Maria Newman's Sonata for Solo Piano- A Maskil of David was commissioned in 1993 by the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) of the Music Teacher's National Association. It was premiered on January 28th, 1994 in Pasadena, CA by acclaimed pianist Wendy Prober. Though the Hebrew word "Maskil" has no official definition, it is most commonly understood to mean "musical instrument" or, alternately, "understanding." Newman's Maskil is based on the biblical King David and Psalm 55. This recording of Sonata for Solo Piano - A Maskil for David features the work of Wendy Prober, piano.

The Complete Ballet for Two Pianos - Emma McChesney, the Traveling Saleswoman was commissioned in 1999 by the Delores Wunsch Stevens Foundation for performance by world-renowned pianist Delores Stevens. Following the pieces 1999 premiere, Newman and Stevens were recipients of the prestigious Young Musician's Foundation "Debut Award." The ballet follows the story of Emma McChesney, the titular character from Edna Ferber's bestselling series of novels. Through each movement, the audience is introduced to a new facet of the traveling saleswoman's life - From boarding a busy train to raucous dancing to parenting her son, Jock. In 2002, Maria Newman returned to The Complete Ballet for Two Pianos, transcribing it for performance by chamber ballet. The recording on this album features the work of pianists Delores Stevens and Bryan Pezzone.