What You Wanted

2011 | soprano/piano

Poem by Joyce Sutphen.

Commissioned by soprano Cynthia Vaughn.

When in Early Summer

2017 | soprano/clarinet

Poem by Nelly Sachs

Song 2 of The Secret Exit

Commissioned by The University of Alabama at Birmingham for soprano Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk and clarinetist Denise Gainey. The premiere is slated for January 26, 2018 at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham, AL.

When You Are Old

2017 | soprano/piano

Poem by William Butler Yeats

This is a joint birthday present for my sisters Marcie Kotler and Lynn Siebert, as well as my brother-in-laws Morris Kotler and Donald Siebert.

Scheduled to be recorded in August 2018 with soprano Nicole Cabell and pianist Andrew Rosenblum.

Click here to watch soprano Maureen McKay and pianist/composer Lori Laitman in the world premiere of the song. 

When You Have To Make A Poo

2017 | voice/piano

Lyrics by Lori Laitman.

Song 2 of cycle Short Songs for Edward

Composed in November 2017 for my grandson Edward Milton Rosenblum.

White Walls — Older Leah's aria from Uncovered — Scene 9: Uncovered

2020 | soprano or mezzo-soprano/piano or soprano or mezzo-soprano/clarinet/violin/cello/piano

Libretto by Leah Lax

Before she leaves, Leah walks through the house she spent years making into a home for her children, who are now nearly grown, and remembers their games. She remembers her younger self dreaming of paradise and promises herself that she will never again try to cover up her truth.

Sheet music for sale through MusicaNeo (available through my homepage).

Wider than the Sky

2002 | soprano/piano

Poem by Emily Dickinson

Song 2 of Two Dickinson Songs

Errata

Some newer editions may already have these corrections.

"Wider than the Sky"

• mm. 1-2: in the piano, the C on the first beats should ring through the measures.
• m. 2: voice: the rest should be written as a whole rest.
• m.8: “push tempo a bit” should start on beat 2.
• m. 10: “relax tempo a little” should start on beat 1.
• m. 34: “bell-like” description should be added to the piano.
• mm. 39-40: piano — hold the pedal through these 2 measures.

Wild Flowers

2017, Revised 2018 | soprano/soprano saxophone/piano

Song 4 of the song cycle The Ocean of Eternity. Text from Anne Ranasinghe's poem Four Stanzas on Mortality.

Commissioned by Yungee Rhie, Michael Couper and ChoEun Lee.

Premiered February 8, 2019, The National Opera Center, NY, NY

Video of premiere available here, starting at 54:54 in.

Wild Nights

1995 | soprano/piano

Poem by Emily Dickinson

• Song 6 of cycle Days and Nights
• Song 7 of Come To Me In Dreams

To purchase Phyllis Bryn-Julson and Seth Knopp performing this song, please click here

To purchase Sonya Baker and Vicki Berneking performing this song, please click here

To purchase Marlissa Hudson and Marvin Mills performing this song, please click here

Errata

Some newer editions may already have these corrections.

• the opening dynamic for the singer should be a forte
• on p. 33 (the second page of the song) there is an incorrrect rhythm in the right hand piano part. This is in m. 15 of the song (which in older editions is incorrectly marked m. 25). The rhythms should be eighth rest, quarter chord, eighth rest, half note.
• in m. 37, the tempo should start a bit under a tempo and ramp up to speed, coming to a sudden halt on the eighth note before m. 41
• The measure numbers are incorrect in some earlier versions. Measure 13 was numbered measure 23 and the mistake compounded. This is now corrected.
• in m. 37, the tempo should start a bit under a tempo and ramp up to speed, coming to a sudden halt on the eighth note before m. 41 (which in older editions is incorrectly marked m. 51). In addition, from m. 39-40 (marked incorrectly 49-50 in older editions), there should be a crescendo (not a decrescendo) leading into the slow section.
• If you'd like, you can slide down an extra half step on the last glissando

Will There Really Be a Morning?

1996 | versions for soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone and bass with piano are available on my site at MusicaNeo (links on homepage).

Poem by Emily Dickinson

Song 1 of Four Dickinson Songs

Some newer editions may already have these corrections.

* from m. 1 to m. 2, I prefer a little push in the tempo, and a slight crescendo, going towards the word "morning” — to be followed by a tiny relaxation and diminuendo. The same intent goes for measures 3-4.

* In m. 8, there should be a poco rit. in the piano part, with an a temp directly on m. 9. Similarly, a poco rit. in m. 17, with an a tempo directly on m. 18.

m. 21, in the voice part, there should be a tenuto marking over the word "please."

ALTERNATE NOTES FOR TENOR IN M. 24: sing the low Bbs up an octave

Within These Spaces

Song cycle: I Grow to be My Grandmother; My Mother Has Recovered; Letter to my Daughter; The China Cup; Pioneer Child’s Doll

2002 | soprano/piano

Poems by Marjorie Saiser, Janet Coleman and Judith Sornberger, approx. 16 minutes.

Commissioned by The Nebraska Music Teachers Association.

Recorded on Within These Spaces.