Today, May 25, is my birthday! One of my favorite things I did this month was working with the Neighborhood Church Youth Chorus. I can’t emphasize enough how much I LOVE working with singers under the age of 13. We always have so much fun singing and learning music together, even through Zoom. We made a virtual choir video of us singing the hymn “Do When the Spirit Says Do” with piano accompaniment by Wells Leng. I can’t help but smile and giggle everytime I see it. I hope it makes you smile, too.
Conducting
The Harvard-Westlake Upper School Virtual Choir Concert is on Friday, June 4 at 7pm on Vimeo. I’m conducting “El Aire Lloro” by Francisco Núñez, “Kang Ding Love Song” by Saunder Choi, and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” arranged by yours truly.
Composition
It’s thrilling to be a mentor composer for one of the winners of the Her Voice Composition Competition with Chicago A Cappella. Sarai Hillman’s winning composition “Safety and Refuge” is radiant, timely, and well-crafted. Plus, Ms. Hillman is just a phenomenal human being, so full of musicality, poise, warmth, and genuine enthusiasm for the craft of music composition.
I’ve been practicing self-accompanying on piano. Here’s a video of me singing and playing “Amarilli” by Caccini. I still get tripped up with my fingering, but the singing’s not bad. How’s my Italian?
For Fun
The bad news is that I got rear-ended in heavy traffic on the freeway last month. Don’t worry, it was a slow-speed impact, and no one was injured. The value of my little car was basically the same as the cost to repair it, so it ended up being a total loss.
The good news is that I got a new car for Mother’s Day! It’s a stylish black 2020 Mazda CX3 – a car I’ve always wanted!
Nonprofit Music News
Tonality is thrilled to be a recipient of the LA Arts Recovery Fund. As one of 90 nonprofits receiving grants, we are excited to continue serving our community and contributing to the rich cultural fabric and economic recovery of LA County!
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.
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!
The need for self love and self care is crucial, and working to help uplift and show care toward other Black people is a vital part of this work. As a member of the national board for the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM), here is a statement I have crafted about our work:
“With gratitude and reverence for the pioneers who have come before and for those who are with us now; with sober focus and determination to carry on the work of honoring and advancing our legacy; in the face of all manner of trials and tribulations in our midst: the National Association of Negro Musicians is firmly committed to its mission of promoting, preserving, and supporting all genres of music created or performed by African Americans.”
Core Messsage Concepts:
To all creators, performers, and educators who identify as Black, African American, Negro, or Colored;
To all those who seek to promote, preserve, and support all genres of music created or performed by African Americans:
WE CARE FOR EACH OTHER – Here’s what NANM provides…
scholarship money;
a platform for cultural engagement and celebration;
educational/historical/cultural resources;
a space for those who identify as members of the African diaspora to be seen and to process shared experience.
WE SEE EACH OTHER – Here’s who NANM honors for already doing the work…
WE APPRECIATE EACH OTHER – Here’s who honors and supports NANM’s work…
Our donors and members
WE NEED EACH OTHER – Here’s who we need to help continue NANMs legacy…
solicitation of scholarship applicants;
calls for scholarly papers and articles;
calls for presenters and performers at national convention.
I’m working on building the infrastructure that enable us to more effectively fulfill our organizational mission, thereby strengthening and uplifting ourselves so that we may be sustained in the fight against racism alongside our non-Black siblings.
Composition
I’ve had so much inspiration to work on new projects that I can hardly figure out where to begin. I’ve also had numerous requests for scores from my catalogue of completed works. If you would like to peruse a score or purchase a license for one or more of my works, please use the contact form on my website at zanaidarobles.com. Sometimes it takes me a couple days, but I’ll respond as soon as I possibly can. I’m excited to share my music with you!
In the meantime, here’s a recent recording I made of my work “Umoja” for treble voices. I added a few things to spice it up!
Umoja , arranged and sung by Zanaida Robles
Conducting
As I prepare to go back to the “virtual” choir room this fall, I’m working on shoring up my conducting skills. Conducting is such a magical art form to me, and I grieve the loss of the ability to practice my art due to COVID-19. However, I’ve decided to commit to continuing to work on my craft and to use my skills in the service of my ensembles through video. Some works I’m hoping to video record myself conducting this fall include “Sanctus” from Requiem by Maurice Duruflé, “Hehlehlooyuh” by James Furman, and my very own composition “Kyrie.”
As I prepare for this fall, I have been reviewing texts and notes from my doctoral studies at USC. I’ve also been reading choral music publications and paying attention to the current work of my colleagues in the field of choral music education. One of the most delightful things I’ve found was my friend Dr. Christopher Gravis’s video introduction to instrumental conducting. His video was absolutely inspirational to me, reminding me how amazingly complex our art form can be and how we have a responsibility to put in the work to thoroughly study and fully comprehend the music we conduct, regardless of whether it’s instrumental or choral. Here’s the video:
Instrumental Conducting: Introduction to the Orchestra, the Score, and Transposition — by Christopher Gravis, posted June 2020.
Singing
When I’m not recording vocals for various professional projects, I’ve been singing through my 24 Italian Art Songs and Arias, trying to work on my legato phrasing and vowel alignment. (I enjoy playing them on my flute, too!)
I’m also playing around with GarageBand to create new music. Here’s a recording I did not too long ago of “Karitas Habundat” by 12th century composer and mystic Hildegard von Bingen.
Karitas Habundat by Hildegard von Bingen, sung by Zanaida Robles
For Fun
My daughter is really into K-Pop right now. I love watching her dance to this music because she moves with such effortless style and confidence. I’m in awe of how easily she picks up these dance steps; she’s such a natural dancer (complete opposite of me!). She tried to teach me the dance steps to a couple of songs. Laughter ensued, and then I gave up. But it’s fun to try! Start here:
BLACKPINK – ‘Kill This Love’ DANCE PRACTICE VIDEO (MOVING VER.)
This post originally appeared in Zanaida’s monthly newsletter. Are you on the list? Subscribe here
While we’ve been practicing being “safer at home,” my oldest daughter Felicity has taken up photography. I got her a nice-ish camera last year for her birthday, but she never used it until now. Last week, she asked me to look at some pictures she had taken in the backyard. I was so delighted to see she was using the gift I gave her.
And her pictures were lovely: nice contrast, vivid colors, great clarity. I’m no expert by any means, but I just adore visual art – various periods, various styles and mediums. I guess I’m a visual art lover the way some people are music lovers: I don’t know much about it, and I’m not very good at it myself. But I’m game for a trip to a museum or gallery any day! I miss being able to go to museums and galleries and just walk around and revel in being physically surrounded by the brilliant artistry of gifted humans. Both my daughters are among my very favorite visual artists right now, so I’ve been surrounding myself with their art. Felicity has always been great at painting and drawing. Now she does photography, too.
While I was eating breakfast Monday morning, she came down stairs, already dressed with her camera hanging around her neck. She said, “Mom I’m going out to take some pictures,” and she went into the back yard. Usually, Monday mornings are fraught with stress and anxiety and dread about school. But on this day, she was full of curiosity and lightness and peace. I followed her outside and watched her learn from her environment. She was trying to shoot a bee sitting on a cactus flower. She would flinch and squeal when the bee would fly toward her. She got frustrated when she couldn’t get a clear shot. She kept trying, then she decided to shoot something else. I felt like I was observing my daughter learn in a class being taught by a silent, wise, and wonderful invisible teacher.
Maybe there’s a teacher at work in all of us… And what if that teacher has always been there?…
Can you just imagine that poor teacher after all these years…
COMPOSITION I’m working on my “Kwanzaa Songs,” my “Te Deum” for choir and organ, and my “Three Moody Sketches for Piano.” And I continue to make plans for the recording of my album of Sacred Choral Works this summer (unless we’re still on lockdown, in which case who knows when it will be).
CONDUCTING I’m leading virtual choir rehearsals on Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor with my students at Harvard-Westlake and Requiem by Maurice Durufle with my choir at Neighborhood Church. Actually, there has literally been no physical conducting involved! because the video delay is so bad. But there is still so much singing we do together, even though we can’t really hear or see each other all at once. These sessions are the highlight of my week. This is where the power of audiation shines brightest. This is where the spirit of what we do as choral artists is most potent. Seeing each other engaged in this work on our computers, despite the fact our hearing and seeing is limited, is indescribably humbling and powerful.
SINGING No upcoming performances. I’ve just been using Garage Band software along with my phone recorder to capture and mix my singing. I’m working on music for next week’s church service, which is being streamed live on Zoom and posted later on Facebook. I also have a few fun little personal projects that keep me busy.
PIANO Suddenly, I have time to practice! I’m learning Beethoven Piano Sonata no. 1. I’m also reminding myself how to play Invention no. 1 by Bach, Austrian Song by Patcher, and Toccata by Khachaturian. I’ve begun to teach Natalie about posture and hand position. She plays everyday, teaching herself songs by wrote and making up little songs of her own. She’s exploring triads, inversions, and octave displacement (though she has no idea that’s what she’s doing! There goes that silent, wise, and wonderful invisible inner teacher again). She says she wants me to teach her how to read music next week.
FLUTE I suddenly also have time to play my flute! I’m working on improving my tone and fingering by playing scales and exercises. Wow, it’s really hard for me to play those higher notes because my embouchure is so weak. I need a lot of practice!
COOKING Just kidding! I don’t really like to cook. Thank God for Vincent and Felicity!
Upcoming events
Live events have been placed on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we’ll be back! Keep an eye on the Events page for the latest news.
When the Italian high school students sang “No More Auction Block for Me” for us during our exchange visit while we were on tour to Venice, Tuscany, Umbria, and Rome last month, I was surprised by how much I learned from that singular experience.
First of all, the Italians clearly loved the song. The diction was cringey, but I guess it was the thought that counted. Still, I felt uncomfortable the whole time.
Second, after the exchange was over and we were returning to our hotel, I explained my experience to one of my colleagues. I had decided the students’ performance lacked connection, depth, and authenticity, which is why it had been difficult for me to watch and hear.
Third, considering my second point above, my colleague helped me realize that in my heart I was being a bit elitist and ungrateful. Here they sang an African-American spiritual – this was their tribute to my country. What an honor! No, these Italian kids can never understand and express a spiritual like I can. But they clearly connected to something universal and transcendent in that music. Renditions of spirituals (like a lot of treasured folk music) have value and depth beyond authenticity and technique. And I should always remember that point, especially when the tables are turned and I’m trying to do justice to music that’s not from my own land. I love so many different kinds of music, and I have so much to learn. I would hate to be judged in the same way I initially internally judged those sweet Italian kids.
Fourth, the fact that these children learned and sang a spiritual is a miracle and a testament to the global influence of these works. Now that these young Italians, thanks to their enlightened instructors, know this song (even if only on a surface level), the seeds of authentic understanding and connection between our peoples might take root and grow. How amazing is that?!
Fifth, I might not have learned this lesson if I hadn’t traveled away from home. I believe it is vital to leave home, to see the world and connect with different cultures. I was humbled by the hospitality of the Italians I met. Until I was embraced as a tourist in Italy, I had forgotten how important it is to understand my African-American heritage in the context of my American identity.
So then I thought, “what other versions are there of ‘No More Auction Block for Me?” It’s not one of the spirituals with which I am most familiar. Here are a few that I found:
