Composed in 2011 by Joan La Barbara for the American Composers Orchestra, premiered at Carnegie's Zankel Hall. For "In solitude this fear is lived", a sound painting, I have distributed the players around and among the audience and also created a “sonic atmosphere”, a collage utilizing elements of breath, voice, natural and manipulated instruments, mixing a wash of color, texture and timbre as painters often prime a canvas, forming a foundation over which the live sounds float, interact and are sometimes subsumed. The work is also inspired by the paintings and drawings of Agnes Martin which are precise, obsessive, delicate, minimal yet wondrous in complexity. The title comes from a passage in Miss Martin’s journals.
Scoring: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, harp, piano, percussion, strings, solo vocalist, and electronics
©2011 Joan La Barbara (ASCAP)

In solitude this fear is lived ...

"The Dream of Ariadne (or Joseph Cornell Dreams A Constellation of Regrets)" composed by Joan La Barbara with poem by Monique Truong, recorded live in concert, October 3, 2014 at Spectrum, Joan La Barbara vocals, piano & sampler; all rights reserved ©2014 Joan La Barbara (ASCAP).

Dream Of Ariadna Mix

for solo piano and 'sonic atmosphere'
Inspired by notations in Joseph Cornell's journals: 'dream of Debussy playing piano as in a store seen through spacious window' and other dream fragments, this is the concert version of a work originally conceived for pianist in a theatrical environment.

1 Storefront Diva, A Dreamscape

Short Excerpts from "The Wanderlusting of Joseph C." a song cycle by Joan La Barbara with lyrics by Monique Truong. Performers include Mario Diaz-Moresco (baritone), Julia Meadows (soprano) and Lauren Flanigan (soprano), recorded May 24, 2017 at Roulette Intermedia, Brooklyn, NY ©2017 Joan La Barbara (ASCAP) All Rights Reserved.

The Wanderlusting of Joseph C short edit2

radio ad (vocal) for "Train to the Plane"

Train to Plane

VO instructions for "Playing Music" educational cd-ROM

Playing Music instruction

Joan La Barbara's voice w/electronics audio score for signing alphabet

Sesame Street alphabet L-O

Joan La Barbara interview on BBC World Service, speaking about how she created the voice of the "Alien Newborn" for "Alien Resurrection"

JLB interview on BBC re Alien Res

Siggraph 2005

Joan La Barbara created the character voice for "Ali the Aligator" for "Playing Music" educational cd-ROM

In solitude this fear is lived ...

JoanLaB