Inspired by the behavior of waterfalls, 13 PARTS for the Falls is an open, flowing, free work that can be realized in myriad ways. Each PART focuses on a specific sound texture, as well as a specific harmony. Together, the entire work explores watery colors and textures, as a beautifully tonal harmonic progression unfolds. This free, harmonically flowing sonic journey can be enlivened by bright, twinkling percussion, performed freely by the listeners! Everyone is invited to become a sonic waterfall!

In the song “Grey” by Ani Difranco, she sings: “I smoke and I drink, and every time I blink, I have a tiny dream.” While the song is actually very depressing, this particular line stands out to me for

many reasons. In 2010 I spent time in London, Greenwich, Frankfurt, Seoul, Daejeon, Busan,

Fukuoka, Okayama, Naoshima, Tokyo, Kyoto, Leiden, Amsterdam, and Den Haag. After

returning to the States, I started thinking about other places I’ve visited, while envisioning a

future of travel ahead of me. For me, the more time that passes between the end of a journey of an unknown place and a present or future journey, the more those memories seem like tiny

dreams. In fact, after a while, you can blink and have mini-dreams about past experiences that

are now so distant that they seem to have never existed, like a dream. This piece is music written to pay tribute to the existence of our past precious moments, as well as those future moments that will eventually become our tiny dreams.

 

Ev’ry Time I Blink began as a mixed sextet titled … a tiny dream .. . This original version was

commissioned to exist as a quintet by the ensemble fivebyfive. The Louisiana State University

Wind Ensemble commissioned another version of this piece for chamber winds and percussion.

This orchestration was commissioned by and dedicated to the Louisville Orchestra, and was

premiered 24 & 25 October 2025, under the baton of Teddy Abrams.

 

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I first visited Scotland in 2011, exploring Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Isle of Skye, and some wonderful short stops in between. It was during this trip that I purchased 100 Great Scottish Songs – a book that came with notated melodies, a bit of history about most of the tunes, and a CD with various renderings of what was notated. I knew one day I would work with this book in some way, but I never imagined using this book to write a rhapsodic work for solo viola and orchestra! The entire piece quotes 16 different traditional Scottish songs. The second movement is a musical reflection upon Hogmanay – the Scottish New Year celebration that is wildly popular and grand. This celebratory musical adventure includes the tunes Haughs o' Cromdale, Mormond Braes, the rousing bagpipe march The Atholl Highlanders, jig and Scots snap rhythms, and the ever-popular tune Scotland the Brave. As the celebration winds down, Auld Lang Syne is presented in a reflective, introspective manner. I hope this piece encourages everyone to visit Scotland, one of the most beautiful places on Earth!

 

 

In my two-movement works, I often like to manipulate oppositions, at times for the purpose of

creating a narrative, and at times for the purpose of creating a work where the movements can

be played together but also can stand alone on their own. For Two Sketches for Orchestra, both

purposes are true: the first sketch is a twisted, schizophrenic, hot mess, and the second sketch is calm, meditative, and celestial … yet nods at instability at the very end. This work has two main inspirations: the first movement is a pseudo-reflection on how dynamic today’s life is. 

Sociopolitically, one can experience multitudes over the course of an hour. Even the weather lately has been such where four seasons can be experienced in a week, a couple of days, an hour … Such dynamism creates an emotional rollercoaster, one that may compel some to seek an emergency room. This quirky opening also contains a couple of very specific musical quotations, one of which is directly related to the amazing time I have had living in Louisville, KY. 

 

The second movement is a work I composed a while ago for an extremely unconventional trio of harpsichord, Mustel harmonium, and piano with narration. It uses a Dutch poem by Herman Gorter as inspiration. The poem – De lucht was geel als geele chrysanthemen (The air was yellow like yellow chrysanthemums) – evokes imagery comprising mist, sparkling atmospheres, golden darkness, crystalline crowns, golden greens, horizons with melted gold … it is such an

atmospheric work, and the imagery birthed sparkling music within me when I first read it. While

the two sketches definitely can work on their own, when played together, there is a journey of

moving from chaos to calm. Perhaps the implication is that music can aid in this journey … and

perhaps should, when desired. (This movement also contains some quirky musical quotations.)

 

Two Sketches for Orchestra was commissioned by the Louisville Orchestra for the 2025 – 2026

Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps fellowship program. The first sketch is dedicated to the

wonderful Teddy Abrams, who enthusiastically supports all of my ER-inducing ideas with such a

gigantic smile, and is never afraid to tell an extremely funny story or two. The second sketch is

dedicated to my (favorite) husband, Dr. Itamar Ronen; without him, I never would have moved

to the Netherlands, learned a language that many would consider inconsequential, and read the

beautiful words of Herman Gorter. Two Sketches for Orchestra was premiered on 24 & 25 April

2026, under the baton of Teddy Abrams.

For the 2025-2026 Louisville Orchestra Creators Corps, the creators (myself and Chelsea

Komschlies) undertook community projects in Louisville. My community project involved co-creating two pieces for middle school choir and 4 horns (selected from the Louisville Orchestra roster). The process included working with the students to create text, melodic and rhythmic ideas, a structure, and external elements (audience participation, percussion, etc). It was such a joy to work with the students. There were moments of poignant depth and profound power, mixed with moments of silliness, frustration, happiness, and joy. A special shoutout to the director of the choir, Katie Cook. I don’t know how she gets through the entire school year with such professionalism, humor, energy, and unconditional love. I hope to be like her one day… when I grow up.

 

When I had my first meeting with the organizers of the Breonna Taylor Race for Justice, I was so impressed by the vision and the dedication of these students. As I had never attended one of these events in the past, I did not know what to expect. The students, however, requested some very specific aspects from me. This was a great challenge; creating bespoke pieces is something that moves me. The thought of weaving my own compositional language into the desires of others always makes me think of community, synergy, and the power of human connection. At this meeting, the importance of maintaining Breonna Taylor's memory and positive image also provided a sense of comfort as well as a sense of urgency. These students had organized this event four times already, and they expected something powerful for their fifth community celebration! 

 

As soon as I received the main requirements - something brassy, with a good beat, something that can support rappers, and something that references the traditional Americana music of Kentucky, a melody popped into my head. It was a lick that I couldn't seem to shake. When we all received the confirmation that the excellent band from Central High School was on board for performing at the event with members of the LO, the full image of the piece materialized. After hearing the band play, I then knew what instruments would play which aspects of the piece that I had in mind. I created the score, and felt that synergy, community, and human connection all working together. 

 

This fifth Race for Justice was a momentous event! The vendors presented quite diverse materials for sale, the food looked delicious, the weather was wonderful, the decor was inviting, the bouncy tent for the children was very active, and the smiles were bright and welcoming. There was art that was powerful, meaningful, tough, honest, and life-affirming. The images of Breonna brought a tear to my heart. When the band, the LO musicians, and the rappers performed my piece, there was an electricity in the air. Everyone did such a wonderful job, and I couldn't have been more grateful. 

 

For wind quintet. Written for the Louisville Orchestra's Once Upon an Orchestra series. Based on the book by Ani DiFranco.

 

• Friday, September 19, 2025 | In Harmony Commonwealth Tour | Cumberland Falls State Park (Corbin, KY) | 13 PARTS for the Falls

• Saturday, September 20, 2025 | In Harmony Commonwealth Tour | Cumberland Falls State Park (Corbin, KY) | 13 PARTS for the Falls

• Friday, October 24, 2025 | Classics: Beethoven’s Pastoral | Whitney Hall | Ev’ry Time I Blink

• Saturday, October 25, 2025 | Classics: Beethoven’s Pastoral | Whitney Hall | Ev’ry Time I Blink

• Thursday, March 26, 2026 | Music Without Borders: Voices, Rhythm, and Culture | West End School |  A Love Letter to Scotland

• Friday, March 27, 2026 | Music Without Borders: Voices, Rhythm, and Culture | Neighborhood House |  A Love Letter to Scotland

• Friday, April 24, 2026 | Classics: Rhapsody in Blue | Whitney Hall | Two Sketches for Orchestra

• Saturday, April 25, 2026 | Classics: Rhapsody in Blue | Whitney Hall | Two Sketches for Orchestra

• Saturday, May 9, 2026 | Western Middle School for the Arts | Unapologetic Pride and Battlefield

• Saturday, June 6, 2026 | Future Ancestors Race 4 Justice | Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center | Breonna’s Kentucky Bop

• Thursday, June 25, 2026 | In Harmony Commonwealth Tour | Glasgow Town Square (Glasgow, KY) | A Love Letter to Scotland

• Friday, June 26, 2026 | In Harmony Commonwealth Tour | Freeman Lake Bandstand  (Elizabethtown, KY) | A Love Letter to Scotland

• Saturday, June 27, 2026 | In Harmony Commonwealth Tour | Shelby County Fairgrounds (Shelbyville, KY) | A Love Letter to Scotland

• Friday, June 26, 2026 | In Harmony Commonwealth Tour | Freeman Lake Bandstand  (Elizabethtown, KY) | A Love Letter to Scotland

• Thursday, July 3, 2026 | Play America | America Place (Jeffersontown, KY) | A Love Letter to Scotland