Maria Newman

In the Summer of 1995, Newman was appointed Composer-in-Residence for the Icicle Creek Music Center in Leavenworth, Washington. She held the post until the end of the 2004 summer season.

As Composer-in-Residence at the Montgomery Arts House for Music and Architecture (MAHMA), a modern craftsman venue in Malibu, California, designed by Eric Lloyd Wright of the Frank Lloyd Wright family of architects, Newman participates in 40-plus concerts annually in this venue alone. Her duties at MAHMA include Composer-in-Residence for the Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra, Malibu Madrigals, the Malibu Coast Silent Film Orchestra,[18] Malibu Coast String Quartet, the Malibu Ocast Chamber Ballet, and the Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra Solisti. Newman has held the Louis and Annette Kaufman Composition Chair and the Joachim Chassman Violin Chair at the Montgomery Arts House for Music and Architecture (MAHMA) and the Malibu Friends of Music since 2005.

Newman's achievement at MAHMA is the story of a dedicated classical musician, who, through perseverance, dedication and the belief that music is a highly powerful community-wide healing mechanism, is offering music and music making on an intimate level. Newman has a gift of making audiences feel valued and she effortlessly gains their trust. It is important to Newman that the musicians are happy as well. Says Newman, "I feel that at MAHMA we are in a place where dear friends gather to rehearse, perform, listen, experience, eat, laugh, and discuss music and art in depth. The level of music-making here is extraordinarily high and truly rare for a small town, as we bring in wonderful guest artists and speakers from around the world to collaborate with our outstanding group of resident artists. The entire experience at MAHMA is marvelously satisfying." In addition, Newman tours frequently as featured composer, performer, lecturer and master teacher.[19]

According to critic Jim Svejda, "Maria Newman is hugely musical, bewitching, profound and playful with an instantly recognizable and unusually appealing musical personality."

Along with pianist/longtime musical partner, Wendy Prober, Newman founded the Viklarbo Chamber Ensemble[20] in 1987. With Viklarbo, Newman and Prober have concertized in this country's most prestigious concert halls, as well as for some of the poorest communities in the United States.[21] The ensemble has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, the California Arts Council, the Utah Tour for the Performing Arts, the Delta Arts Council, the Headwaters Council for the Arts, Hawaii Council for the Arts, and many others. The ensemble continues to present concerts today. Newman serves as Composer-in-Residence for the ensemble.

Newman has been guest composer for Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, Solisti New York, Brevard Symphony Orchestra, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, New West Symphony, Olympia Chamber Orchestra, Wichita Symphony, Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, Santa Monica Symphony, Pacific Serenades, Martha's Vineyard Chamber Music Society, Chamber Music Palisades, Dorian Festival Chamber Orchestra at Luther College, Omaha Conservatory Festival and Cinema Orchestras, Azusa Pacific Grand Orchestra Festival, Central Washington University Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Omaha, Wonder of Words Festival (WOW!), Northwestern University, Indiana University, Bloomington, School of Music Philharmonic Orchestra, and more.[22]

• String Quartet No.1, Opus 33, No. 7 "Birthday of the Infanta" (1995)

1. The Party – Carneval

2. The Bull Fight

3. The Dance of the Dwarf

4. The Forest and the Minuet

5. The Search and the Mirror

6. Finale: The Death of the Dwarf

• String Quartet No.2, Opus 35, No. 1 "Lauds" (1998)

1. Maestoso feroce - Allegro

2. Poco andante – poco allegro

3. Stiltedly swaying, moderato

4. Intermezzo: Allegro molto

5. Finale: Allegro molto

• Sonata for Piano, Opus 32, No. 6 "Maskil" (1994)

I. Largo-Presto

II. Andante Iontano

III. Allegro assai

• The Complete Ballet Music for Two Pianos, Opus 39, No. 1 "Emma McChesney" (2002)

I. Moderato-Feroce (The Traveling Saleswoman)

II. Moderato, molto legato (Emma Tells of Her Life)

III. Andantino melancholica (The Robbery)

IV. Feroce, accented (Mad Dance Lessons with Jock)

• "A Breath of Mississippi," Opus 43, No. 5 Song Cycle for Soprano, Two Violins and Piano (2005)

(On the poetry of Louise Moss Montgomery)

I. Little Songs

II. Watchword

III. Under the Oak Tree

IV. My Auntie Mother

V. That’s Home

• "Songs on Motherhood," Opus 36, No. 2 Song Cycle for Soprano (or Mezzo Soprano), Violin, Clarinet (or Viola, and Harp (or Piano) (1998)

(On poetry of Louise Moss Montgomery)

I. To a Refractory Father

II. Jeu, Intermede 1

III. Pirouetting

IV. Jeu, Intermede 2

V. Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep (anonymous poetry)

• "Montgomery Carols, Set 1," Opus 39 No. 1 For SATB and Mixed Chamber Ensemble (2001)

(On poetry of Maria Newman)

I. Ring Your Bells

II. Baby Lord of Majesty

III. Little Saviour of Healing Light

• "Shirat Hayam," Opus 44 No. 4 For Tenor Voice (or Baritone) and String Orchestra/Harp OR Tenor Voice (or Baritone) and Piano Quintet OR Tenor Voice (or Baritone) and Piano (2006)

I. Extol I

II. Extol II

• Pennipotenti, Opus 42, No. 1 (2005)

I. The Dipper

II. The Snowy Owl

III. The Humming Bird

IV. The Falcon

• Sonata for Flute & Piano in the Style of the Harpsichord, Opus 44, No. 7 (1999)

I. Misterioso, tiptoeing

II. With virtuosic flourish (flute alone)

III. Molto allegro possible

IV. Largo

V. Presto

• "The Pied Piper of Haemlin", Opus 47, No. 9 (2008)

I. Reverie 1 (flute alone)

II. Scene 1

III. Reverie 2 (flute alone)

IV. Scene 2

V.Reverie 3 (flute alone)

VI. Scene 3

VII. Reverie 4

VIII. Scene 4

• Colores de Mexico, Opus 44, No. 8 (2007)

I. The Rain (La Lluvia)

II. The Rattlesnake (La Culebra)

III. The River (El Rio)

IV. The Coyote (El Coyote)

V. A Little Dance (Un Pequeno Baile)

• Cello Concerto, Opus 40, No. 6 (2002)

I. Largo, poco intensivo

II. Allegro molto

III. Cadenza

IV. Come prima, ma piu intensivo

(all movements attacca)

• Othmar, Sonata for cello alone (2000)
• Viola Concerto, Opus 45, No. 10 (2006)

I. Cadenza

II. Chorale -Allegro

(all movements attacca)

• Violin Concerto, Opus 38, No. 7 "Lux Aeterna" (2001)

I. Feroce Maestoso - Allegro

• Triple Violin Concerto, Opus 41, No. 4 "Trinitas et Unitas" (2003)

I. Trinitas

II Unitas (with soprano solo)

• Concerto Grosso, Opus 34, No. 4 (1996)

For String Orchestra

I. Feroce maestoso - Allegro

II. Quasi adagio ma non tanto, lontano

III. Allegro energico

• "Le Livre D'Esther", Opus 38, No. 2 (2009)

("The Book of Esther")

I. The Purification

II. Mordecai

III. The Decrees of Esther

IV. Purim

• Appalachian Duets, Opus 38, No. 8 (2001)

For Two Violins

I. Heart O' the Hills

II. Goin' Fishin

III. The Train

IV. Mammy's Little Lullaby

V. Granpap's Fiddle

• Chorales for Brass and Percussion, Opus 35, No. 3 (1997, revised 2002)

I. Chorale

II. Dance

III. Dirge

IV. Finale

Maria Newman has been commissioned by the following organizations to score a revision of Vintage Silent Films by the following organizations: The Annenberg Foundation, The Mary Pickford Foundation, Viklarbo Chamber Ensemble, The Malibu Friends of Music,[24] Timeline Films, Luther College Dorian Festival, Omaha Conservatory of Music, Icicle Creek Music Center, Central Washington University, The Family of Mary Lofdahl, Milestone Films, A&F Productions, The Sierra Festival Symphony, Grand Performances Los Angeles, and Turner Classic Movies including the movie, "Mr. Wu" starring Lon Chaney (1927).[25]

A list of these films include:

October 26, 2012: WOW! Wonder of the Words Festival (wonderofwordsfest.com), The Kate Shelley Story - featuring Marian Newman's original music, based on the story written by Mary Kay Shanley..."is the story of a young Iowa girl that has captured the attention of Iowans for decades…"The live mixed-media performance will showcase an original narrate and retelling of The Kate Shelley Story penned by best-selling author Mary Kay Shanley; an original musical score written and conducted by award-winning composer and virtuosic violinist Maria Newman, and the highly acclaimed federated actress with the Repertory Theatre of Iowa Allisa Schetter-Siedschlaw will play the role of Kate. The performance will be directed by Des Moines Social Club Artistic Director Matthew McIver…"[26]

July 25, 2012: "...Barak, a neoclassicist with four pieces in the New York City Ballet repertory, is creating an 11-minute ballet to a score by Los Angeles composer Maria Newman (of the Oscar-winning, film-composer Newman family)...." (National Choreographers Initiative a lab for ballet at UC Irvine, By Laura Bleiberg, Special to the Los Angeles Times, July 25, 2012)[27]

December 16, 2009: Composer Maria Newman conducting a live chamber orchestra to her original score for the fully restored Mary Pickford silent film classic, "Daddy Long Legs," hosted by Pickford Foundation curator Hugh Munro Neely.[28]

August 12, 2009: "Winston's family has donated the film projection equipment for the screening of "The Terminator" and for future Malibu Film Society screenings, which include a fully restored Blu-ray print of 1948 Academy Award winner "The Red Shoes;" Woody Allen's Oscar-winner "Annie Hall;" last year's "Waltz with Bashir," the Israeli animated documentary about the 1982 Lebanon War; and the 1919 silent film, "Daddy-Long-Legs," starring Mary Pickford, which will feature a chamber orchestra conducted by Maria Newman."[29]