This song is called ‘Breathe’ because it is for everyone who feels like they can’t breathe right now. Some people feel like they can’t breathe because they have covid, have to wear a mask, have lost their job, are experiencing abuse or mental illness, and the list could go on and on. I hope that through listening to this piece they will be encouraged. 

As this is the first piece in a series, I think it would be right to explain the journey that led towards its completion. In its beginnings, I wrote it as somewhat of an exercise and experiment. In my composing, I have often felt pressure in that I need to be different and I need to be constantly pushing the boundaries. While there is merit in these things, I found myself exhausted and l began to lose focus of the reason why I was writing music in the first place. So inspired by a few other composers who experienced similar journeys, I decided to write a piece that was very simple and accessible. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be because it required me to, in a way, forget everything that had come before it. I was determined that this piece would bear no pretensions and that I would be true to myself. This made it rather frightening as well and for this reason, you will perhaps hear the influences of other composers; I wasn’t quite brave enough to swim out into the deep waters. This piece still terrifies me a bit and I keep having second thoughts about it. “Why in the world am I actually sharing this piece? It’s too simple, no one’s going to like it.” But then I remind myself that it’s not really about pleasing everyone. This process has been calming, therapeutic, refreshing, and fun for me. And I’ve decided that I’d like to try it again, I’d like to continue exploring it and to discover where my voice lies within it.

Breathe (Piano Solo)

My grandmother, Adriana Verdonk-Romijn, was born in 1923, on a ship that was first named Baronie then Spes Salutes. Her family lived on the ship which they used to transport cargo in and around the Netherlands. During World War II, they were carrying a load of straw and were spotted by ally aircraft. The pilots thought that it was a German boat and began firing. The straw caught fire, and to save as much of the boat as possible, the Romijn family pumped it full of water and sunk it. Later, they brought it up again and started to refurbish it. However, the local community was afraid that the Germans would attack via u-boats, and they decided to sink the ship at the mouth of the harbour. After the war, the ship was brought up for a second time, and it has since then been christened the Aldebaran and is now a tourist attraction. 
This piece is not about these events, but rather, about the ship as it carried my family to various destinations. Although it is only a vessel made of lifeless materials, I almost think of it as a hero and veteran.  

CREDITS:
Performance by Sharon Wei (viola) & Angela Park (piano) 
Performed on March 4, 2021

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Aldebaran for Viola and Piano (Live Performance)

Zonlicht - Emma Verdonk

Duet for harp and flute. 
Live recording.

Hadassah

This is a piece dedicated to my niece Katie and was inspired by a waltz written by Chopin. Thank you to my mom for playing piano for me.

Katie's Waltz

The concept for this piece began, quite simply, with roses. I am an avid gardener and love my roses, but it did not take me long to discover that while these romantic blooms are stunning and delicate, their thorns make them dangerous. As I reflected on this, I fell in love with this concept of beauty and peril and realized that it is true for women as well. While we may appear lovely, we are not without thorns which, I think, can be interpreted as courage, strength, and independence.

While writing “For the Wild Roses,” I kept this concept in mind and the result was not just two-sided as I had initially planned, but multi-dimensional. For me, the music shifts from intense to playful to sweet, and I found that this even more truly embodies the roses that this piece is about. Once it was finished, I thought, what better way to title this piece than to dedicate it to the very roses who inspired it? I hope that you will enjoy “For the Wild Roses” and that it will remind you of the beautiful and strong women you know.

For The Wild Roses (Midi Track)

This piece was premiered at the October 9th Student Composer Concert at Wilfrid Laurier University. 
One day in the summer of 2019, I was driving home from work and I saw a beautiful double rainbow accompanied by a gorgeous formation of clouds. I was so in awe of this stunning display that I simply had to write a piece of music about it.

Emma Theresa

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