The Eastman School of Music joins the American Composers Orchestra (ACO), Sphinx Organization, and Concert Artists Guild in commissioning los quetzales—a brand new viola concerto written by Eastman alumnus Michael Frazier ’16E (MA), ’21E (PhD). On October 22, this new work will be brought to life by soloist Jordan Bak and the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra, helmed by guest conductor Joshua Gersen.

This commission is part of the ACO’s “(Re)Loading the Canon” initiative, a commission consortium aiming to create a series of eight-minute violin, viola, cello, and bass concertos by Black and Latino composers. Bak was brought into this project by his longtime friend, ACO Artistic Director Curtis Stewart ’08E, ’08. “As part of that process, I was connected with Michael Frazier, and what could have easily just been an introduction quickly became a real artistic partnership,” says Bak.

Now on the composition faculty at the Oberlin Conservatory, Frazier has recently tapped into a lineage of composers who embed birdsong in their work. “I’ve found that my most meaningful, sincere, and impactful works have drawn from inspirational sources that I can deeply connect to on a personal level, and birds do this for me throughout all parts of my musical process,” he says. “The enjoyment and admiration of las aves [the birds] is something my wife and I regularly bond over, which in turn makes my inspirational responses/connection to them even stronger.” Like Messiaen’s ornithological passions or Mahler’s “cuckoo,” the inspirations are clear in the sounds he pens as well their titles. In a recent work of his titled cuervos [crows], he creates a thematic blend between the dark birds and “a playful fiesta of sorts, like the ones I’m quite familiar with: EVERYONE in your family is over, the music is loud, and the food is aplenty.”

THE QUETZAL: Violist Jordan Bak has achieved international acclaim as a trailblazing artist. Photo Credit: Titilayo Ayangade.

For los quetzales, Frazier draws from the striking visual of the male resplendent quetzal—its protective, thick plumage of vivid green, its contrasting red stomach, and its long flowing tail. In the same way that Frazier admires these birds, he positions the orchestra as birdwatchers, admiring and commenting on the way the colors and shape of the quetzal dance in front of the ensemble.

Playing the role of the quetzal, Bak emphasizes the rhythmic energy at the heart of this piece. “Through our conversations and his revisions Michael really expanded the work’s palette, weaving in lyrical and expressive passages that balance and deepen the concerto. It’s really grown into something that highlights both the rhythmically propulsive nature of the piece and the viola’s singing qualities, which makes the work especially compelling.”

Bak recently joined the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music—adding to his already busy schedule as a faculty member at two other institutions, upcoming concerto debuts with major American orchestras, and a tour with the Takács Quartet. In addition to all this, he is no stranger to premiering new works, including many by leading contemporary composers like Kaija Saariaho and former Eastman faculty member Augusta Read Thomas.

“Every piece feels like its own world, Bak says. “I approach each work as a unique organism I get to help bring to life. The process involves a lot of collaboration—with the composer, rehearsing with the orchestra, and coordinating with the organizations supporting the project. In a way, it’s a number of smaller, individual efforts that all come together to make one larger experience possible. It’s so much about collectively creating an experience where emotions and energy can move across the invisible barrier between performer and listener.”

Students in the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra not only get to participate in this collaboration by sharing the stage with Bak but also by receiving the privilege of witnessing the creative finishing touches of los quetzales firsthand. Frazier and Bak have come to campus for a series of workshops to fine tune the piece before its premiere, giving the orchestra members a unique peek behind the curtain they may not otherwise get when performing music by the likes of Mozart or Beethoven—a step in the commission and premiere process that the involved parties are not always lucky enough to have.

BIRDWATCHER: Composer Michael Frazier taps into a lineage of composers who have embed birdsong in their work. The result is playful and energetic.

These workshops mark Frazier’s first return to Eastman since graduating in 2021—something he calls “surreal and exciting, especially in the context of a substantial work of mine being rehearsed and presented by the ESSO.”

“Being a teacher, working with others, and guiding one’s artistic growth is of monumental importance to me, and being able to work with musicians in such a capacity regularly reaffirms how special it is to share musical experiences together,” Frazier says. “I hope that the students I get to work with feel inspired and enthusiastic about putting together los quetzales, and I equally look forward to getting their responses and thoughts so that I may continue to improve my musical direction with the always-helpful influence of performers in mind.”

Audience members can hear the results of this project at the Eastman School Symphony Orchestra’s performance on October 22, 2025, in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Complementing the rhythmic intensity of los quetzales are Zoltán Kodály’s Dances of Galánta and Manuel de Falla’s Suite No. 2 from his ballet The Three-Cornered Hat.

This performance is free and open to the public.

Eastman School Symphony Orchestra
with guest conductor Joshua Gersen and guest violist Jordan Bak
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre