It was an absolute thrill to be at Abbey Road Studios this August working with the fantastic musicians of the Philharmonia Orchestra. We had two days of tracking for an album project that I am producing/composing/arranging whose details I will announce in 2017.
“Armenian Dances” for Orchestra
The Boston Landmarks Orchestra commissioned me to write a suite, based on traditional Armenian dances, for orchestra. The result was a 13 minute suite that was premiered on August 17th at the DCR Hatch Shell under maestro Chris Wilkins.
Boston Classical Review wrote “One of the most memorable pieces heard Wednesday night was Kareem Roustom’s Armenian Dances, which also received its world premiere… Roustom’s score is a charming and accessible collection of dances that brim with silky lyricism.” Read the full review here.
“Ramal” for Orchestra; US Premiere at the Grand Teton Music Festival
Maestro Donald Runnicles (music director at Deutsche Oper Berlin, Principal at BBC Scottish Symphony, Principal Guest Conductor at Atlanta Symphony, & Music Director at the Grand Teton Music Festival) gave the American premiere of my Ramal for orchestra, a work that was commissioned by Daniel Barenboim & the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in 2014. Maestro Runnicles and the GTMF Orchestra, made up from members of the Los Angeles Phil. Pittsburgh Symphony Dallas Phil. Atlanta Sym. Concertgebouw & a number of other esteemed orchestras, gave two performances of my Ramal to a packed Walk Festival Hall.