Compositions
Asha’s already extensive work as a composer brings together a wide range of influences, ranging from Arabic maqam, flamenco compas, Indian tala to the modal polyphony of the Notre Dame School and Olivier Messaien. She was one of four composers to be selected for the prestigious Jazz South Breakthrough Commission Scheme for which she composed the ‘Encounters suite’ (2021). Encounters inhabits an evocative sound world where jazz, Arabic Maqam and contemporary classical music meet with the Arabic poetry of Maram al Masri.
Beyond works for her own jazz-based ensembles such as Kalpadruma, her compositions for chamber orchestra and choir, string quartet, recorder consort and piano trio have all received public performances and recognition.
After switching to joint principal study composition during her time at Purcell, she was shortlisted for the BBC Young Composers’ Inspire Competition and was given generous offers at leading conservatoires for both saxophone and composition.
Asha’s piece Licorne reached the finals of the Society of Recorder Players Composition Competition in April 2019 and was performed & recorded by BLOCK4 in a concert at Ushaw College, Durham.
Orchestral
Placelessness – 2016 (double woodwind orchestra)
2016 (finalist in Purcell School’s orchestral composition competition)
What War? 2014 – 2016 for chamber orchestra, children’s choir plus oud, ney and saxophone.
Premiered 19th January 2017 at St James, Piccadilly, London by The Purcell Chamber Orchestra and Choir, with children from Iqra Islamic Primary School, Akiva Jewish Primary School and St Peter’s RC Primary School Woolwich plus the Kalia Lyraki (Ney) and Nikos Ziarkas (oud)
Diyarbekir – 2016 for chamber orchestra
Premiered May 2016 at the Purcell School of Music
Triggers – 2018 – 2019 (for saxophone and chamber orchestra) Premiere will be 23rd May 7pm at Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Choral
Dust of Snow (S-A-T-B choir, 2015)
The Dove (Children’s Choir, premiered at the Westminster Abbey Commonwealth Service in March 2017)
Avvon d’bishmaiya (S-A-T-B choir, 2017)
What War? for chamber orchestra, children’s choir plus oud, ney and saxophone. – 2014-2016
Chamber
Licorne (recorder quartet) – 2018 – Will be premiered by BLOCK 4 on the 13th April at Ushaw College Durham
Voiceless We’re Not (soprano, alto, harp, string quartet) – 2018
Butterfly (string quartet and harp) – 2017
Requerimiento (violin, flute, piano, percussion)- 2017
Bird of the Gardens (recorder, harp, piano, soprano and alto saxophones)- performed May 2017 at the Royal Academy of Music
Waiting for the Barbarians (piano trio) – 2016
Gulistan (alto flute, celeste, string ensemble) – 2016
Widdershins – string quartet – 2020
Cross Genre
Kalpadruma (mixed ensemble dodectet or Jazz quintet – 2018)
Permanent Verse (mixed ensemble dodectet or Jazz quintet – 2018)
Snowdrift on the sand (quintet version – 2016, dodectet version – 2018) (written for both Jazz quintet and dodectet)
Go Look Elsewhere (Kalpadruma quintet – 2018)
Alright then! (Kalpadruma quintet – 2018)
Road to Ithaka (mixed ensemble dodectet – 2018)
In and Out (mixed ensemble dodectet – 2018)
Within the Mist (mixed ensemble dodectet- 2018)
Upon this stream– mixed ensemble- premiered at the Purcell School in June 2016
Encounters– mixed ensemble (qanun, voice, saxophone, percussion, rhythm section, string quartet) premiered at the Colyer- Fergusson – March 2021)