Summer Updates!
From a hike last month—the wild lupine & sunflowers were coming in beautifully in the gorge
Summer is basically here and there are lots of updates to share—including FOUR world premieres this summer, and performances at four big conferences. I can’t express how grateful I am to have so many performers, conductors, and educators that program and advocate for my music; there’s a LOT to share, so let’s dive in!
OUT IN THE WORLD
WINDRUNNER premiere
Original art Lauralei commissioned for the performance
Most of the spring was spent wrapping up work on a new piece for solo flute and piano for Lauralei Palmer. A huge Brandon Sanderson fan, she asked for a long, single-movement work inspired by the Stormlight Archive—specifically windrunners. The full series is thousands of pages long, so while I still haven’t read the books, I was able to glean a lot from fan art, the Sanderson wiki, and video summaries. We did a number of Zoom interviews for her thesis on musical world-building, and it was a blast getting to know such a passionate and creative musician.
The complete work ended up being around 12 minutes—the longest single-movement work I’ve ever written for a chamber music piece! She did a stellar job at the premiere, which you can listen to it in full at the link here. Sheet music will be available for this work later this summer, but flute-y friends who are interested can reach out anytime for a perusal score!
THE NOISE back at PSU
Baby me with conductor Andrew Chybowski and vocalists Stella Hastings & Patrick Howle at the original premiere for The Noise.
This summer also saw a reprise performance of The Noise at Pittsburg State University, where the work was first premiered. A four-movement work for two vocalists and wind ensemble about living with anxiety, I got to do a short clinic with the musicians, including vocalists Grace Steiner and Patrick Howle (the latter of which sang the premiere!). This work is a challenge for any group, and it meant a lot that conductor Andrew Chybowski brought it back to their community for another performance. I’m currently working on a lyric video for YouTube that will use recordings from all three of the performances its had (two from PSU, one from University of Northern Iowa), and I’m looking forward to sharing that when it’s complete.
BRAWL picking up
Calypsus Brass’ set at IWBC—including fellow IU alumn Marcus Grant and a few other amazing writers!
My newest wind ensemble work, BRAWL, has been receiving a number of performances since its premiere with Philadelphia’s All-City band last year—Iowa, New York, Minnesota, Pennsylvania’s Music Educators Association conference, an all-county band day in Maryland, and will be part of the “Sounds of Summer” music programs at Pittsburg State University later this month. It’s been great fun workshopping the piece over Zoom with these ensembles, and I hope I get the chance soon to attend a performance in-person!
NEAR DEATH at International Women’s Brass Conference!
Just this week I had the great fortune of having my brass quintet, near death, brought to the International Women’s Brass Conference in Hartford, Connecticut by the incredible women of Calypsus Brass. Their recital included the works they are featuring on an upcoming album (more on that below!), and it is a real joy to have my music featured alongside so many incredible living composers. The musicians of Calypsus are each excellent musicians, and truly lovely human beings.
PREMIERING THIS SUMMER
Félicette at International Double Reed Society
The finished sculpture by Gill Parker
I’m ecstatic about a new work inspired by space cat, Félicette. Her story captured my heart when I first encountered it—a successful mission to space, followed by a lobotomy two months after her return, she had fallen somewhat into obscurity until a creative director (Matthew Serge Guy) raised thousands to support a statue in her honor. Her statue, depicting her on the Earth looking up at the sky, sits at the International Space University in France. She was lovingly crafted by artist Gill Parker. I was able to secure permission to use the statue’s likeness for the cover art of the piece, and I am so grateful to be able to continue sharing this amazing cat’s story through music.
The work, commissioned by bassoonist Makayla Rasmussen and hornist Jonathan Hughes, will be premiered as part of this year’s International Double Reed Society conference in Indianapolis. For those interested, I hope to put it up on my music store early this summer.
Night Lights with Minnesota Music Educators Association All-State Orchestra
A huge project I just completed was a new arrangement of my Debussy trio, Night Lights, for full orchestra. Originally commissioned by Michelle Lundy for the Beau Soir ensemble (a trio of musicians from the National Symphony), the three movements of the work are each inspired by different sources of light at night: headlights in the fog, fireflies in the trees, and cinders swirling in the air. Conductor Cullan Lucas has become a great advocate for my music in recent years, and I am so grateful to him for approaching me about doing something for his time with MMEA. The work will be premiered this August as part of the All-State camps in Moorehead, Minnesota, and later performed at the MMEA conference in February.
If It’s Not Too Much Trouble at National Flute Association
A picture of my grandfather and older sister—both clarinetists, though my grandpa was a lot more into polka music that my sister!
I’m also thrilled to announce a new work being premiered at the National Flute Association conference in Atlanta, Georgia this summer. Beth Devlin is a wonderful flutist whose passion for lower flutes led her to commission a new solo work for bass flute. Beth is a cancer survivor, and as we discussed how the piece could celebrate this, we were exchanging stories about interacting with medical staff. I recalled a story from my mom’s side of the family, in which my mom’s dad was in the hospital and a nurse asked him, “If your heart stops, do you want us to start it again?” and he wryly said, “Well, if it’s not too much trouble.” I decided to make this the title of the piece. I’m so grateful to Beth for bringing this piece to NFA!
Perpetual Motions (finally!) gets its premiere!
One example of the tortilla machine in question—I recorded several videos, and it’s amazing how they will now finally be used nearly 8 years later!
A few years ago, pianist Chris Opperman (who has played a few of my pieces!) approached me about commissioning a work for two flutist-friends of his: Tara Rozanski and Natasha Loomis. When I met with them, they expressed a keen interest in doing something with electronics and piccolos. My mind immediately went to an old recording I have of a tortilla machine from the grocery store I use to work at—a screeching horror that accompanied my months there—and wondered how I could artistically justify bringing these elements together. I started reading up on the history of tortilla making, and was fascinated by how little the process has changed over its thousands-year-long history; what resulted was a work that explores these “perpetual” motions across different time periods—how the world around these motions have changed, but the motions themselves remain largely the same. Tara & Natasha have both been extremely patient as I dived back into electronics (you can see previous blog posts for more on that!), but I’m thrilled to say the premiere is finally happening this August!
ALSO HAPPENING THIS SUMMER…
In case it wasn’t obvious…Stephanie is the coolest!
I am so excited to share that tubist Stephanie Ycaza is bringing one of the Commissions from Quarantine solos to the International Tuba Euphonium conference (ITEC) in Valencia, Spain this summer!
The solo, Hopeful, Warm, was originally premiered by Jack Doherty on YouTube, this performance marks its first time being played in-person—and the first time my music will be played in Spain!
My gratitude to Stephanie (who I originally met through my work with the quintet she’s in—Calypsus Brass), and best wishes on a stellar trip!
COMING SOON TO CD…
I had the great joy of attending Aerocade’s 10th birthday celebration, where I got to see Elizabeth (left) and Aerocade founder Meerenai (middle)—just two of the coolest people you could ever hope to meet, and both fantastic flutists, new music advocates, and compassionate collaborators!
I’m thrilled to have TWO works coming out under the Aerocade label in the coming months. Elizabeth Robinson (of Fowl Play & Hoppy Feet fame…) and her husband Donald Linn founded a new group—Chamber Winds of South Dakota—and were kind enough to include my work Passing Through on their debut album! I originally wrote the work as an undergrad in 2013, and I could NEVER have imagined this piece having such time, care, and love poured into it by such fantastic musicians.
Resonance Ensemble recorded a fantastic album of all-living composers, and included my setting of an original poem by the great S. Renee Mitchell written specially for the project: Seek What You Want to Find.
The album, Safe Harbor, is set to release later in the year and I couldn’t be more proud to have my music alongside composers like Joe Kye, Mari Esabel Valverde, Damien Geter, Judy A. Rose, Cecille Elliott, Darrell Grant, and Kenji Bunch—and performed by the incredible artists of Resonance Ensemble!
The other exciting release is from Calypsus Brass Quintet—who will be releasing near death (my three-movement work about whale falls) as part of their CD of all-commissioned works, Ripple Effect. I can’t wait to share more about this in the coming months—they have some truly incredible artists featured on the album, and it is a true honor to have my work alongside theirs.
ON THE WRITING DESK
Total number of pages: 185 for parts, 65 for score
Total beverage count for editing parts: ~53
Total movies watched: 5
Total breakdowns: 2—but one was because of Funny Girl
With the orchestra work having taken up a large chunk of my life the past few weeks, the writing desk is getting heavy once more with upcoming projects!
I’m thrilled to be working on a new bass clarinet solo for clarinetist Emily Mehigh—inspired by shipwrecks and heavy metal music!
Also on the desk is a three-movement work for clarinet and string quartet for Chatter—a fantastic new music ensemble that hosts a concert EVERY WEEK, and includes a mix of chamber music, poetry, silence, and bites! Started in Albuquerque, Artistic Director James Shields recently started up a chapter in Portland, and both groups will be playing the commission.
Earlier this year I had to step away from New Wave Opera (a company I co-founded dedicated solely to the performance of vocal music by living composers!), but I’m thrilled to be collaborating with them on a new piece for fellow co-founders, soprano Lindsey Rae Johnson & mezzo Lisa Neher. They are both fantastic vocalists and I can’t wait to dig into working on this piece for them!
A few other things are on my desk right now—including a HUGE project I am SO STOKED to be putting together—but they are best saved for a fall update…
ALSO IN LIFE
From a recent benefit event for CMNW
This summer I’m super excited to serve as the Assistant Production Assistant for Chamber Music Northwest’s annual summer festival. With over 40 concerts featuring nearly 70 musicians from around the world, it’s going to be a busy summer, but it is an awesome privilege to help bring these programs to life—and listen to some great music the whole summer, including the newly-commissioned works they’re featuring! I’ve gotten to know their team this spring in preparation for the festival, and I couldn’t ask for better people to work with.
ALSO I started a monthly newsletter for Portland-area composers! I’ve been wanting to find more ways to genuinely connect with other creatives in my region, and how we can better support & uplift each other. For now, the newsletter serves as a more private channel for us to share news & updates with each other, highlight upcoming performances of our work, share resources & information, and even ask questions. I hosted our first casual hang out earlier this spring, and hope to host another one this summer. It’s been really nice having an excuse to check in on folks each month, and also learn about what music events are happening in our area that feature living composers!
HAPPY JUNE
Just two chill little guys hanging out by the river
When things get so busy, it’s hard to stay in touch with everyone you care about and let them know how you’re doing, and this is one of the ways I can help those who care keep tabs. That you read all the way here, means you care—and I’m grateful for you.
Time to get back to adventuring & writing & maybe writing our representatives every day until morale improves??
Wishing you and your loved ones a great summer ahead!
