Category: Life in the Arts

A person sitting on a bench in a forest clearing, looking out at the bright sky through tall trees.

Mindfulness

I learned a new way to think about mindfulness from watching a German dark comedy series on Netflix this month. Mindfulness is when what’s happening in your mind matches whats happening with your body. 

I guess the opposite of being mindful is being mindless.

Also, the opposite of multi-tasking is single-tasking. It takes mindfulness to do a single task. So then, what if multi-tasking is a form of mindlessness.

I’ve noticed how much happier and less anxious I am when I’m successfully exercising mindfulness and single-tasking. My brain feels less like a sieve. I have a better chance of remembering all the names of the singers in my choir when I practice mindfulness (I’m frequently embarrassed by blanking out on the names of students and adults I’ve known for years!). 

It’s a struggle. 

How easily distracted I am.
And how stubborn I am about feeling the need to multi-task. 

I don’t need to do it all, and I don’t need to do it (whatever “it” is) right now.

Sometimes, “now” is the time I take to do just one thing with my whole mind and body. I’m trying to create that “now” every day.


Surgery update:  Success!

Thank you all so much for your warm wishes and support as I recovered from abdominal surgery. My surgeon says I should still avoid heavy lifting for a couple more weeks, but I got the green light to ride roller coasters. See you on Ghost Rider at Knott’s Berry Farm!


Conducting

Summer is on its way.
Get ready to sing 
Carmina Burana with me!


Harvard-Westlake Spring Choral Concert


Composition

The Summit is Nigh
Now Available!
Here’s a sample:


For Fun

Practicing mindfulness while on a spontaneous walk through the lovely CalTech campus


Curled up in the bed with Archie on my feet



What’s on your mind?

Overhead shot of various mugs filled with different types of coffee and cocoa drinks, from dark black coffee to creamy lattes.

MEET UP

I would like a chance to meet up with you in small groups this summer so we can celebrate and support each other. Let me know if there’s a spot near you (within Los Angeles County) that would be a great place to meet up for coffee or a beer together.


ACDA Report

What was I doing at the 2025 ACDA National Conference, March 18-22? (See pics below…)


1. Went to Bent-But-Not-Broken 3.5 – a whole conference within a conference!


2. Hosted a Black Diaspora Immersion Choir session


3. Witnessed the inaugural National HS Vocal Jazz Honor Choir performance – my HW student was one of 16 high schoolers chosen from across the country.


4. Was a Music in Worship panelist with some of the most inspiring colleagues I’ve ever worked with.


5. Met fans and friends at a MusicSpoke Composer meet-n-greet session


6. Saw a concert that was so impossibly good, it redefined the meaning of choral excellence 

7. Had dinner and drinks with fabulous friends

8. Went to more great concerts


9. Hugged dear friends and mentors, sang, and took pictures at the “Cookout” Black diaspora reception


10. Laughed my ass off at the CSULB reception


11. More amazing concerts


12. Sang the solo on my piece “Truth” during the National Concert series reading session

13. Conducted my piece “Karitas á Four” during the MusicSpoke reading session

14. Conducted my piece “Veni Sancte Spiritus” for the Music in Worship Deep Dive experience


15. Participated as a reader for the Music in Worship service


16. Heard world premieres of two of my works: “Dedication” with the 8-10th grade National SSAA Honor Choir and “The Summit in Nigh” with the 11-12th grade SATB National Honor Choir.


17. One last incredible concert!


For Fun

Watching Carmina Burana at Disney Hall with Felicity


Curled up kitty cuteness



Who will you connect with today?

Merry Christmas!

May you be joyful. May you be at peace. May you be in the company of loved ones. May you celebrate all 12 days, if you feel like it. May you celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Year’s, and all times in which we experience love, awe, and gratitude. May you be amazed and inspired today and in the days to come.


Surgery update

It got postponed. Bad news: I had a mental and emotional breakdown over this whole snafu and will have to wait for god-knows-how-long before I can have my surgery.

Good news: I’m intact and above ground for Christmas and New Year’s! 


Composition

My new album “Ecstatic Expectancy” is now available on all major streaming platforms. Many thanks to everyone who met up with me and purchased physical CDs at our album release events. Want more CDs? Visit me in person on Sundays at Neighborhood UU Church in Pasadena right after the 10am service. And stay tuned for more meet-ups!


Conducting

Come watch me conduct my original Christmas carol “Now the Rejoicing” for choir, piano, and organ at 8pm on Christmas Eve at Neighborhood UU Church in Pasadena.


For Fun

On Thursday December 19, the Harvard-Westlake Jazz Singers performed at Homeboy Industries for the morning meeting with Father Greg Boyle!


(Event photo by Danny Moloshok of Moloshok Photography)

The ETM-LA Gala on December 6 was incredible! I’m so honored to have received their “Shining Star Award” as an educator. The Harvard-Westlake Jazz Singers performed exquisitely with pop star SYML and award-winning film and television composer Blake Neely. The video below is the short film that was shown at the gala:


Goat yoga for the holidays…


…and…more Christmas antics!


Happy Holidays, everyone!


Originally published as Zanaida’s December 2024 email letter – Click here to read online

Organizations and Institutions

There are so many institutions and organizations that are a blessing to my life. Some have been blessing my life for decades! Besides the pride and joy I feel to be employed at Neighborhood UU Church Pasadena and Harvard-Westlake School, I was happy to reconnect with friends in the George Robert Garner III branch of the National Association of Negro Musicians during a recent branch meeting via Zoom. Watching my freshman daughter perform as a soloist during the Beach Cafe at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at CSULB was thrilling not only because my kid was brilliant (!), but because of all the familiar faces and pathways and buildings I got to enjoy at my alma mater.

This fall, I’ll reconnect with friends from the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the California Choral Directors Association through various projects and performances. Organizations like Tonality, Street Symphony, USC Thornton School of Music, The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, All Saints Church Pasadena, The San Gabriel Valley Choral Company, and more – these special organizations and institutions with which I’ve been affiliated are never far from my heart.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the ups and downs organizations and institutions must endure. No organization is perfect, and there are times when I feel let down by them. Still, I value the vision and purpose of these institutions. I recognize the ways in which I have benefitted from their existence, and I want to give back. I can’t participate in everything nor do I have a ton of volunteer hours or money. But I’ll try to show up when I can and give a little money here and there whenever possible.

This is how I can live out my gratitude.


Favorites

I recently realized that Dr. Adolphus Hailstork is my favorite Black composer! It feels really good to have fallen in love with this composer simply from just being exposed to his music more and more on the radio and on social media. Dr. Hailstork celebrated his 80th birthday this year! Here’s my current favorite piece of his, sung by one of my favorite ensembles:

Shout For Joy by Adolphus Hailstork:


The release of my first commercial single, “Ecstatic Expectancy”!!

On Monday September 23, my choral piece Ecstatic Expectancy was released on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Instagram/Facebook, TikTok & other ByteDance stores, YouTube Music, Amazon, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, iHeartRadio, Claro Música, Saavn, Boomplay, Anghami, NetEase, Tencent, Qobuz, Joox, Kuack Media, Adaptr, Flo, and MediaNet.

Look for Ecstatic Expectancy wherever you listen to music, and let me know where you were able to find it! My first commercially released album is soon to follow, too, so stay tuned!


For Fun

Conducting the Neighborhood Chorus for Ingathering/Water Communion Sunday, September 8


My office at school (for which I am grateful!) sometimes feels like a sad closet with a lame window. So I created some sunshine to brighten it up.


Did you know you can swim, fish, and go kayaking in the Los Angeles River? Last month, I had the best time kayaking on the water in this very picture. Can you imagine me in a kayak, paddling down that sliver of water in this picture!?! I’m planning to go kayaking one more time before LA River Kayak Safari closes for the season on September 30.


Sexy Archie


Ollie looking down on us all


Originally published as part of Zanaida’s September 2024 newsletter

Ready for a spicy season

I’m excited to get back to making music with my choirs at school and at church this week, but it’s hot out here in SoCal! Don’t be deceived by the pumpkin spice lattes and halloween decor showing up in stores— summer is still with us.

As for me, I kinda like the heat, but I’m praying for a mild fire season this year. Be careful out there.


The Arid Land
by Lynn Riggs

There will be willows plunging
Their bloodless roots in air
And the hard crooked flying
Of buzzards circled there.

About the treeless wastes
No sand may ever heap
With water, nothing will run
And nothing creep.

Arid, desolate, defiant
Under its iron band
Of sky, we yet may love
This so sunny land.


Composition

Not gonna lie:  I’m a little overwhelmed at the moment, but looking forward to some extra composing time afforded by the upcoming Labor Day holiday…  What will you do with yours?


Conducting

As the Director of Music at Neighborhood UU Church Pasadena, I cordially invite you to join our Neighborhood Church Music Ensembles this fall! 


Soundcloud Song of the Month

Magnificat

by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

Memories of the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Singers from 2022 – what a joy it was to rehearse and perform with this group! Here’s the Coleridge-Taylor Magnificat from that concert.

Listen to Magnificat by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor by Zanaida Stewart Robles on #SoundCloud:


For Fun

ZSR Summer Choir Intensive performance on 8/11/24 


Mario in awe of Ollie


A rare photo of Archie looking majestic and sexy


One can never get enough kitty love


Stay cool out there!


Originally published via the August 2024 monthly newsletter