In honor of spring’s arrival, I present my piece “Blühende Bäume” (Blossoming Trees) for SSATBB choir and strings, performed by Neue Kammer Leipzig. Coming soon to MusicSpoke!
Listen to Blühende Bäume by Zanaida Robles on #SoundCloud:
Regular readers know that I’m taking a big group of singers to New York and conducting a concert at Carnegie Hall on March 28. Please send us good vibes from wherever you are, and we’ll give you a full report in the next issue! For now, here’s more about the project:
Are you in New York? Please join us!
Let My Love Be Heard feat. Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast Tuesday, March 28 at 8PM Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall
This compelling program features a commissioned work, Truth, by indigenous artist Sage Bond and arranged by Zanaida Robles. It asks urgent questions about who is seen and heard, historically and into the present day.
This is the moment I realized, “I can’t believe I’m really taking these 94 high school musicians to New York next week!”
For Fun
Visiting with the USC Chamber Singers — They sound great on my setting of Psalm 61!
10. My Sodastream soda maker (I don’t enjoy water that’s not carbonated).
9. The USB thumb drive I can play in my car, onto which I downloaded such treasures as “Yo Gabba Gabba,” “Carmina Burana,” my friend Dave Tull’s album “I Just Wanna Get Paid,” old concerts I conducted with LACHSA and SGVCC, stuff by Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Aretha Franklin, Kurt Elling, and much, much more.
8. Vincent’s meatloaf
7. The book “Staying Composed” by my friend and fellow composer Dale Trumbore
6. The organ at Neighborhood Church
5. The mango and sweet rice dessert at the Harvard-Westlake cafeteria
2. The djembe party I had with my family on Mother’s Day
1. The “Burnt Offering” at Mezcalero on Broadway in DTLA
Singing
Earlier this month, I sang “Come Together” by Lennon and McCartney as an anthem for the Sunday morning service at Neighborhood UU Church. The whole service, led by our amazing senior high youth, was really cool! If you’re curious, check it out here: https://youtu.be/s7rNJDoQnLY. “Come Together” starts around 24:40.
The Harvard-Westlake Jazz Singers had a blast and sounded great at their year-end recording session at EastWest Studios in Hollywood this month. The experience that students gain from these sessions is incredibly valuable to their music education. Recordings made from these sessions are used for archival purposes and help the group prepare for future performances, festivals, and competitions.
Composition
It’s here! My first organ piece “Flourish on Adeste Fideles” is available in an awesome new volume of organ works by contemporary women composers, edited by the incomparable organist Ann Lapwood and published by Stainer and Bell. Love and thanks to my friend and fellow composer Dr. Melissa Dunphy, who recommended me for this project. Melissa’s piece “Rorate Caeli” is also featured in this volume.
Organists: buy a copy of this cool new collection and check out our stuff!
I had so much fun attending the Westminster Concert Bell Choir tour performance called “All You Need is Love” at Pasadena Presbyterian Church last Friday night. They were amazing! I got to sit with several of my fellow ringers from Neighborhood Church. And they even let me test out the bells after the show!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
