Although the COVID-19 Pandemic has postponed our recital, we continue to rehearse and develop our program at a distance. Watch a video preview now!
Dear Friends,
I'm writing to you from my home in Salem, MA with sincere wishes for calm and health in your lives these days. As you may have guessed, the COVID-19 pandemic has POSTPONEDourDebut of the Project 2020 Recital Series of 21st C. Women Composers, which was supposed to be this evening, May 7th at the Chase Young Gallery in Boston, MA. But it has not stopped us from preparing or "rehearsing" at a distance!
While my partner for this project, pianist Eric Sedgwick may be in NYC and I am north of Boston, we have been able to continue our preparations and are happy to offer you a little VIDEO PREVIEW of the program.
Scroll down for more details and a special treat which we hope will brighten your day and bring you some "Joy" along with info on how we plan to keep this project and the work of 21st century women composer's alive during the time of COVID-19 until we can return to concert spaces again.
Sending you warm regards and wishes for health and courage in these challenging times,
POSTPONEMENT: Chase Young Gallery, Boston
Stay tuned for the Reschedule Date for the Project 2020 Recital Series with Chase Young Gallery in Boston. A woman-owned gallery led by Director, Kate Kostopoulos, the gallery exhibits a wide variety of outstanding contemporary artists with a specific focus on innovative painting mediums. To learn more about the gallery's collections visit Chase Young Gallery and view this video about Kate Kostopoulos and the gallery's aesthetic.
Recorded at a distance between May 5-6, 2020 at our homes in New York, NY and Salem, MA, "Joy" will be included in Program One of the Project 2020 Recital Series. Thankfully Eric and I had rehearsed this song once before in NY in late-January and were able to reference that rehearsal recording as we prepared this piece for you today. Amazingly, this has proved to be a very interesting and, in some ways, efficient way to rehearse - although it certainly doesn't replace time working together and making music in the same place. I'm grateful for a wonderful musical partnership with Eric, which allows us to be able to make music and give attention to the nuance of music-making even when we are in different states.
'Tis so much joy! 'Tis so much joy!
If I should fail, what poverty!
And yet, as poor as I,
Have ventured all upon a throw!
Have gained! Yes!
Hesitated so—
This side the Victory!
Life is but Life! And Death, but Death!
Bliss is, but Bliss, and Breath but Breath!
And if indeed I fail,
At least, to know the worst, is sweet!
Defeat means nothing but Defeat,
No drearier, can befall!
And if I gain! Oh Gun at Sea!
Oh Bells, that in the Steeples be!
At first, repeat it slow!
For Heaven is a different thing,
Conjectured, and waked sudden in—
And might extinguish me!
Emily Dickinson
As I began my search for repertoire for this program, I was in search of a song which expressed a woman's perspective, and love, of work and the creative process. I was very happy to find it in Walker's 2015 setting of Dickinson's poem. For me, this song represents the joy and passion of great endeavors, whether they prove successful or not. As artists, we often invest great amounts of energy and resources in the pursuit of art without the assurance of success. We are often met with self-doubt and hesitation along the way, sometimes never realizing the potential of a project or our own abilities. As Dickinson says, "Hesitated so - this side the Victory!" But I love how in the final stanza she quite uncharacteristically offers conjecture of what success might actually feel like! The joy of success which might actually make our hearts leap so greatly that we "might extinguish"(!), overwhelmed by "so much Joy!" Let's just say, this poem and Walker's ebullient setting was completely relatable! And it gives me hope - even as life is put on hold and musical futures are uncertain. As Gwyneth Walker wrote in the program notes to the score..."These are the poet's Letters to the World. She lived as a recluse, yet her words took flight - traveling the Universe as messengers of the soul."
It seemed all the more fitting to offer a Dickinson setting, given her connections to New England and our current situation of social-distancing.
She lived many of her years in seclusion, confined to her bedroom, writing and withdrawn from the outside world. How poignant that her words and observances of life are so relevant to us today, especially now.
I hope this song will remind you of your own "Joy" - that which inspires you to action, that which gives you hope, that which makes the days new and fresh, even in the face of challenge and struggle. I'm grateful for the deep joy and pleasure that music-making offers in these times. It has truly been a balm. In these times of challenge, when we can not rehearse or perform together, it seemed the perfect first song to share and I'm so grateful to Eric for being open to trying out this little experiment!
PROJECT 2020 Continues...
Watch for more song excerpts, composer interviews, behind-the-scenes info on our evolving process of preparing while social-distancing and ways you can get involved by supporting our Composer Commissions!
About the Composer: Gwyneth Walker
Widely performed throughout the country, the music of American composer Gwyneth Walker is beloved by performers and audiences alike for its energy, beauty, reverence, drama, and humor. Dr. Gwyneth Walker (b. 1947) is a graduate of Brown University and the Hartt School of Music. She holds B.A., M.M. and D.M.A. degrees in Music Composition. A former faculty member of the Oberlin College Conservatory, she resigned from academic employment in 1982 in order to pursue a career as a full-time composer. For nearly 30 years, she lived on a dairy farm in Braintree, Vermont. She now divides her time between her childhood hometown of New Canaan, Connecticut and the musical community of Randolph, Vermont.
A composer since age two, Gwyneth Walker has always placed great value on active collaboration with musicians. Over the decades, she has traveled to many states to work with instrumental and choral ensembles, soloists, and educational institutions as they rehearse and perform her music. A number of these visits have developed into ongoing relationships. In 2018, Walker was named Composer-in-Residence for the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra in Petoskey, Michigan.
Walker's catalog includes over 350 commissioned works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, chorus, and solo voice. A special interest has been dramatic works that combine music with readings, acting, and movement. The music of Gwyneth Walker is published by E.C. Schirmer (choral/vocal/instrumental music) and Lauren Keiser Music (orchestral/instrumental music).
Future Commission of New Works
The purpose of Project 2020 is to shine a light on the artistic, social and human contributions of women to society-at-large, Chase Young Gallery has generously pledged 5% of proceeds from all sales of artwork of this exhibition in conjunction with the recital performance. Proceeds will assist in future commission of new works by 21st Century women composers for Program Two of Project 2020!
If you are interested in making an investment in world-class artwork, please consider contacting the gallery. Plans are underway to coordinate the reschedule of this concert.
The Shakespeare Concerts CD Release!
In case you missed it...Here is an excerpt from my FIRST commercial recording. This was an outstanding project of contemporary and romantic vocal chamber music produced by composer, Joseph Summer and The Shakespeare Concerts with Music Direction by conductor, Tim Ribchester. My second time working with The Shakespeare Concerts, for this project I performed and recorded Schumann's rarely heard Drei Gesänge, Opus 93 for Soprano and Harp and also am heard on Summer's Sonnets V & VI, Brahms' Vier Gesänge and Boston based composer Benjamin Pesetsky's Answer and Question. Enjoy an excerpt of Ben's piece with my colleagues Jessica Lennick, Thea Lobo, Franziska Huhn, Josh Michal and Kevin Owen!
It seemed all the more fitting to offer a Dickinson setting, given her connections to New England and our current situation of social-distancing. 
