Derek Bermel's new electric guitar concerto, Ritornello, for Dutch virtuoso Wiek Hijmans, was inspired jointly by prog-rock band King Crimson and the Baroque concerto grosso!
The Albany Symphony under David Alan Miller gave the world premiere in May (part of Bermel's 2010-11 residency as ASO's Composer-Educator Partner); the European premieres took place on a Dutch tour with the Netherlands Youth String Orchestra and Bas Wiegers in June, whilst the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra with Jeffrey Kahane give the West Coast premiere in September, part of Bermel's ongong residency with the orchestra.
Bermel has also recently co-written the score to the highly-acclaimed documentary film 'Battle for Brooklyn', "an intimate look at the very public and passionate fight waged by residents and business owners of Brooklyn’s historic Prospect Heights neighborhood facing condemnation of their property to make way for the polarizing Atlantic Yards project, a massive plan to build 16 skyscrapers and a basketball arena for the New Jersey Nets." The film premiered in Toronto in April before beginning a theatrical run in Brooklyn and Manhattan. More at the film's site.