BACKGROUND

Often do I think of the words of the poet Robert Frost: ‘Two roads diverged in the woods and I — I took the one less traveled, and that has made all the difference.'

At 46, in the middle of an international business career with a New York bank, and after years with a petroleum company in Europe as a chemist, I went back to the aspiration of my childhood to pursue justice through music, a language that touches our emotions. . *** After reflecting on poverty and social injustices, I left my job as head of the Africa Department of a major NYC commercial bank and enrolled in the Western Michigan University Irving S. Gilmore School of Music to study music composition - to compose music for Peace. I reflected anew on the bike rides of my childhood, meandering from the First World War military cemeteries in the Belgian Flanders, to the World War II military cemeteries in the Belgian Ardennes.

The Suite “Of Barbed Wire and Red Roses” for large brass ensemble and timpani is the result of reflections on the civil wars that I had witnessed while traveling a decade for business in Africa. This Suite was recognized with the Irving S. Gilmore Emerging Artist Award. Other awards from the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo Arts Outreach Grant and the Pharmacia and Upjohn Foundation Grant, reinforced the choice to pursue music composition; to follow the road less traveled. . *** Besides the first Concerto “Imagine New York” Op. 39 for piano and the Oratorio “Requiem for the Fallen” Op. 50, inviting reflection on the losses of life, other significant orchestral works are the uplifting Concerto for alto saxophone and strings “Springtime in Chicago” Op. 61; the Cantata “The Bells of Hope” Op. 63 on lyrics about respect and forgiveness; and the piano Concerto “Between War and Peace” Op. 64 for the left hand, inviting reflection on war, love and peace. . ***

As a child, I was not allowed to do music because our parents were traumatized by the memories of their young adulthood in WWII and we were now enduring the Cold War.

Instead of trying to create and share beauty through music, I studied organic chemistry at the University of Brussels. I pursued a PhD in chemistry and worked several years for an oil company. After relocating to the USA, I earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Following a decade in NYC and in West Africa, and becoming the head of the Africa Division of a New York bank, I joined the faculty of a university in Michigan to teach international finance and economics. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, I received a call from the US Agency for International Development in Washington DC. The job was the oversight of some Agency programs in Central Europe.

These experiences led to appreciating that the paths to peace must include mutual respect and understanding so as to keep the lines of communication open. I reflected on the arts as non verbal tools for understanding and enrolled in the Western Michigan University School of Music to focus on music composition.

Over the next decades, new compositions would explore mutual respect and peace, including ‘Requiem for the Fallen’, an Oratorio honoring the victims of war; the ‘Organ Sonata’ about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; the first Piano Concerto ‘Imagine New York’ about Freedom; the joyful Alto Saxophone Concerto ’Springtime in Chicago’; the Cantata ‘The Bells of Hope’; the piano Toccata ‘Resolve & Pride’; and the melodic and percussive second Piano Concerto, 'Between War and Peace’, for the left hand.

In 2019, the final version of ‘Requiem for the Fallen’ premiered at Carnegie Hall (Zankel) in the presence of the Consul of Belgium. Additional performances took place in Moscow: in 2020 with American Embassy financing, and in 2021 at Zereteli Gallery as a concert for peace. The same year, the short version of ‘Ave Maria’ was played at Saint Bechara Church, in Jubail, Lebanon. In 2022, the ‘Ave’ and the ‘Organ Sonata’ were replayed in Graz, Austria, during a concert for peace supported by the American Embassy in Vienna. In 2023, the American Embassy in Moscow cosponsored a concert for peace at the Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the Ave Maria and the Organ Sonata opened the concert. In 2002, the Organ Sonata had premiered at the First United Methodist Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in memory of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia. The Organ Sonata was also played in 2004 at the Cathedral of Lectoure, France, in remembrance of 9-11. .  *** The five piano sonatas and the piano suites were repeatedly played in France and in the US. The song cycles for soprano and mezzo were also performed, including the cycle ‘Detours of Love’ for soprano and piano, the duets ‘Happiness’ for soprano, mezzo and piano, and the song cycle ‘Yulia’ for soprano and string quartet. ‘Come Ye Who Love’ for soprano, horn and piano was commissioned by Michigan State University. The review in the “Horn Call’ reads: Emmanuel Dubois’ contribution is a hauntingly beautiful work with surprises. The moody opening solo is an extended cantabile, which is then joined by the voice in an interweaving tapestry [...]

The Trio for violin, violoncello and piano Op. 65 (2025), on the theme of respect, is also entitled ‘Come Ye Who Love’.

August 2025