April 10th, 2026 — George Lewis (CRF 1998) returned to one of the world’s most prominent orchestral stages this spring with the world premiere of …ohne festen Wohnsitz (“without a fixed residence”), a major new concerto commissioned by the New York Philharmonic and Philharmonie Luxembourg. The work was performed April 8th to 10th at David Geffen Hall by the New York Philharmonic under conductor Kwamé Ryan, featuring the acclaimed piano-and-percussion quartet Yarn/Wire as soloists.
The nearly half-hour concerto continues Lewis’s ongoing exploration of improvisation, mobility, and cultural transformation. Part of a broader series of works examining displacement and instability, …ohne festen Wohnsitz reflects what Lewis has described as a contemporary condition of movement and change, while celebrating creative exchange across borders and traditions.
The premiere served as the centerpiece of an ambitious Philharmonic program that also included music by Charles Ives, Igor Stravinsky, and Samuel Barber. Reviewing the performance in The New York Times, critic Seth Colter Walls highlighted the orchestra’s commitment to adventurous programming and praised the musicians for meeting the “hyper-modernist challenges” of Lewis’s new score.
About George Lewis
A composer, trombonist, scholar, and pioneer of computer music, George Lewis has long expanded the possibilities of contemporary music through works that bridge improvisation, technology, and intercultural dialogue. The premiere of …ohne festen Wohnsitz marks another significant addition to his expansive catalog and brings his work to one of the leading orchestral institutions in the United States.