New tricks

I learned something new this month:

Playing tetherball with your legs and feet rather than your arms and fists is a really good workout.

Hope you’re doing well. Happy Spring!

Conducting

April 6-10, I’m conducting the Treble Honor Choir for the New Hampshire Music Educators Association in New Hampshire

Composition

My five-movement “Mass in E Minor” is being world premiered by the Southern Tier Singers’ Collective conducted by William Culverhouse on Sunday, April 24 in Binghamton, New York.

Get details here

For Fun

Here are some pics from ACDA Western Division Conference in Long Beach, March 2-5:

Backstage before I sang “Lift Every Voice” for the All-Conference Sing

Ollie’s Corner

Best cat ever!

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New headshots

The blog and newsletter will look a little different soon, as I’ve had some gorgeous new headshots taken, with help from photographer Lauren Desberg! Here’s a sneak peek:

Conducting

I’m conducting the Neighborhood Chorus on “Earth Song” by Frank Ticheli during the 11:30am service at Neighborhood Church Pasadena on Sunday, November 7.

I’m so proud of the work this choir has been doing, and I would love to have more singers on all voice parts. We rehearse on Thursday nights in the sanctuary from 7:15pm-9pm.

Join us!

Neighborhood Chorus is a non-auditioned chorus open to all adults. Our repertoire consists of a variety of classical and non-classical styles, sung in various languages. No training is necessary, however classical choral experience and/or basic sight reading skills are encouraged. Neighborhood Chorus sings 3 Sundays per month at the 11:30am service. COVID vaccination is required of all singers, and we wear masks for the duration of all rehearsals and services.

Please fill out this short form to let me know you plan to sing with us this year. Or just email me.

Composition

Many thanks to my good friend and fellow composer Shawn Kirchner for his encouragement and mentorship. It felt soooo good to spend time with him while he helped me update my ASCAP catalogue. His homegrown grapefruits make incredible juice!

More about Shawn

Singing

On Sunday November 7, I’m singing “Where er’er you walk” by G. F. Handel and “Dream Variation” by Margaret Bonds during the 9am service at Neighborhood Church. I’d love to see you there.

Get to the church

Community News

HW students to join this year’s honor choirs

Four of my Harvard-Westlake choral students were selected for the 2021 SCVA High School Honor Choirs. Congratulations to Gisele Stigi for earning a spot in the Treble Honor Choir, to Kieran Chung for earning a spot in the Mixed Honor Choir, and to Rhea Madhogarhia and Charlie Doris for earning spots in the Vocal Jazz Honor Choir. Kieran, Gisele, Rhea and Charlie will all perform at the 2021 High School Honor Choir Performance at the University of Redlands on Saturday, November 20 at 7pm.

For your consideration

As you know, I am the Chair for the Board of Directors of the non-profit choral group, Tonality. Tonality’s new album, “American Will Be” is under consideration in multiple GRAMMY® award categories this year. Thank you for supporting this fantastic group of artists who have brought so much light and love to the choral community and beyond.

Please listen and share!

For Fun

Looks like we’re having a spider problem again. Also, a meme my students helped me make for our new Harvard-Westlake Choir page on Instagram @hwuschoirs… and more Ollie pics!

Arachnid alert!

*(with a little fiesta flair this year…)*

Ollie’s corner

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It all hinges on three little words

Balance.
Resonate.
Flow.

In Donald Brinegar’s conducting class during my first year as doctoral student in choral music at USC, I discovered that these three verbs intersect and support multiple aspects of my life and work. From yoga, to singing, to conducting, to parenting, everything seems better when balance, resonance, and flow are in harmony. The challenge (and the fun) is figuring out what’s out of balance? Where is there a lack of resonance? What’s stopping the flow? Being able to answer these questions as they relate to various situations has been a key component to managing this rewarding and complicated life.

Conducting

Honestly, I miss choral conducting. I miss the singers, the connection, the spirituality, the magic of shaping the way voices touch other voices in shared space. The pandemic has really taken away our ability to fully practice this artform. Hopefully, opportunities for live conducting (if only on a small, informal scale) will happen in the coming weeks with my students at Harvard-Westlake and with my musical friends at Neighborhood Church.

Composition

The more I do it, the more I realize just how much I have to learn about composing music. I’m now analyzing the musical scores of revered composers from across the centuries so I can understand the idiomatic performance characteristics and notation practices of different instruments (especially for organ works). And I’m engaging more with composer colleagues, listening to their wisdom about the composition process. In my work as an adjudicator and mentor with the Her Voice composition competition for women, I get to engage with two phenomenal master composers Chen Yi and Stacy Garrop. I’m just trying to soak up as much wisdom as I can!

Singing

I’ve noticed that sometimes when I’m in a good mood or I feel like celebrating, I spontaneously start singing opera arias I learned in my undergrad days. My go-to celebration aria is “Je Suis Titania” from Mignon by Jules Massenet. Back when I was young, I thought It was the most virtuosic aria EVER, and I enjoyed learning it. I was never was able to master it, but it’s fun to just bust out random snippets of it between classes, in the car, while cooking, or whenever good news comes my way.

What’s your go-to celebration aria or song?

For Fun

My youngest daughter Natalie is a visual artist, and I absolutely adore her art style. Sometimes she sends me her drawaings just to brighten my day. She masterfully draws original anime-style cartoon characters using an app on her phone. I am AMAZED she creates such adorably pictures just with her finger on her phone! Here are three of her recent ones. This character is named “Cheesecake.” It’s Natalie’s cartoon version of herself. I’m completely smitten by my child’s “self-portrait.” It looks just like her in so many ways.

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That’s a lot of Zoom!

My deepest gratitude to the following institutions and organizations for welcoming me as a guest speaker in their virtual spaces over the past 8 months. I have loved engaging online with the educators and students in these places where choral music is alive and thriving:

California School of the Arts, San Gabriel Valley
California State University, Long Beach
Chapman University
The Choral Commons
Gonzaga University
The Handel and Haydn Society
InUnison Pod Cast
LHC Studios
Temple University
University of Chicago
University of Southern California
University of Utah
Virginia Commonwealth University

Composition

My choral works “No Fairy Tale Here,” “Veni Sancte Spiritus,” and “Can You See” continue to gain exposure across the country and even internationally. I’ve been so inspired from learning about and listening to music of other non-idiomatic Black composers over the last 2 months. There are so many musical ideas and sketches I want to develop that I almost don’t know where to start! Pray for me as I try to tackle new commissions for a short organ solo work and a new anthem for mixed choir and organ.

Teaching

On Friday, March 26, I’m presenting a virtual talk with Dr. Jace Saplan through the Western Division of ACDA on having transformative conversations in choral rehearsal spaces to help facilitate inclusion with the goal of producing more deeply meaningful and engaging performance experiences.

Get details on Facebook

I’m also looking forward to participating in the Black Women Composers Summit presented by Dr. Lori Hicks of LCH Studios March 26-28.

Learn more

For Fun

The 2021 ACDA National Conference March 18-20 celebrated the richness of our nation’s diverse choral communities. Even though it was a virtual conference without in-person activities, I was inspired and uplifted by the presentations and performances of colleagues, students, and friends. One of my favorite parts was participating in the Black Women Composers and Conductors network meet-up. There was so much beauty and musical magic all around me. It was humbling. Plus, it was really fun!

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A “holiday” just for my people

I learned about a new way to celebrate the start of the year: in addition to being New Year’s Day and the last day of Kwanzaa, January 1st is also known as Z Day! This annual opportunity to celebration all things and people usually relegated to the end of any alphabetical list makes total sense at the start of each year, making the last first for a little while, and celebrating a letter most people probably don’t even use very often. In fact, we use this letter so much less often than others that looking at a page with a lot of Zs on it (try this one) can make you question if you’ve been writing them correctly — they start to look loopy after awhile!

Here are a few artists and influencers I’d like to celebrate today.

Zelda

I can’t believe The Rev. Zelda Kennedy passed away from cancer almost a year ago. She’s the first person that comes to mind when I think about people I love whose names start with Z. She was so soulful and full of life. Her voice was so warm and low and comforting. Not a day goes by that I don’t smile at her picture on the wall in my home: she’s in our wedding pictures, because she officiated our wedding. It was such a blessing to know her while I was at All Saints Church in Pasadena. And I miss her deeply.

Frank Zappa

Even as a little kid, I always thought “Zappa” was such a fun name! The iconoclast was one of the most powerful creative forces, across musical and cultures genres, through the 1970s and 80s. If you think he’s not a classical composer, click the link above and check his output. I would have sung his 200 Motels with LA Master Chorale and the LA Phil back in fall 2013 if I hadn’t a conflict – I hear that gig was a lot of fun and “memorable” for various reasons; it’s definitely not rated PG! But the man had skills, and a mind like no other.

Zenobia Powell Perry

(1908-2004)

This African-American and Creek Indian composer and pianist lived a fascinating and inspiring life, determinedly pursuing her music in spite of hurdles and lack of support at home. She was completely committed to her life in music, and while she moved and planned and worked to get the training and opportunities she craved, her music shows a strong connection to her hometown and the people she loved. She reached for the moon but kept her feet on the ground, and her career challenges how we define success as a composer and more. Click here to learn more about her

Zoltán Kodály

(1882-1967)

Few people have done more to refine and advance methods of musical education, first in his native Hungary, and then writing books that have changed programs around the world. Kodály’s work as a composer and ethnomusicologist are just as impressive. He wrote music for orchestra, choir, two operas, and some lovely chamber music, all influenced by the folk music he studied so carefully. Check this out if you’re not sure where to start.

Favorite things starting with Z

Zimbelstern

Zelus mini trampoline

Zenaida meloda (the scientific name for “mourning dove”)

A few Zbees I’ve worked with

ZaNyaa Lee

Maza Zimmerman

Zachary Wadsworth

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