Following her arrival in New York, Pavlova compiled a collection for her daughter Irene consisting of simple pieces for piano inspired by the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen. During the first half of the 1990s her compositions alternated between lieder and small works for piano. In 1994, Pavlov produced her first major work, "Symphony nº. 1 Farewell Russia". Symphony nº. 1 seeks to convey the melancholic burden and feelings of pain felt by the composer on leaving her home country. The work is articulated in a single movement, and comprises an ensemble consisting of two violins, a cello, a piano, a flute, and a piccolo, which was recorded in Russia by soloists of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra barely two days after its opening.