WORKS
"Smartly conceived and tightly written… Orth’s music is refreshingly varied and densely constructed, with a firm grasp of melody and a striking balance of electronic and acoustic elements."
THE OBSERVER
MUSICAL CATALOGUE
CHAMBER | CHAMBER + VOICE | DIGITAL | OPERA | ORCHESTRA | SOLO | VOCAL | ARRANGEMENTS
CHAMBER
Leaguered in Fire, Lagooned in Gold (2017) - 11 minutes
for Brass Quintet
Commissioned and premiered by Seraph Brass
Pineland Breeze (chamber version) (2019) - 13 minutes
for Violin and String Quintet, Piano
Commissioned by the Summerville Orchestra
Premiered by Alex Boissonault, violin and Wojciech Milewski, conductor with the Summerville Orchestra at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh, North Carolina on February 8, 2019
Reflections No. 1 (2015) - 5 minutes
for Viola and Piano
Commissioned by the Curtis Institute of Music Commissioning Circle for Dorothy Posel
Premiered by Born Lau and George Fu in May 2015 at the Curtis Institute of Music
Reflections No. 2 (2019) - 11 minutes
for Viola, Cello, Piano
Commissioned by Network for New Music
Straying Stardust (2014) - 13 minutes
for B-flat Clarinet, Oboe, Violin, Viola, Double bass, Soundtrack
Commissioned by the Pennsylvania Ballet and Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival
Premiered by Thomas Kraines, cello; Mark Livshits, piano; Burchard Tang, viola in Philadelphia on February 17, 2019
Stripped (2015) - 9 minutes
for String Quartet
Commissioned by the Barnes Foundation and Curtis Institute of Music
Premiered October 2015 by the Aizuri Quartet at the Barnes Museum in Philadelphia, PA
The Last Breath (2012) - 6 minutes
for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, Percussion
Purity of Essence (2014) - 8 minutes
for Violin, Viola, Cello, Percussion
Commissioned by the Rock School of Dance and Curtis Institute of Music
Premiered in May 2014 by the Rock School of Dance for their 51st Annual Benefit Gala, with choreography by Justin Allen
Just a Little Spitfire (2020) - 8 minutes
for Tenor trombone, Bass trombone, FX pedals
Listen.
Commissioned by Make More Noise Duo
Premiered by Make More Noise Duo at the International Trombone Festival in July 2021
The Last Flutter Before Dusk (2025) - 3 minutes
for Viola and Piano
Commissioned by The Juilliard School for The New Series
Premiered by Alice Ford, viola and Daniel Ma, piano for The New Series at The Juilliard School on February 16, 2026
When the Quiet Begins* (2025) - 5 minutes
for Bass clarinet and Violin
* in exclusivity period
CHAMBER + VOICE
Death is Nothing At All* (2025) - 7 minutes
for Soprano, Viola, Piano
Text by Henry Scott Holland
* in exclusivity period
Co-commissioned by The Library of Congress and Bridget Baird
Premiered by Curtis on Tour - Sarah Fleiss, soprano; Teng Li, viola; Adrian Zaragoza, piano at Gould Rehearsal Hall, Curtis Institute of Music on September 25, 2025
Songs from Exile (2021) - 7 minutes
Two songs for Mezzo-soprano, Viola, Cello, Bass
Text by Li Qing Zhao
I. Dian Di | Listen.
II. Distant Dreams | Listen.
Today I Remember (2025)
A song cycle for Soprano, Viola, Piano
Album.
Commissioned by Rose Wollman
Recorded by Rose Wollman, viola; Maria Brea, soprano; Dror Baitel, piano
I. I Willingly Became an Ox
II. Illusions
III. Today, I am a Witness to Change
Conundrum (2016) - 7 minutes
for Tenor, Violin, Cello, Loop pedal
Text by Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer
Commissioned by Elizabeth Warshawer for the birthday of Ms. Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer
Premiered by Jean-Michel Richer, tenor; Gloria Ferry-Brennan, violin; Chen Cao, cello at the Curtis Institute of Music on April 20, 2016
You Shattered my Deafness
for Baritone and String quartet
Listen (I.) | Listen (II.) | Listen (III.)
Text by St Augustine, Confessions 10.27, translation by Kenneth Leech (used with permission)
Premiered by Jonathan McCullough, baritone; Shannon Lee, violin; Laura Park, violin; Ren Martin-Doike, viola; Andres Sanchez, cello at Field Concert Hall, Curtis Institute of Music on December 9, 2013
DIGITAL
I Praise the Dance - 4 minutes
for mezzo-soprano and electronics
Text inspired by St. Augustine
Commissioned by Raehann Bryce-Davis for her debut album, Evolution
Tak-Tak-Shoo - 11 minutes
for mezzo-soprano, marimba, electronics
Text by Kanika Ambrose
Commissioned by Opera Philadelphia
Tak-Tak-Shoo
OPERA
Complications in Sue, Scene 9 (2025) - 7 minutes
for two singers (mezzo, baritone) and orchestra
Libretto by Michael R. Jackson
Commissioned by Opera Philadelphia
10 Days in a Madhouse (2023) - 87 minutes
for four principal singers (soprano, soprano, mezzo, baritone), women’s chorus, chamber orchestra, and electronics
Libretto by Hannah Moscovitch
Commissioned by Opera Philadelphia and Tapestry Opera
Premiered by Kiera Duffy, soprano; Raehann-Bryce Davis, mezzo; Will Liverman, baritone; Lauren Pearl, soprano; Daniela Candillari, conductor and Opera Philadelphia at the Wilma Theater on September 21, 2023
Empty the House (2016, rev. 2019) - 60 minutes
for three singers (soprano, mezzo, baritone), chamber orchestra, and electronics
Libretto by Mark Campbell | Directed by Ethan Heard
Love, Loss, and the Century Upon Us (2023) - 19 minutes
for two singers (mezzo, baritone) and chamber orchestra, and electronics
Libretto by Jerre Dye | Directed by Ned Canty
Commissioned by Chautauqua Opera and Opera Memphis
Premiered by Steve Osgood, conductor and Chautauqua Opera Theater
Machine, a scene (2017) - 20 minutes
for five principal singers (soprano, mezzo, mezzo, tenor, bass), chorus, orchestra, and electronics
Watch.
Libretto by Jason Kim
This scene was supported through an Opera America Discovery Grant and then featured as part of the Opera America New Opera Showcase at the Town Hall with Erik Ochsner, music director, Sonos Chamber Orchestra and Choral Chameleon.
An American Man (2014) - 20 minutes
for three singers (mezzo, tenor, baritone) and orchestra - 1.1.1.1. - 1.1.0.0 - 2perc - strings
Libretto by Jason Kim
Commissioned by Washington National Opera at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and first produced at the Kennedy Center during the 2014/2015 season.
ORCHESTRA
Blur (2016) - 7 minutes
for brass quintet + orchestra - 2(picc).2.2..2 - 3.2.1.0 - timp.2perc - strings
Listen. | Score and parts rental.
In memory of Alex Greene and Ben Darneille
Premiered by Nozomi Imamura, trumpet; Steven Franklin, trumpet; Eric Huckins, horn; Daniel Schwalbach, Trombone; Andrew Doub, tuba with Conner Gray Covington, conductor at the Curtis Institute of Music on April 4, 2016
Chasing Light (2015) - 4 minutes
for orchestra - 2(+picc).2.2..2 - 4.3.3.1 - timp.2perc - strings
Listen. | Score and parts rental.
Premiered by Curtis Institute of Music Symphony Orchestra in March 2015
Pineland Breeze (2019) - 13 minutes
for violin + orchestra - 2(picc).2.2..2 - 2.2.1.1 - 2perc - strings
Commissioned by the Summerville Orchestra
Premiered by Alex Boissonault, violin and Wojciech Milewski, conductor with the Summerville Orchestra at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh, North Carolina on February 8, 2019
Revolt of the Brave
for Grade 2+ string orchestra (and full orchestra accompaniment optional)
Listen. | Score and parts rental.
Commissioned by Composers and Schools in Concert
Premiered by Courtney Schisler, conductor and the Olmstead Academy South Orchestra at Comstock Hall, University of Louisville in Louisville Kentucky, on March 23, 2017
Run for the Roses (2015) - 2 minutes
for orchestra - 2(picc).2.2.2 - 4.3.3.1 - timp.3perc - strings
Score and parts rental. | Archival recording available upon request.
Commissioned by The Louisville Orchestra and Curtis Institute of Music
Premiered by Teddy Abrams, conductor and the Louisville Orchestra at the Kentucky Center in Louisville, KY on Feb. 2, 2016
The Last Letter (2014) - 12 minutes
for soprano, orchestra, soundtrack
Text by Jeanne Minahan.
Premiered with Elena Perroni, soprano; Kensho Watanabe, conductor; Curtis Symphony Orchestra in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 31, 2014
SOLO
A Mother’s Lullaby (2021) - 7 minutes
for harp
Miniatures from the Mountain I-IV (2016) - 7 minutes
for violin
Resig Nation (2025) - 9 minutes
for cello
10 Days in a Madhouse
VOCAL
A Prayer (2025) - 4 minutes
for mezzo-soprano, baritone, piano
Text by Sara Teasdale
“A Prayer” was commissioned by Will Liverman for his album Show Me the Way. The song was recorded by Will Liverman, J’Nai Bridges, and Jonathan King and released in 2024 with Cedille Records
"My Daughter" (2025) - 4 minutes
from 10 Days in a Madhouse
for mezzo-soprano and piano
Libretto by Hannah Moscovitch
“I Forgive You” (2016)
from Empty the House
for baritone, piano
Watch and Listen. (chamber orchestra version)
At First, Now, Always (2024) - 25 minutes
for mezzo-soprano and piano
Text by Jeanne Minahan
At First, Now, Always was commissioned by Vocal Arts DC and premiered by Daniela Mack-Shrader and Keuna Lee at the Terrace Theater in the Kennedy Center on April 15, 2024.
Weave Me a Name (2022) - 17 minutes
for soprano and piano
Text by Jeanne Minahan
Weave Me a Name was commissioned by Emily Albrink Katz, in honor of her mother Nancy Albrink. The work was premiered and recorded by Emily Albrink Katz and Kathleen Kelly in 2023 for Emily’s debut album, Force of Nature.
Dear Colleagues (2021) - 3 minutes 23 seconds
for soprano and piano
Text by Colleen Murphy
How Beautiful (2016) - 5 minutes
for baritone, piano
Listen.
Text from the Song of Songs
“How Beautiful” was commissioned by and written for Sean Michael Plumb for his wedding to Tess Pula on Sept 3, 2016.
“To Those Fleeing Persecution, Terror, and War…” (2018) - 5 minutes
for baritone, piano
Listen.
Text by Kanika Ambrose
Then, Now
for tenor, guitar
Text by Jeanne Minahan
A Dialogue Between Death and Youth (2016) - 12 minutes
for soprano, baritone, piano
Text by Andrew Marvell
(My Eyes are) Bright and Sparkly (2018) - 5 minutes
for mezzo, soprano, tenor, baritone, piano
Text by Colleen Murphy
Empty the House
ARRANGEMENT
Clarinet Concerto (2013) - 23 minutes
By Carl Nielsen
for clarinet + 8 instruments
"a triumphant world premiere"
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL