Prime Time – It’s my 47th Birthday!

A quick Google search yields many fascinating points about the cultural and scientific significance of prime number 47. One of my favorite factoids is that it was often used as running gag or an easter egg found in dialogue, on tech displays, and in shield percentages in Star Trek episodes. Here I am, referencing Star Trek (TNG, always)! I mean, this is full-on middle age.

Turning 47 feels like entering a new era of life. It feels like a new beginning, like starting from scratch. As I refine and redefine myself and my purpose, I feel like a child in a big scary world. And yet, I can feel myself growing. 46 was one of the most difficult years of my life. Disappointment, loss, and despair seemed to increase around me daily. But I’m entering my 47th year with the knowledge and experience to weather storms like never before.

As the songs says, “the clouds grow thickest when the summit’s nigh.”

Conducting

Carnegie Hall, March 12-15, 2027

*Carnegie Hall, 2019 – Midtown Manhattan, NYC*

Become a ZSR Singer, and join me, along with other outstanding choruses from both school and community programs, for rehearsals and an unforgettable performance of Shawn Kirchner’s SONGS OF ASCENT, accompanied by professional orchestra and enhanced by stunning artistic projection.

Under the direction and artistic vision of yours truly, participating singers will take the stage at world-renowned Carnegie Hall (pictured) in New York City – an inspiring milestone that builds confidence, and strengthens musicianship.

READY TO SIGN UP TO SING WITH ME IN NEW YORK?

Register here

2027 ZSR SINGERS SUMMER INTENSIVE – ALMOST TIME!

We have a location! We’ll be hosted by Church of the Good Shepherd in Arcadia, and registration opens June 1. Here’s the updated flyer:

Singing

Here’s a snap shot of what it can be like to sing choir music together for fun with people you love!

For Fun

Happy May!

Shawn Kirchner and Zanaida Robles singing together in a home studio — Sing with Shawn and Zanaida at Carnegie Hall… (see above)

Sing with Shawn and Zanaida at Carnegie Hall… (see above)

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Resigning with Love

April 26, 2026 will be my final day serving as Director of Music for Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church in Pasadena. The decision to leave was truly difficult, as Neighborhood Church has been place of musical and spiritual nourishment to me for almost 8 years. The time seems right for this transition as my focus has shifted toward embracing new opportunities to compose, teach, sing and conduct on a larger scale.

I am deeply grateful for Neighborhood Church and for all the blessings that came with serving as its music director. To be able to conduct, sing, compose, and play handbells while serving this community has been a true blessing and a joy. The Neighborhood Church music community is special due to its rich legacy that extends many decades before my time here. And I know Neighborhood Church music programs will flourish long after I conclude my service as music director.

Composing

While I’m still reading and studying a lot about composition and orchestration, I’m starting to turn my attention toward summer publishing, hoping to get 4 new works out into the world: Winter Branches for SATB voices a cappella, premiered in December 2025 by Kantorei under Joel M. Rinsema; The Root for SATB voices a cappella, premiered in May 2025 by Sacred and Profane Chamber Chorus under Rebecca Seeman; Beautiful for SSA voices and piano, premiered in May 2025 by Spirito Singers under Carling FitzSimmons; and LA River Scenes for solo piano, premiered in December 2025 by Aron Kallay for Piano Spheres‘ “30 for 30” concert series.

Singing

Creating demos and doing session work remains a great joy of mine. More, please!

Conducting

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Interns wanted

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Check out the Facebook group

For Fun

Our amazing Harvard-Westlake performance in Costa Rica

Ready for multiple rides on Ghost Rider at Knotts Berry Farm!

Visiting my alma maters:

First I visited Audubon Middle School to re-connect and learn about their current music programs.

Then I visited USC Thornton and heard the USC Concert Choir with beloved teachers and friends: L to R, Marisa Rawlins, Bruce Rogers, Cristian Grases, Paul Smith:

Also, hugs and deepest thanks to Dr. Tram Sparks (not pictured) for exquisitely conducting my “Veni Sancte Spiritus”.

And of course…

Shrimp cats?

Ollivander the Majestic

Ready for love

Looking forward to the next phase…

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MY MANTRA

Singers are athletes. Athletes are artists.

Say it again.
And again.
And again.

Actually, I think all performing artists are athletes. Think about the implications – the importance of health and fitness, the hours of practice and rehearsal, the training, the coaching, the performances, the injuries and ailments, the competitions, the tears of failure, the tears of triumph. What other parallells do you see? When I think about the parallells between arts and athletics, I feel more open to the possiblity of connection beyond my music circle. The possibility of deeper, broader connections in the greater community excites me and gives me hope for the future.

Singing

On Sunday, March 28 at 10am, I’m singing “Precious Lord” for a special Truth and Reconciliation service at Neighborhood Church. Being able to sing this special song from the bottom of my heart while in the context of my church work is a blessing I never take for granted.

Composition

While I’m working on 3 new commissions at the moment, orchestration and composition studies are occupying much of my time. Taking lessons, reading Piston and Adler, studying works by various orchestral composers, and working on foundational assignments to help improve my compositional process – it’s humbling but rewarding.

Conducting

We’re on tour in Costa Rica, where I’m conducting the Harvard-Westlake choirs in 3 concerts over 6 days. Pura vida!

For Fun

Memories from the Western ACDA Regional Conference in San Jose:

With conductors Kevin Tyson, Jeffrey Benson, and Scot Hanna-Weir

At the river’s edge – such beauty and energy just a 5 minute walk from home.

Cat meld

More adventures to come,

Originally published as Zanaida’s March 2026 email newsletter – You can join the list here.

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News from Zanaida: July 2025 Newsletter

Moonlight, Live

As you know, I serve as Director of Music at Neighborhood UU Church in Pasadena, CA. Before church service began on July 13, my friend, church keyboardist and Associate Music Director Wells Leng (pictured) was playing the piano as usual. Since Debussy’s Clair de Lune (“Moonlight”) was scheduled as the prelude, Wells casually played through a few spots in the Debussy as they were preparing for the service to start. My mind was in a million other places, and I was having a tough morning due to concerns about, you know, the usual or whatever. The service began with announcements as usual. The welcome words cue the keyboardist to start the prelude.

On cue, Wells startled me with the way their posture transformed. As if they were summoning some sort of ancient, otherworldly power, they straightened their back with what seemed like intense reverence and slowly lifted their hands to play.

You know that scene from the movie Ratatouille, when the food critic is dramatically transported to his childhood with the first bite of that scrumptious meal? That was how dramatically moving the first three notes of this performance of Clair de Lune were for me.

Also, I realized something extraordinary: I had never heard the piece played live.

In Wells’s hands, it was like hearing it in 3D – one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard in my life. I’m sure the combination of pressures at home and worry for the world and childhood nostalgia and peri-menopausal hormones were all at work. But something in me broke while I listened to Wells play Clair de Lune. I have never wept in church like I wept when they played that piece that morning.

It was the best part of my whole day.

Conducting

What was that, Carl?

The Zanaida Stewart Robles Singers Summer Choir Intensive starts in less than 2 weeks! I can’t wait to dive into Carmina Burana with our singers, anticipating how powerful it will be to perform it during the 10am Sunday morning service at Neighborhood UU Church Pasadena on August 10. In the meantime, I offer you a link to my favorite “misheard lyrics” version of the famous “O Fortuna” chorus.

Here’s “Oh Four Tuna”:

Singing

During church on July 20, I dusted off my French art song chops and sang Villanelle by Eva Dell’Acqua and Chanson Triste by Henry Duparc. I made some mistakes, but I had fun and it felt good to explore those melodies again. Also, making music with pianist Dr. Katie Eames is always a special treat! Here’s a link to a video of the service. My songs happen around 18:30 and 25:30.

Composition

My piece, Veni Sancte Spiritus, continues to strike a chord with choirs all over the country. Many thanks to Kaleb Hilton and the choir of Kentucky Governor School for the Arts for learning this piece and inviting me to Zoom with them in preparation for their performance. Check out this piece and more on my album of sacred choral works titled Ecstatic Expectancy.

Listen on Spotify

Purchase on Amazon

For Fun

Playing instrumental music with my friend and fellow singer Dabney Ross Jones was a blast!

Anyone else want to play music with me just for fun? Let me know.

My first cherry cobbler turned out perfectly.

Yay, kayaking time!

Archie: “Can’t you find another way down?”

Ollie – the angel of tripping hazzards.

Keep in touch!

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Coming home

What an extraordinary gift it was to conduct and record my music with the CSULB Bob Cole Chamber Choir this April.

They sang their faces off!

I couldn’t be more proud of my alma mater nor more grateful for Dr. Jonathan Talberg, my teacher, mentor, and lifelong friend.

Composition

Composer’s bliss

This is me in ecstasy, standing up to congratulate the Los Angeles Master Chorale after they world premiered my Song of Significance. This work and this program were very personal to me, and I’m so privileged to be commissioned for this work and included on a concert with J.S. Bach and the terribly neglected Margaret Bonds. It was all curated by artistic director Grant Gershon and pianist/radio host/champion for Black composers Lara Downes, and the whole concert was very inspiring. The San Francisco Classical Voice seems to agree, with many good things to say about the program with a focus on the Bonds works, and a nice shout-out to Song of Significance for “masterful choral orchestration, romantic and lush“. (I’ll take it!)

Read the full review

Conducting

Coming this weekend

The Harvard-Westlake choirs have returned from England wreathed in glory, and they’ll wrap up that victory with their annual spring concert this Saturday at the campus’ Rugby Auditorium. I’ll be conducting my composition, “Can You See”, plus music from the musical “The Secret Garden”, and lots more. Admission is free!

Singing

Soundcloud Song of the Month

From the Stone Age

Written and performed by Zanaida Stewart Robles

I had a chance to sit down at home this month and record a demo of my piece “From the Stone Age” for SSAA choir, piano, cello, and flute. Text is by Alice Corbin Henderson (pictured). More about Alice below.

Poet Alice Corbin Henderson (1881-1949) was known for her activism related to Indigenous rights and environmental conservation. This 8-minute musical setting of Henderson’s poetry tells the story of a stone once carved in the semblance of a god. Over time, its surfaces are smoothed by the elements to reveal a beautiful resilience. Gradually, it becomes more beautiful and less rigid until its original form is unrecognizable and irrelevant. With a soaring soprano solo and moderately challenging harmonies and counterpoint, this work for treble choir, piano, cello, and flute offers singers a chance to explore time, the cosmos, and transformation through the embodiment of a stone.

Listen and view the perusal score

For Fun

Performing at Gloucester Cathedral in England with the Harvard-Westlake choirs

Ollivander in glory
Ollie and Archie with a new favorite box
Ollie’s tooth
“What?”

Happy spring, everyone!

This post was originally released as one of Zanaida’s monthly newsletters, April 25 2024

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