Through their Commissioning Project, the Bardin-Niskala Duo commissions ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American) and other under-represented composers, asking the composers to use their music to address their own unique sense of cultural and racial identity and belonging.

The only directive the Duo gives the composers is to base their piece on or around a folk song and/or children song that is central to the composer's sense of cultural or racial belonging.  Some of the composers have chosen to use a song or songs they remember from their childhood, passed down by a parent or grandparent, and other composers have chosen to use a song that evolved from, and addresses, an injustice to their people.
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The Bardin-Niskala Duo was supported by New Music USA’s Organization Fund in 2024-25.

Each commissioned composer is also asked to record a short personal video about their piece, their racial and cultural heritage, or the song(s) their piece is based around.  Each composer's video is shared with the audience before the Duo performs their piece.  These videos help audience members relate to not only the music, but to the composers' experiences navigating this country culturally and racially, and the videos also help to humanize social and racial injustices and wrongdoings.  Through performances of these commissions, as well as other works by under-represented composers, the Duo opens up dialog with and amongst audience members

Please click here to learn more about each commissioned composer.

Take a sneak-peek at some of our composers' videos in this montage of selected excerpts.

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