Elegy-3

Elegy

(2026)   |   6 minutes

Commissioned by the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, in partnership with Classics Northwest, El Paso Pro Musica, Fairbanks Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, Mesa Arts Center, Sitka Festival, South Carolina Philharmonic, and Spokane Symphony

SCORING cello & strings*
*includes harp, which can be omitted if needed

Also available
-for cello, piano & string quartet (coming soon)
-for cello & piano (coming soon)

PREMIERE 8 August 2026 by Zuill Bailey, cello, with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra conducted by Eckart Preu

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TBA

Program note

Elegy offers a moment of remembrance—honoring those whose sacrifices, struggles, and hopes have shaped the nation across generations. The solo cello serves as a solitary voice, singing over luminous string textures in a meditation on resilience, compassion, and the enduring pursuit of unity.

Elegy is part of Visions of Humanity and Unity, a multi-composer project commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I hope my own perspective—shaped by cross-cultural experiences, a love of the cello and of lyricism, and a belief in music as shared storytelling—adds another distinct layer to this collective portrait.
©Zhou Tian

Visions of Humanity and Unity, featuring works by Mark O’Connor, Avner Dorman, Enrico Chapela, Zhou Tian, and Chanda Dancy, was commissioned by the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, in partnership with Classics Northwest, El Paso Pro Musica, Fairbanks Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, Mesa Arts Center, Sitka Festival, South Carolina Philharmonic, and Spokane Symphony.

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