November 2022

Far from Shore

Purchase sheet music at http://sardispiano.com/shop

Kathleen Feenstra is performing her own composition "Winter Sunrise."  This atmospheric piece is recommended for elementary level students.  Approximate Royal Conservatory / Conservatory Canada piano level: 1.
Photo credit: Creative Commons "Sunrise in Winter" bySee1Do1Teach1. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sunrise_in_Winter_(23956657174).jpg

Winter Sunrise

Purchase sheet music at sardispiano.com/shop
Kathleen Feenstra is performing her own composition "Maple Syrup Moon." This hauntingly beautiful piece is recommended for early intermediate level piano students. Approximate Royal Conservatory / Conservatory Canada piano level: 6.
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Campbell. Used with permission.
Maple Syrup Moon is the winner of the 2022 CFMTA call for compositions for level 5/6 piano.

Maple Syrup Moon

[Please listen w headphones or great speakers.]
A stereo mixdown from a fragment of On Your Winds, an ongoing longform invitational work with human breath as the sole sound source. The work recognizes that breathing is intimate and personal. At the same time, we share air, with each other, with other lifeforms, and even with the past as nanoparticles from many times and places and industries filter through our atmospheres. 

The audio for On Your Winds brings together accumulated breath sounds from many places in an evolving breathscape. Participants are invited to consider their relationships with wind, with their ancestries, and to perform and record a simple score for breath. Anyone can participate. The recordings are carefully listened to, and excerpted, samples are edited, stretched and filed. For each installation, the sounds are reconsidered, then mixed with new contributions, layered and spread sonically according to studies of the biospheres and wind patterns of the installation locales.  

The breath sounds on this excerpt are from people residing in North America and Europe, ranging in age from about 8 to about 80.

On Your Winds (excerpt)

River Sprint

Pointillistic Momentum

"Magnetic Pull" - Romance/Drama

"Short Strings Suspense" - drama, chase, suspense

"Eureka!" - ambient, slow discovery

This is a comical 2-part setting of the A. A. Milne poem, HAPPINESS. It uses unison and easy two part singing with piano accompaniment, and an ideal voice range for young singers to make a quality choral piece for teaching and performing. This is a part of Gerda Blok-Wilson's developing choir repertoire. Digital downloads are available through SHEET MUSIC PLUS and SHEET MUSIC DIRECT.

Happiness

SNOW SONG, an original winter song by Gerda Blok-Wilson on a poem by Frank Dempster Sherman is an exciting, rhythmic celebration of winter!
The poetry combines with the music to create a realistic and energetic piece for mixed voice choirs during the Winter Season. A great addition to the seasonal library. 

For digital copies:
Sheet Music Plus: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/...
Sheet Music Direct: https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-U...
For more information: gerdablokwilson.ca

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-21bpl2lE8

Snow Song

performed by the Odin Quartet, August 2022

Love Fiercely, Hold Lightly By Emily Hiemstra

performed by Dr. Alexandra Fol
St. James United Church, Montreal

Aurora - For Organ (2022)

Association of Canadian Women Composers

The ACWC is a professional organization for Canadian women composers, their supporters, and the performers of their music.

November 2022

ACWC / ACC