Zosha Di Castri
Zosha Di Castri is a Canadian composer and pianist living and working in New York. She is the Francis Goelet Assistant Professor of Music at Columbia University. Her work came to international attention when a specially commissioned piece about the lunar landings opened the BBC Proms 2019.
Early life and education
Di Castri was born in Calgary, Alberta, and grew up in St. Albert. She completed her bachelor's of music in piano performance and composition at McGill University, and graduated from Columbia University with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree.Career
Di Castri became an assistant professor of music at Columbia in 2014. In 2015 her work Dear Life was premiered by the National Arts Centre orchestra. Her work has also been performed by the San Francisco Symphony, New World Symphony, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.On 19 July 2019 her specially commissioned work Long is the Journey, Short is the Memory opened the BBC Proms 2019 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Singers conducted by Karina Canellakis. Reviewers praised the composition, and commented on Di Castri's skill as an orchestrator.
Di Castri's compositions are also performed by the JACK Quartet.
In 2019, Di Castri released a debut album of her compositions in performances by various ensembles and artists.
In 2021, she received a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Selected works
Anssi de suite… for solo celloAKKORD I for flute, piano, electronics, and kinetic sculpture installationAlba for orchestraThe Animal After Whom Other Aninsls Are named for six singers and electronicsThe Contours of Absence for string octet Cortège for 13 musiciansDear Life for orchestra, soprano, and recorded narratorDream Feed Origins for fixed mediaDream Feed I. - ZD/Olivia for fixed media, violin, pianoDream Feed II. - ZD/Pauchi for fixed media, violin/voice and processing, and pianoDream Feed III. - ZD/Alice for fixed media, voice/flute and processing, and pianoDream Feed IV. - ZD/Chloe for fixed media, cello and processing, and pianoDream Feed V. - ZD/Aiyum for fixed media, percussion, and pianoDu haut de l’Orillon for clarinet and electronicsDUX for solo pianoEscapement for oboe, saxophone, percussion, piano, and accordionEverything Too Big To Take Apart for tape and interactive wii controller, for danceFour Miniatures for Woodwind Quintet for woodwind quintethow many bodies have we to pass through for solo percussionHunger for orchestra, improvised drummer, and silent filmPentimento for orchestra, commissioned for thy WDR Symphony Orchestra CologneIn the Half-light for Orchestra, commissioned for the Toronto Symphony OrchestraLa forma dello spazio for chamber ensembleL’allée d’ardoise for 12 musiciansLineage Listen to Low for tapeLong is the Journey, Short is the Memory for Orchestra & Chorus, commissioned for the 2019Manif for percussion quartetNear Mute Force for 2 voices, viola, piano, drum set plus auxiliary percussionPamplecaribou for amplified flute, piano, cello, and tapePatina for solo violinPhonobellow for 5 instrumentalists, electronics and interactive sound sculpture, co-composed with David AdamcykThe Phonograph for baritone, violin, and celloPhonophotographie for 15 musiciansSerafiniana for orchestra, amplified solo violin, amplified harp, and electronicsSprung Testament for piano and violinStrange Matter for 8 musicians- String Quartet No 1 sulla mappa concava del buio for string quartet, soprano, and electronicsTachitipo for two pianists, two percussionists, and electronicsThe Thinking Eye for solo pianoWake, Butterfly for 12 musiciansWork and Day for percussion duo