THE LIVING COMPOSERS PROJECT  

Aziza Sadikova

(b. 1978, Tashkent).

Uzbek composer, now resident in Germany, of mostly stage, orchestral, chamber, and vocal works that have been performed in Asia, Europe and elsewhere.

Ms. Sadikova is the daughter of the composer and conductor Oltun Sodiqov (b. 1947) and the granddaughter of the composer Tolib Sodiqov (b. 1907 – d. 1957). She studied composition with Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky and piano with Tamara Borisova and Yadviga Lisovskaya at the Uspensky Academic Lyceum in Tashkent from 1985–96 and composition with Dmitri Yanov-Yanovsky and organ with Tatyana Levina at the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan in Tashkent from 1996–98. She also studied philology at the State University in Tashkent in 1997–98. She then studied composition with Philip Cashian and organ with David Bruce-Payne and David Saint at the Birmingham Conservatoire from 1998–2001 and there earned her BMus with honours in both subjects, on the Scholarship of the Uzbek President. She later studied composition with Alwynne Pritchard at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London from 2004–06, where she earned her MMus.

Among her honours are First Prize in a competition in Tashkent (1996, for Reflection), the Brandenburgischer Kunst-Förderpreis (2014) and the Europäischer Komponistenpreis from Young Euro Classic (2014, for Brief Scherben). Her music has been performed in Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine, the UK, the USA, and Uzbekistan.

She has also held other posts. As an organist and pianist, she has performed standard répertoire, as well as many works by contemporary composers. She served as composer-in-residence at the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini in Parma in 2022–23.

She has lived in Germany since 2007.

Her publisher is Bote & Bock/Boosey & Hawkes, for most works after 2014.

In addition to the works listed below, she has composed film scores.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Website: http://www.azizasadikova.com/

COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS

STAGE:

White, White, Black Stork (incidental music, play by Abdulla Kadiri), female voice, ney (flute from the Middle East), tanbur (lute from the Middle East), synthesizer, 1998

Ein Brief, 1921, Prag (music-theatre work, after Franz Kafka), piano 4 hands, feather pen, typewriter, 2012

Voices from Ravensbrück (music-theatre work), 3 sopranos, percussion, typewriter, string quartet, 8 music boxes, 2013

Versprochen... (opera for children, libretto by Ruth Johanna Benrath), percussion (+ objects), 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, 2013

Schatten von Guli (music-theatre work, after a fairy tale from Uzbekistan), 3 percussion (+ objects), film (by Nicolas Wiese), 2013

Stimme im Schatten (choreography by Louisa Wagner), flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, 2013

Komisches Lamento (music-theatre work, text by Kurt Tucholsky), soprano, trombone, cello, piano, toy piano, percussion, 2014

The Transit Passenger (incidental music, play by Dulat Issabekov), 2014

Die Sterntaler (fairy tale in music, after the Brothers Grimm), speaker, alto flute, double bass, piano, percussion (+ objects), 2014 (also version as a children's opera for soprano, speaker, dancer, flute, double bass, piano, celesta, percussion, objects, 2016)

Alles über Sally (chamber opera, libretto by Jens Schroth, after Arno Geiger), soprano, actor, bass flute, electric guitar, percussion (+ 2 typewriters, objects), fixed media, 2015

Der Ring des Nibelungen (opera–music-theatre work), soloists, ensemble (western instruments, instruments from China), 2019

Rigo und Rosa (music fairytale, texts by Lorenz Pauli, Kathrin Schärer), speaker, flute (+ piccolo, bass flute), clarinet, piano, celesta, percussion, violin, cello, 2020 (also version for speaker, orchestra [11 winds, 7 brass, harp, celesta, timpani, 2 percussion, strings], 2025)

ORCHESTRAL:

5 Cello Cadenzas for 3 CPE Bach Concertos (cadenzas for the Konzert in A-moll, Wq 170; Konzert in B-dur, Wq 171; Konzert in A-dur, Wq 172, all by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach), cello, small orchestra, 2014

Brief Scherben (after the diary of Daniil Kharms), typewriter, objects, small orchestra, 2014

Marionette, harpsichord, Baroque orchestra, 2015 (also versions as Marionettes, violin, harpsichord, orchestra [8 winds, 2 French horns, timpani, tubular bells, strings], 2020; harpsichord, string orchestra, 2020)

Cadenzas for Piazzolla's 'Four Seasons' (cadenzas for Las cuatro estaciones porteñas by Ástor Piazzolla), violin, string orchestra, 2016

Concerto, cello, orchestra (12 winds, 11 brass, harp, timpani, 4 percussion, 30 strings), 2016–17

Lichtscherben (concerto), percussion, large orchestra (12 winds, 12 brass, 2 amplified harps, timpani, 5 percussion, 64 or more strings), 2018

Kunst der Fuge (Mirroring Contrapunctus), orchestra (8 winds, 5 brass, accordion, timpani, percussion, 28 strings), 2019

Mirroring Contrapunctus XII (Kunst der Fuge), orchestra (8 winds, 7 brass, accordion, strings), 2019

Widmung an den Dichter Nikolay Gumilyov, small orchestra (4 winds, French horn, trumpet, piano, accordion, 2 percussion, 5 strings), 2019

Tsveta granata – Colours of Pomegranate (concertino), piano, orchestra (8 winds, 11 brass, harp, 3 percussion, strings), 2020

Stradivari, violin, orchestra (6 winds, 11 brass, 4 percussion, strings), 2020

Ognenny Angel – Angelo di Fuoco, large orchestra (8 winds, 12 brass, 4 percussion, 60 strings), 2022–23

Heat Efficiency, orchestra (8 winds, 12 brass, harp, 2 percussion, strings), 2023

Labyrinthe du temps (concerto), accordion, violin, orchestra (8 winds, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 percussion, strings), 2023

Angel sveta – Angelo della Luce, cello, large orchestra (8 winds, 4 French horns, 4 trumpets, celesta, 5 percussion, 48 or more strings), 2023

Strahlen des Feuers (concerto), organ, accordion, large orchestra (8 winds, 12 brass, harp, 5 percussion, strings), 2023

Chaconne (after the Partita Nr. 2 in D-moll, BWV 1004 by Johann Sebastian Bach), mandolin, large orchestra (8 winds, 10 brass, harp, 3 percussion, 58 strings), 2023–24

Farbenzeiten (Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' re-imagined), oboe, trumpet, cello, percussion, large orchestra (8 winds, 11 brass [2 trumpets + music boxes], harp, celesta ad libitum, 4 percussion, strings), 2024 (each of its four sections may be performed separately: Frühling, oboe, large orchestra [8 winds, 11 brass, harp, 4 percussion, strings]; Sommer, cello, large orchestra [8 winds, 11 brass, harp, 4 percussion, strings]; Herbst, trumpet, large orchestra [8 winds, 10 brass (2 trumpets + music boxes), harp, 4 percussion, strings]; Winter, percussion, large orchestra [8 winds, 11 brass, harp, celesta ad libitum, 4 percussion, strings])

Luchezarny Angel – Strahlender Engel (concerto), French horn, orchestra (4 winds, 10 brass, timpani, 2 percussion, 32 strings), 2024

Konzert für zwei Kontrabässe und Kammerorchester, 2 double basses, orchestra (4 winds, 6 brass, harp, timpani, percussion, strings), 2025

Schmerz und Vorahnung, large orchestra (9 winds, 10 brass, harp, timpani, 3 percussion, strings), 2025

CHAMBER MUSIC:

3 Miniatures, clarinet, piano, 2 percussion, violin, cello, 2001

Entfernung, viola, 2003

Untitled, string quartet, 2003

Roza – Rose, alto flute, 2003

Peshrav, 3 amplified cellos, 2006

Fraza, flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, 2 violins, viola, cello, 2007

Preobrajenie, violin, 2008

Kalam, clarinet, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello (all + objects), 2009

La Baroque, violin, 2010

Kamni, string quartet (1st violin + 2 stones, maracas, 2nd violin + 2 stones, viola + 2 stones, sleigh bells, cello + maracas, gong), fixed media, 2010, revised 2024

Untitled, cello, fixed media, 2010

Gebrochene Schatten, string quartet, 2011

Prelude, Baroque viola, harpsichord, 2011

Variation, piano, violin, viola, cello, 2011

Oskolki Pisma – Shards of a Letter (after Franz Kafka), string quartet, 2012

Ein Brief aus Prag (text by Franz Kafka), trumpet, fixed media, 2012

Sept., 1925. Kharms' Diary Note, oboe, clarinet, French horn, 2012

SPLITTER/STIMME/FRAGMENT, subbass alto recorder (by Joachim Paetzold), guitar, percussion, 2013

Deconstructive Emotions (after Arno Geiger), 4 recorders, typewriter, music boxes, paper, 2013

Splitter, bass clarinet, double bass, accordion, 2013

Verrückter Tango, flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, 2014

Maske von François Couperin, cello, 2015

Jan. 1925, D. Kharms' Diary Note, Sankt-Peterburg, 2 pianos, accordion, 2 percussion, objects, 2015

Sonata for Giuseppe Tartini, bass clarinet, Baroque violin, accordion, 2016

Nagoracha, cello, 2017

Brief an Felicia, double bass, 2018

Eine Figur, flute, oboe, bass clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion, 2019

Zeitgeist, cello, piano, 2020

Silenzio, vibraphone, 2020 (also version for voice, harp, vibraphone)

For Stradivari, violin, cello, 2020

Echos von Liebe nach Schuberts 'Winterreise', violin, cello, piano, 2021

Ogni Tashkenta – The Lights of Tashkent, 3 cellos, 2022

Vier Stücke für Schlagzeug solo, percussion, 2023

Reflections sur Versailles, violin, 2024

Les Saisons, guitar, mandolin, 2024

Brentano's Dialogue, piano, violin, viola, cello, 2025

CHORAL:

Halleluja, 8 mixed voices, 2 percussion, 2000

Luna (text by Claudius), 8 mixed voices, 2000

Narcissus (text by Decimius Magnus Ausonius), male chorus, 2000

Soliloquy of the Solipsist (text by Sylvia Plath), 3 female voices, 2002

Magnificat, male chorus, organ, 2003, revised 2017 (also version for mixed chorus, organ)

Untitled, mixed chorus, small orchestra (4 winds, 3 brass, piano, percussion, 5 strings), 2016

VOCAL:

Songs by Edward Lear (text by Edward Lear [Russian translation]), soprano, piano, 1996

Reflection (text by Hāfiz [translated by V. Zvyagintseva, A. Kochetkova, K. Lipskerova, I. Selvinskoy, T. Spendyarova]), soprano, flute, clarinet, viola, cello, piano, vibraphone, 1996

German Songs (texts by various Romantic poets from Germany), soprano, piano, string quartet, 1997

Zukhdiyat (text by Omar Khayyam [translated by Vladimir Deryavin]), soprano (+ tam-tam, triangle), flute, clarinet, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 2001

Gazeli (text by Hāfiz [translated by V. Zvyagintseva, A. Kochetkova, K. Lipskerova, I. Selvinskoy, T. Spendyarova]), 2 sopranos, bassoon, cello, piano, 2 percussion, 2002

Podymi pialu... – Lift up the Cup (text by Omar Khayyam [translated by Vladimir Deryavin]), mezzo-soprano, harp, viola, piano, 2003

Untitled (text by Omar Khayyam [translated by Vladimir Deryavin]), 3 sopranos (1st + claves/kayrak [percussion instrument from Uzbekistan], 2nd + dayereh [frame drum from Central Asia], triangle, 3rd + gong/tam-tam), baritone, cello, prepared piano, celesta, 2 percussion, 2003

Kuvshin – Clay Pot (text by Omar Khayyam [translated by Vladimir Deryavin]), mezzo-soprano, viola, piano, 2004

Lanity – Roses (text by Omar Khayyam [translated by Vladimir Deryavin]), male speaker, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 2005

Silberklang (text by Kurt Schwitters), mezzo-soprano (+ ratchet, small watch, slapstick, paper, music box, whistle), flute (+ metronome), oboe (+ metronome), clarinet, bassoon (+ metronome), French horn, piano (+ 2 soft sticks, tambourine), percussion, 2016

Mopitu (music for young performers, text by Franziska Rau), speaker, double bass, vibraphone, 2018 (also version for speaker, cello, piano [+ celesta], 2018)

Brief an die unsterbliche Geliebte (texts by Ludwig van Beethoven, Kurt Schwitters, Bettina von Arnim, Clemens Brentano), mezzo-soprano (+ music box, rattle, paper, wine glass, metronome), piano (+ music box, soft sticks, metronome, cloth, glockenspiel, wine glass, 2 small glasses, jewellery, metal chain), violin (+ music box), viola, cello, 2019

Fedra (text by Marina Tsvetaeva), soprano (+ wine glass), flute, harp, viola, piano, 2020

Silenzio, voice, harp, vibraphone, 2024 (version of work for vibraphone)

PIANO:

Mirror, 1996

Suite (Waltz, Tango and Minuet), 1996

Præludium, 2001

Fantasia, 2015

Piano Album with set of pieces, 2016

The Energy of Survival, 2020

ORGAN:

Couperin Mask, 2011

HARPSICHORD:

Barrock, 2004

Untitled, harpsichord, live electronics, 2006

MULTIMEDIA:

Clavecin, harpsichord, images (by Caren van Herwaarden, Sandra Kruisbrink), 2017

DISCOGRAPHY

Entfernung. Kinga Maria Roesler, viola (Kulturfeste im Land Brandenburg, 2003)

Kamni; Kalam; Untitled (cello, fixed media); Peshrav; Variation; Fraza; 3 Miniatures; Præludium. Thomas Gould, violin; Clare Finnimore, viola; Ben Chappell, cello; Gemma Hegarty, amplified cello; Evva Mizerska, cello; Carla Sanfelix Izquierdo, amplified cello; Brikelda Syla, amplified cello; Charles Matthews, piano; Huw Watkins, piano; Orpheus String Quartet; Rüdiger Bohn, Manuel Nawri, Aziza Sadikova/Deutsch-Polnisches Neue Musik Ensemble (self-released/Basement Storage, 2011)

La Baroque. Thomas Gould, violin (Champs Hill Records: CHRCD078, 2014)

5 Cello Cadenzas for 3 CPE Bach Concertos. Konstantin Manaev, cello; Berliner Camerata (ClassicClips: CLCL 129, 2014)

Eine Figur. Corinna Niemeyer/members of the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie (Ensemble Modern Medien: EMCD-046, 2020)

For Stradivari. Julia Smirnova, violin; Konstantin Manaev, cello (Ars Produktion: ARS 38 587, 2022)

Stradivari. Rebekka Hartmann, violin; Kent Nagano/Rachmaninoff International Orchestra (FARAO classics: B 108128, 2025)