Edmonton (Tonus Vivus — Society for New Music) In the second half of 2009, a series of premières of Piotr’s new compositions, or new versions of older works, took place in Canada and abroad.

On 19 June, music for nobody, a graphic score for performers who do not have to know how to play instruments, was given its outdoors première at The Works Art & Design Festival, with Charles Stolte, amplified saxophone and Jerry Ozipko, electric violin.

Then on 10 and 11 July, Balcetis for prerecorded, digitally processed sounds and baritone saxophone had its world première at the XVth World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, the dedicatee, Allison Balcetis, playing it twice, the second performance given at the request of several master saxophonists present at the Congress.

On 18 June, at the St. Mikael’s Church in Tallinn, Estonia, Reinhard von Berg premièred BergKREIS, version for organ solo, a polyversional work written especially for him. One month later, on 19 July, a’ROMA, a graphic score for optional performers, was presented at the Marienkirche in Laupheim, Germany, by Veronica Kraneis on flute, and, again, Reinhard von Berg on the organ.

In September several other performances took place. On the 10th, in Novara, Italy, the Vienna-based Russian super duo comprising violinist Elena Denisova and pianist Alexei Kornienko, performed “the impossibly conservative yet cute” (composer’s own words) Largo (Omaggio a Johann Sebastian), a tribute to Bach, deliberately written in the Baroque (“Bach”) style. On the 19th, Balcetis had its “full” multimedia première at The ARTery in Edmonton, with the dancer Gerry Morita and video artist Chris Payne performing alongside Allison Balcetis on sax, Piotr taking care of sound diffusion and live electronics for the saxophone part. And on the 25th two world premières were given at the «Caveau des trois-sifflets» in Vevey, Switzerland by, respectively, Compagnie CH.AU who performed sad snu (dream orchard) for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble, and Degré 21 (Laurent Estoppey and Antonio Albanese) appearing in Silver Wound for soprano saxophone and guitar.

October witnessed more performances yet. On the 10th, Elena Denisova and Alexei Kornienko (see above) presented the Largo again, this time in Saskatoon, SK, as part of their Canadian tour. A day later, three pieces were performed thousands of kilometres apart. First, sad snu and Silver Wound had their repeat performances at the the Théâtre de la Tournelle in Orbe, Switzerland (same performers as in September). Then, Darg (Katharina Henot) for digitally processed samples, dancer and video was given its world première by Gerry Morita, dance; Chris Payne, video; and Piotr, sound diffusion. The performance took place at The ARTery in Edmonton, AB, during The ARTery’s third birthday celebration. Finally, two performances at the end of the month: on the 23rd, Numen version for bass clarinet and organ during the prestigious Cervantino Festival in Guanajuato, presented there by Dúo Levent (Harry Sparnaaij, bass clarinet and Silvia Castillo, organ) and on the 25th saxophonist Laurent Estoppey and pianist Virginie Falquet giving the European première of Mrok for alto saxophone and piano in Vevey, Switzerland.