©Photo: HarrisonParrott

America 250: Birdsong Music Publishing

In 2026, the United States of America commemorates and celebrates the 250th anniversary of becoming an independent nation.

To honour the occasion, Birdsong Music Publishing is pleased to present a selection of works which were either written by American composers or engage with its heritage, offering a moment to pause and reflect on the past while looking ahead to the future.

American Composers

Stewart Copeland

Renowned as the founder of The Police, American musician and composer Stewart Copeland moved beyond the rock arena in the mid-1980s when he returned to his classical roots. With works for opera, ballet, and orchestra, Copeland has been commissioned by institutions such as Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Opera Theatre, Long Beach Opera, and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Jimmy López

Peruvian-born composer, Jimmy López settled in the USA after completing his PhD at Berkley. Considered a master of the orchestra, he has since been commissioned and performed by orchestras such as New York Phil, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and was Composer-in-Residence for 3 years with Houston Symphony.  

Jimmy López

Freya Waley-Cohen

British-American composer Freya Waley-Cohen has been described as ​‘one of the 21st centuries sonic alchemists’ (London Philharmonic Orchestra). She has brought her unique and original sound world – one that is striking, startling and at times disorienting – to institutions such as LA Phil, Aspen Festival, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and the Archipelago Collective. 

Freya Waley-Cohen

Aaron Zigman

Californian-based Zigman combines deep classical roots with his background in songwriting and production. Zigman has composed more than 60 Hollywood films, and his Piano Concerto and Oratorio have been performed by San Francisco Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, and the New York Philharmonic.

San Francisco Symphony Aaron Zigman

'American Mother' by Charlotte Bray

Charlotte Bray: American Mother  

Opera: 85 minutes 
Soloists: soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass 
Chorus (approx. 24 but could be smaller or bigger) 
Orchestra: 2222 – 4321-Perc(3)-Hp-Str (98543) 

American Mother is a story of grief, loss, terror, war, motherhood, faith, and forgiveness. Based on the book of the same name, American Mother tells the true story of Diane Foley, the mother of murdered American war correspondent James Foley, as she sits down to talk to the man convicted of brutally imprisoning and beheading her son. The opera takes place in one day (2021), yet moves back and forth over the years, alternating between scenes of Diane and her son’s killer — Alexander Kotey — and scenes of James held captive, 7 years earlier. 

The opera is composed by Charlotte Bray, an Ivor Award Winning composer whose ​“defiantly exquisite” voice (The Independent) is often used to address global issues such as the refugee crisis, the war in Ukraine, and climate change. The opera features a libretto by author Colum McCann who, as well as receiving multiple literary awards and an Oscars nomination, turned Diane’s emotional and spiritual journey into the book that ​“will shake your soul out” (Sting). 

Charlotte Bray

Celebratory works for orchestra / large ensemble

Charlotte Bray

  • The Certainty of Tides: 11′, solo cello and 12 strings (3.3.3.2.1)

Richard Dubugnon

  • Eros Athanatos: 25′, Double Concerto for Cello. Piano and Orchestra (3333 – 4331-perc-hp-cel-timp-str)

Dani Howard

  • Argentum: 6’30, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-perc(3)-timp-hp-str)
  • Arches: 9’30, Orchestra (2233 – 4331-perc(4)-timp-hp-str)
  • Heroes: 12′, Children’s Choir and Orchestra (2222 – 2200-perc(2)-str)
  • Trombone Concerto: 20′, Trombone and Orchestra (2122 – 3221-perc(2)-timp-hp-str)

Jimmy López

  • Loud: 7’30, Orchestra (2222 – 4231-timp-perc(3)-hp-str)
  • Fiesta!: 10′, Orchestra (2222 – 4231-timp-perc(2)-str). Chamber orchestra version also available.
  • Perú Negro: 17′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-timp-perc(3)-str)
  • Pago a la Tierra: 5′, Orchestra (2222 – 4231-timp-perc(2)-hp-str)
  • Rise: 11′, Orchestra (3223 – 4230-timp-perc(3)-str)

Aaron Zigman

  • Tango Manos: 30′, Piano and Orchestra (3222 – 4441-timp-perc(6)-hp-cel-pno-str)

Orchestral works available for US Premieres

Daníel Bjarnason

  • Fragile Hope: 15′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-timp-perc(3)-hp-pno/cel-str)

Charlotte Bray

  • Where Icebergs Dance Away: 5′, Orchestra (2222 – 2210-perc(1)-hp-str)
  • Germinate: 15′, Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra (2222 – 2200-timp-str)
  • Forsaken: 20′, Orchestra (2222 – 2210-perc(1)-hp-str)
  • Falling in the Fire: 21′, Cello and Orchestra (3333 – 4331-timp-perc(3)-hp-str)

Stewart Copeland

  • The Witches Seed: 1’30’00, Opera- available as semi-staged version with pre-recorded or live orchestra (Mixed Chorus, 11 soloists + Orchestra: 2222 – 2221-perc(3)-pno/cel-hp-electric guitar-electric bass-amplified strings)
  • Electric Saint: 2’30’00, Opera- available as semi-staged version. 10 soloists + Orchestra (2222 – 4231-perc(2)-pno-cel-str)

Joseph Davies

  • Parallax: 27′, Violin and Orchestra (2222 – 2220-timp-perc(2)-hp-str)

Richard Dubugnon

  • Arcanes Symphoniques: 1’17’00 (in 18 movements), Orchestra (3333 – 4341-perc-hp-cel-timp-str)
  • Panem et circenses: 13′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-perc-hp-cel-timp-str)
  • Eros Athanatos: 25′, Cello, Piano and Orchestra (3333 – 4331-perc-hp-cel-timp-str)
  • Caprice No.5 ​“Zürcher Art”, 12′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-perc-pno-hp-str)

Dani Howard

  • The Butterfly Effect: 10′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-perc(1)-timp-hp-str)
  • Coalescence: 12’30, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-perc(4)-timp-hp-str)
  • Percussion Concerto: 25′, Percussion and Orchestra (3333 – 4331-timp-perc(2)-hp-str)

Jimmy López

  • Synesthesie: 11′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-timp-perc(3)-hp-str)

Freya Waley-Cohen

  • Demon: 10′, Orchestra (2222 – 4330-timp-perc-hp-str)
  • Pocket Cosmos: 14′, Orchestra (2222 – 4220-perc(2)-str)
  • Mother Tongue: 25′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-timp-perc(3) – pno – hp-str)
  • Happiness: 25′, Soprano and Orchestra (2222 – 4220-perc(2)-pno-hp-str)

Sauli Zinovjev

  • Hit & Run: 6′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-timp-perc(4)-str)
  • an adagio: 8′, Orchestra (2222 – 4331‑1+2‑hp-str)
  • Wiegenlied: 11′, Orchestra (3333 – 4331-timp-perc(3)-hp-str)
  • Un Grande Sospiro: 22′, Orchestra (2222 – 2200-perc(2)-str)