She Speaks is a choral song cycle composed by Alice Dryden and Amy Gordon, which sets the text by Sharon Goldstein. It weaves together the experiences and voices of different women, both artistically and literally. The text and the music were a result of a close collaboration among the composers and the poet. The cycle is a progression through generations of strong women. Each woman throughout history has been able to build on the strength and courage of her ancestors.

Movement 1, She Is Silent, represents a past generation that endured hardship and suppression for the sake of the next generation. The thread from the woman’s sewing machine becomes the motivic thread that weaves throughout the other movements, anchoring future generations in her quiet resolve.

In Movement 2, She Dreams, the next generation spends her days trapped, speaking other people’s words and ideas. Yet inside her, she holds dreams of her own stories and her own identity, and being recognized for her own worth.

Movement 3, She Speaks, explores vocal percussion and extended vocal techniques. The women gradually find their voices and speak out, with difficulty and first but with increasing confidence- This. Is. Wrong! This movement honors those who would no longer stay silent in the face of injustice.

Movement 4, She Rages!, is the most specific and direct response to current events. The voices of women, silenced for too long, break free- and they are furious! Each voice demands to be heard as they build on one another. The movement transitions into a triumphant march honoring the women that came before them, referencing each of the previous movements in both text and music.

The ending, co-written by both composers, ties off the thread that wove through each movement. All the voices, men and women, speak together to convey one unified message: It is more important now than ever to find the courage to listen and to speak out.

Continue reading She Speaks (Choral Song Cycle)

My brand-new choral song cycle “In Memoriam“, commissioned by Jonathan Bautista,  is receiving its world premiere by Nova Vocal Ensemble this Sunday 5/21/17 at 7:30pm at Eagle Rock Covenant Church. This has been my biggest and most important piece as of yet, as it reflects on the still very palpable American tragedies that occurred in … Continue reading May 15th, 2017

My arrangement of “What Child is This“, commissioned by Jonathan Bautista and Nova Vocal Ensemble, will be performed Nova Vocal Ensemble’s holiday concert: Go Tell It on the Mountain: A Concert for Christmas.Nova will be premiering my arrangement, as well as world premieres by composers Saunder Choi and David Conley. Please come and join us … Continue reading November 18th, 2016

The fabulous Nova Vocal Ensemble will be performing my a cappella arrangement of “Coventry Carol”, commissioned by director and conductor Jonathan Bautista. Tickets are $10 (+service fee) online and $12 at the door. I will be singing in the choir as well. There are breath-taking a cappella choral pieces on this program, so I hope … Continue reading November 25th, 2015

I am very excited to announce that my a cappella piece “A Boat Beneath A Sunny Sky” will be performed at Disney California Adventure on Monday, August 17th 2015 by the wonderful Nova Vocal Ensemble! You can listen to the piece before the fun begins at Disneyland!

I am very excited to announce that my a cappella piece “A Boat Beneath A Sunny Sky” will be performed at Disney California Adventure on Monday, August 17th 2015 by the wonderful Nova Vocal Ensemble! You can listen to the piece before the fun begins at Disneyland!