B&H Signs Composer Ana Sokolović

Boosey & Hawkes has announced the signing of Serbian-Canadian composer Ana Sokolović to its renowned roster. The Belgrade-born, Montreal-based composer has distinguished herself internationally through her imaginative, rhythm-driven compositions that range from critically acclaimed operas and orchestra works to powerful solo and chamber pieces.

Sokolović's colorful sound world is often inspired by Balkan folklore and its festive, asymmetrical rhythms, and draws on her background in classical ballet and theatre. She describes immigrating to Canada (after fleeing the civil wars in Yugoslavia during the 1990s) as a catalyzing moment in her career, leading to major collaborations with Queen of Puddings Music Theatre, which commissioned her first operas, and the Société de musique contemporaine du Québec, which devoted its 2011-2012 "Série Hommage" to her music, with over 200 performances and community engagement events around Canada.

Sokolović's critically acclaimed operas-four in total-have been performed internationally, from Montreal to San Francisco and Luxembourg to Hannover. Her first opera The Midnight Court was presented at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; her 2010 opera Svadba for six female voices has been presented by Opera Philadelphia, San Francisco Opera, and Festival d'Aix-en-Provence. Le Monde described Svadba as a "Rite of Spring 'miniature'" that invented a "universal phonetics of the human heart."

Sokolović recently won two back-to-back JUNO Awards for "Classical Composition of the Year" for her concert works: in 2019 for Golden Slumbers Kiss Your Eyes, a haunting cycle of immigrant songs and lullabies for countertenor, chorus, and orchestra; and in 2020 for Evta, a concerto for violin and large ensemble. Her music has been championed by renowned orchestras including the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (Kent Nagano, Charles Dutoit), National Arts Centre Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, and Ensemble contemporain de Montréal.

Commenting on Sokolović's music, Boosey & Hawkes Vice President Steven Lankenau states: "I was immediately drawn to the intelligence and wit evident in Ana's music. Her works tap into broad human experiences that connect to audiences on a deeply emotional level. She explores something new with each piece, and I look forward to hearing where that sense of curiosity takes her."

Ana Sokolović states: "I'm thrilled to become a part of the Boosey & Hawkes family. First of all, having help with promotion, editing, and other kinds of support is fantastic and will allow me to compose much more. But on the top of everything, being surrounded by other amazing composers who were my idols-and who are still my idols-is like a dream."

Looking ahead, Sokolović is currently composing The Old Fools, a new opera for the Canadian Opera Company, scheduled for premiere in 2022. The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal announced on August 20, 2020, that Sokolović will be its composer-in-residence for the next three seasons, with multiple commissions and performances planned during the residency.

boosey.com/Sokolovic

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