Pianist David Deveau, the director of the festival, and cellist Rhonda Rider will perform the world premiere.

The piece is divided into two "Scenes" followed by a "Prayer." The scenes, Deveau told the Globe, include "ritualistic, military-sounding music" and an Iraqi song that Harbison transcribed in 1962.

The festival opened last night and runs through July 2. It includes performances by the Brentano String Quartet, pianist Garrick Ohlsson, and the contemporary-music group eighth blackbird, as well as the debut of Les Amies, a trio consisting of flutist Carol Wincenc, harpist Nancy Allen of the New York Philharmonic, and violist Cynthia Phelps, also of the Philharmonic.