Category: Music and Culture

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

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!)


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.


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

Surprise distinction

I am humbled and honored to have been included on Dr. Jeffrey Allen Murdock‘s Facebook list called “BLACK CHORAL CONDUCTORS AND CLINICIANS YOU NEED TO KNOW.” 

Dr. Murdock is the Director of Choral Studies at the University of Arkansas. In a post dated January 31, 2021, Dr. Murdock wrote: “Throughout the month of February, I will highlight a different Black choral conductor each day. I’ll begin the month by honoring the Black trailblazers in the field, followed by those Black conductors who are well known and continuing to make us proud. To round out the month, I will share the names of some conductors who are doing great work that you may not know, and close with up-and-coming Black conductors. Hopefully, over the next 28 days, you’ll get to know some high quality Black conductors to bring for your honor choirs, symposia, and the like! I hope you’ll join me on this journey!”

Please check out his feed so you can read about all of them:

When I think back to the days of my own youth, I remember always feeling like there were no other Black kids who knew and loved classical harmony as much as I did. From a very young age, I knew I wanted to be an elite classical musician and scholar. In some ways, I think it made me want to disassociate myself with my Blackness because I never saw any elite classical musicians and/or scholars who looked like me, especially not in classical choral music. This made things especially awkward when my non-Black teachers would program classical choral spirituals. When I was first introduced to these works as a high school student, I didn’t know anything about the history or relevance of classical choral spirituals, and I had never seen a Black classical choral conductor before. As a result, it took me a long time to appreciate these works. And even in my undergraduate years, I often felt “othered”, as the only one (or as one of a few) in the room with a racial connection to this music. I felt enormous pressure to represent “my people,” but I had no reference for what “my people” sounded like or looked like in a classical choral context. 

Today, I envy my colleagues who from an early age were personally mentored and taught by the legendary Black conductors, arrangers, and performers of the Negro Spiritual genre. I think about my colleagues who attended HBCU’s or went to Florida State University where Dr. André Thomas ushered in a whole generation of rising Black choral scholars with PhDs. I grew up in Southern California, where I didn’t see an elite professional Black choral conductor until I saw Dr. Albert McNeil conduct the Jubilee Singers at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion when I was 18 years old. And I didn’t sing under my first Black conductor until my graduate studies with Professor Paul Smith at CSUN. I first learned about classical choral spirituals in high school from singing arrangements by non-Black arrangers, conducted by non-Black conductors. I remember some arrangements were better than others; some I remember feeling down right embarrassed to sing.

Now that I’m an adult, I can appreciate being exposed to this genre through these arrangements. But it would have been life-changing if I had had an opportunity to participate in a clinic led by an elite Black choral scholar like André Thomas or Felicia Barber or Tesfa Wondemagegnehu. It would have helped me trust that my non-Black teachers were interested in doing justice to this music by bringing in people to work with us whose racial identities aligned with the music they were trying to teach. I might have seen something of myself reflected in the choral field. And I might have found my way to classical choral music much sooner than I did. Representation would have made a difference.

My journey through the list

A few days ago, I went back through all Dr. Murdock’s Facebook posts to date. The first conductors he listed were trailblazers like Dr. Anton Armstrong and Dr. André Thomas who I have admired ever since I decided to devote myself to choral music in my 20s. Later, several others he listed were close friends and colleagues of mine (my name was included among these). But most of the scholars and artists he had listed throughout the month were people I’ve never met, Black people in my field that I simply didn’t know about. I’m elated, even relieved, to know there are so many Black choral scholars and artists doing such phenomenal work. But I’m also embarrassed. How could I not know about all these superstars? Why have I not seen more of them, more of “us” at conferences, competitions, festivals, and conventions? I have often felt isolated and lonely in academia and in the professional choral world because I’ve seen relatively few classical choral scholars and conductors who look like me. But Dr. Murdock’s list provides me with the connection I’ve been searching for. His list tells me not only that am I not alone, but that I’m surrounded by a musical “family” that I’m only just beginning to get to know! I am SO humbled, SO grateful, and SO inspired by what Dr. Murdock has created.

Thanks to work like this, the choral landscape is changing for the better.


Conducting

I recently was able to return to campus at Harvard-Westlake to record myself conducting my arrangement of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” for my students. I think my conducting video was probably visually effective, but I was definitely carrying more tension than was necessary in my arms and shoulders. The pandemic has kept me away from the podium for far too long. I hadn’t waved my arms that much in months, and boy are my biceps sore!


Singing

For church a couple weeks ago, I had to record myself singing while playing the keyboard. Singing and playing at the same time has always caused me great anxiety, and I rarely ever do it. But I’m kinda proud of how this piece turned out. Here’s “Take a Look” by Clyde Otis, as sung by Natalie Cole


Composition

I recently revised my composition “No Fairy Tale Here,” published by MusicSpoke. The new version corrects some errors in the original score and contains an expanded piano part. Check it out on the publisher’s website:


For Fun

It was wonderful to work with my students virtually from my classroom at Harvard-Westlake for the first time in months. Even though the campus was practically deserted, it still felt good to be there. I can’t wait to get back to making music with my students in-person everyday in this legendary space!


A little pitch

While we have your attention, have you subscribed to Zanaida’s email newsletter yet? While we archive her posts and news on this blog, a free subscription is the best way to get her posts: you’ll be the first to get these posts in your Inbox, and we’d love to keep in touch!


About the collage photo at the top of this post: Just a few people selected in the early days of Dr. Murdock’s February list on Facebook, described below. Be sure to check out the whole group on his feed! (Start here)

Inspiring words

Honestly, let’s just review Amanda Gorman‘s poem she delivered at the inauguration this month. To me, she is the embodiment of fire and magic, beauty and Blackness, hope and excellence. I’ve never been so inspired by a poet as I was by her.


Conducting

The American Choral Directors Association is presenting their virtual conference with a focus on “Diversity in Music” from March 17-20. I’m actually really looking forward to this conference for the chance to learn some new things, re-connect with friends, support my colleagues who are presenting, and be inspired by the excellence of our national choral community. Early registration ends January 27.


Singing

It’s all about guide tracks! Throughout the pandemic, singers In choirs around the world have been recording themselves singing individually at home so that their voices can be mixed into what is affectionately known as a “Virtual Choir.” We’ve been doing this for months, and it is no easy task for our singers who for the most part have very little studio experience and feel uncomfortably exposed and vulnerable while singing and recording alone.

In preparation for upcoming virtual choir projects for school and church, I like to create guide tracks with my vocals, giving choir members someone familiar to sing with when they record themselves. I try to model vocal technique, style, dynamics, diction, and articulation in my guide tracks. This work continues to both challenge and satisfy me. 


Composition

Kwanzaa progress

I wasn’t yet able finish all the movements for my Kwanzaa set, but I DID complete a cool new canon for “Ujima” (collective work and responsibility). I taught it by wrote to my family over the Kwanzaa holiday, and we had so much fun singing and harmonizing it together. More to come soon!


For Fun

Not only did I NOT kill the fresh basil plant I bought last year from Trader Joe’s. I actually got it to bloom!

Thanks to my students!

During this blessed week off from school for the Thanksgiving holiday break, I’m planning to try out some stuff my high school choral students have introduced to me through our daily check-in time:

Books by Sarah J. Maas – this author sparked several minutes of excited Zoom chatter in Chamber Singers, which was at once both deafening and delightful.

The Pentatonix Christmas Album – I know, I know. How have I NOT heard any Pentatonix Christmas albums yet!?

The Idiot by Elif Batuman – another one of the hottest books among my Chamber Singers.

According to one my my trusted Wolverine Chorus basses, Trader Joe’s Microwave Mac n Cheese + White Truffle Potato Chips = Truffle Mac n Cheese.

JackTrip Audio Software – might be a somewhat viable solution to the problem of Zoom latency issues.  Here’s a link

Harry Styles – “Only Angel” is a favorite song of one of my sopranos. I love all the retro influence in this artist’s music. Might have to pick up his latest album on vinyl.

May you be inspired and blessed as we take time this week to give thanks for the loved ones whose presence we keenly feel, even when we’re apart.

Composition

New scores for Kwanzaa

Newly-revised official scores of “Umoja” and “Kujichagulia” are now available!

Choral directors: consider adding these cool Kwanzaa pieces to your choral music collections. Visit my website to listen to samples and order scores.

Now, to finish composing the rest of the set, hopefully by the end of this year!

Conducting

I am so excited to start seeing the first versions of the numerous video projects I’ve been working on for my choral students at Harvard-Westlake. I must say, I think my conducting practice has paid off: I actually like the way I look!

More to come!

Singing

One of the most important adaptations I’ve made to my teaching this year is adding an individual voice coaching requirement for every one of my students. Teaching them 1-on-1 via Zoom has been eye-opening in many ways.

In addition to the benefit of getting to know my singers on a deeper level, my own vocal technique improves every time I work with my students. Individual voice coaching is one aspect of my work that I will keep long after the pandemic ends.

For Fun

It was after midnight when I just finished watching the Stray Kids live virtual concert with Felicity. She had asked me weeks ago if she could buy a ticket. I said yes, and asked her if I could watch it with her when it aired at 10pm PST on Saturday 11/21. It was AMAZING!!

Michael Jackson’s influence on the K-Pop genre is massive. Watching those young people sing and dance together with such joy and athleticism was breathtaking. The songs were super fun, the choreography was gorgeous, and the CG effects were astounding. My favorite songs were “Ta” and “Hellevator.” Felicity was so pumped up she couldn’t sleep afterward! I, on the other hand, was so tired that I pretty much passed out!