The Bird-While

A Concerto for Hub & Symphponic Winds by Gala Flagello

about

The Bird-While is a 20-minute concerto for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and symphonic winds commissioned by Hub New Music. The concerto is titled after and based on Keith Taylor’s poem “Acolytes in the Bird-While,” which explores the flora and fauna of Michigan and the struggle to persist in the face of climate change. Flagello aimed to write a concerto for an unconventional group of instruments that demonstrates their virtuosity while providing a platform for raising awareness of and education around environmental and climate justice. Each movement derives its title from Taylor’s poem, drawing attention to pivotal lines in the poem’s narrative.

The Bird-While has commissioned by Hub New Music and premiered with Michael Haithcock & the University of Michigan Symphony Band in March 2023.

booking information & perusal score

Hub New Music is available for performances of The Bird-While with both professional ensembles and student ensembles as part of school residencies.

Please contact Hub New Music Executive Director, Michael Avitabile, for booking inquiries and a perusal score of The Bird-While.

about the composer

Gala Flagello (b. 1994) is a composer and educator whose work is inspired by a passion for lyricism, rhythmic vitality, and fostering meaningful collaboration. Her music, described as "at times endearingly whimsical, at times ominous, but always moving" (Cleveland Classical), resonates with audiences through its emotional depth and dynamic expression. With over 150 performances of her music each year, Flagello's collaborations with leading ensembles, artists, and institutions on national and international stages are impactful to audiences and performers alike.

Flagello’s 2026/27 season features performances by the Houston Symphony, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Kalamazoo Symphony, Sequoia Symphony, Mansfield Symphony, and Syracuse Youth Orchestra, and premieres by the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, Lindsay Kesselman and the Georgia State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and Thalea String Quartet. Composer residencies this season include the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, Georgia State University, Ithaca College, University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. By the end of the 2026/27 season, Flagello’s Bravado for orchestra will reach 53 performances, and her Vitality for orchestra will have been performed 27 times. Upcoming collaborations include a saxophone quartet concerto for ~Nois and a clarinet concerto for Julian Bliss.

www.galaflagello.com