this text as a guide in my own composing and teaching for years to come.” —Jessie Montgomery, Violinist, Composer and Lecturer, Beinen School of Music, Northwestern University
From the Foreword by Reena Esmail: “Singers work with vocal coaches for their entire lives. In the same way, composers need imagination coaches, companions who challenge us toward new visions, showing us how to remain fresh, engaged, and in constant and meaningful dialogue with the world around us. Bruce Adolphe’s work has been that companion for me—and I hope that it becomes that trusted companion for you, too.” (Adolphe, Bruce. Dreaming and Thinking in Music. Oxford University Press, 2025.)