Projēkt Chamber Voices
Amy Henderson. conductor
Recorded Live in St. John's NL on October 30th, 2021

Thirsty Hearts for soprano solo and SATB chamber choir was commissioned by Projēkt Chamber Voices as part of a commissioning project for works relating to our new concept of breath in a post-COVID world. The text for this piece, written by the composer, examines how our relationships have changed and the new dangers of letting someone in. The score was written to work with a remote choir during the safety protocols of covid. The video score and the soloist anchor the choir while recording remotely. The score is set in shades of blue watercolour to reflect the water imagery in the text. The choir explores restricted and muted breath sounds.

Text:
my breath catches
yearning to crash into you
blur our shoreline, liquid surrender

your breath shimmers
with dangerous allure
we damn ourselves apart, parched separation

our breath grasps
against the current
condensation now precious, sweetest vapour

thirsty hearts mouth songs of hope

Thirsty Hearts (2020) - SATB choir

Live performance by musica intima at Pacific Spirit United Church on April 23rd, 2022. 

This piece was commissioned as part of musical initma's emerging composer program Novum Musica.


Original Text:

“Let us live for each other and for happiness 
let us seek peace in our dear home;
near the inland murmur of streams,
and the gracious waving of trees, 
the beauteous vesture of earth, 
and sublime pageantry of the skies. 
Let us leave 'life,' that we may live.”

excerpt from The Last Man by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly

sleeping ideas (2022) - SATB Choir

Live performance by musica intima at Pacific Spirit United Church on April 23rd, 2022.

This piece was commissioned as part of musical initma's emerging composer program Novum Musica.

TEXT:
“ Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change. ”

From Frankenstein: or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Chapter 23

a modern prometheus (2022) - SATB Vocal Ensemble

Ian McCloy, Tenor
Michael Dobko, Piano

Recorded at UBC's Roy Barnett Hall in March 2022. 

Text by the composer:
just down the road from dreaming Truth lives alone
He takes His tea black
because He is lactose intolerant
(even though he would have you believe otherwise)
just down the road from dreaming Truth considers a variable horizon
She places her steps along the jagged shore steadfast, in perfect balance
(if She were to falter I would squeeze my eyes shut, tight)
just down the road from dreaming
Truth breathes a sigh as heavy as thought
In Their last moments I will serenade Them
with trembling hands They will call to have Their tea warmed
too cold
many mondays have passed since...
a dew drop on the nose makes all the difference

just down the road from dreaming - Tenor and Piano

Recorded by the UBC Symphonic Wind Band in November 2021 during their Composer Readings.
________

This piece takes inspiration from the history of the wind ensemble as a military ensemble. I was reflecting on the role of the military and militarizing policing in climate change. I was particularly reflective on the reaction to water and land protector protests. Line 3 pipeline protest in the USA and the Fairy Creek Protests in our own British Columbia. 

It is timely that this reading comes sort after violent actions of the RCMP in sovereign Wet’suwet’en territory and the tragic climate events of the past year. 

This piece reflects on the antagonism between nature, and this militarized force. 

The title evokes both the power of the force of nature and the term ‘armed forces.’

Forces for Wind Band and Electronics

This piece was created for an ongoing project called Roll for Etude where I let a set of polyhedral dice decide many of the aspects of a short composition. 

This resulted in this piece for electronics, piccolo, Glockundspiel, and Alto Sax.

The text is taken from page 74 of The Great Small Cat and Others: Seven Tales by May E. Southworth (1914).

Roll for Etude - Jan 6th - Innocent Little Sinners

Ukulele and Vocals - Holly Winter

Made this for my students to practice along with. One of my favorite songs. 
Will likely replace it with a better recording but in the interest of being brave I'm posting it here.

I'll Follow You into the Dark Cover - Death Cab for Cutie

This piece was created for an ongoing project called Roll for Etude where I let a set of polyhedral dice decide many of the aspects of a short composition.

This piece is for "found instruments" (a.k.a. An Earnest Ice Cream Jar, A Glass thing full of rice, and a large bowl from my kitchen table), Bass guitar, and Alto flute. Also, me speaking. 

The text was generated by ChatGPT by asking for a whimsical sentence.

The image was generated by an image generator with the prompt "fairies playing jazz."

Roll for Etude - Jan 15 - Beatnik Fairies

Recorded during Elektra's Singspire workshop of new compositions.

March 25th, 2024. Pacific Spirit United Church, Vancouver, BC. 

Elektra Womens Choir
Morna Edmundson, Conductor
Stephen Smith, Piano

frosted glass for SSAA choir - Workshop Recording

Thirsty Ears: miniatures after Sue Goyette was written in 2019 for Pierrot Ensemble. They are a series of graphic miniatures that explore colour and gesture. The scores are meant to inspire the performer to improvise given gestures.

The text is taken from Sue Goyette's poem cycle Aquifers published in her collection outskirts (2011).

This movement, entitled Professional Listening, how we hear and listen in modern times.

Laura Johnston, Soprano
James Paluk, Flute
Peter Perez, Clarinet
Yanet Campbell, Violin
Connor Cornick, Cello
Shane Tetford, Piano

Thirsty Ears - Professional Listening

Thirsty Ears: miniatures after Sue Goyette was written in 2019 for Pierrot Ensemble. They are a series of graphic miniatures that explore colour and gesture. 

The text is taken from Sue Goyette's poem cycle Aquifers published in her collection outskirts (2011).

This movement, entitled Echo, is made of fragments of one phrase. It plays with liquid airy gestures. 

Laura Johnston, Soprano
James Paluk, Flute
Peter Perez, Clarinet
Yanet Campbell, Violin
Connor Cornick, Cello
Shane Tetford, Piano

Thirsty Ears - Echo

Thirsty Ears: miniatures after Sue Goyette was written in 2019 for Pierrot Ensemble. They are a series of graphic miniatures that explore colour and gesture. The scores are meant to inspire the performer to improvise given gestures.

The text is taken from Sue Goyette's poem cycle Aquifers published in her collection outskirts (2011).

This movement, entitled Gathering, explores earth tones and community. 

Laura Johnston, Soprano
James Paluk, Flute
Peter Perez, Clarinet
Yanet Campbell, Violin
Connor Cornick, Cello
Shane Tetford, Piano

Thirsty Ears - Gathering

Danielle Grundy, horn

Please donate to causes committed to racial justice in your communities.

A Call To Hunt (2020) - solo horn and electronics

Composer, Improvisor, Educator, sound designer.

Bmus Memorial '20
Mmus UBC '22

Currently based in Vancouver, BC.

Holly Winter

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