The Three Feathers

The Three Feathers is a children's opera in One Act.

A magic feather leads shy Princess Dora to the Underworld ruled by the mysterious Frog King. Here she must summon her courage, intelligence and kind heart to win her father's three tests and save the kingdom from her selfish sisters.

The work was commissioned by the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech, and was a collaboration with the Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts, in partnership with Opera Roanoke and Blacksburg Children's Chorale. The premiere took place on October 17, 2014 at the Fife Theatre of the Moss Arts Center in Blacksburg, VA.

The work is scored for chamber orchestra, with a minimum of 19 players. For a complete cast listing, please click here.

The Throwback

2003 | baritone/piano

Poem by Paul Muldoon.

Song 5 of The Throwback

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The Throwback

Song cycle: Cradle Song for Asher; The Ancestor; Redknots; The Breather; The Throwback

2003 | baritone/piano

5 settings of Paul Muldoon, about 8.5 minutes total.

The War God's Horse Song (adapted from a traditional Navajo song)

2006, Revised 2017 | soprano/piano

Traditional Navajo text

Song 4 of River of Horses

Commissioned by Jean del Santo, University of Minnesota.

Premiere recording with Jennifer Check and Warren Jones to be released Dec. 2019 on the Naxos label.

The Weakness

2002, revised in 2004, 2007 and 2008 | (Upcoming) soprano/piano

Poem by Toi Derricotte

Originally song 5 of Captivity for soprano and trumpet, but removed from the cycle. It will be reworked with piano and published at a later date.

The Wind

2011 | SATB

Poem by Emily Dickinson, about 3.5 minutes long.

Song 3 of The Earth and I.

View and buy printable sheet music (PDF)

Commissioned by Dr. Adelaide Whitaker, who underwrote this commission from the Washington Master Chorale under the artistic direction of Thomas Colohan.

The Washington Master Chorale premiered the work on December 18, 2011 at the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, MD.

The Years

Song Cycle: Jewels; To-Night; Barter; Faults; The Years

2001 | soprano or mezzo-soprano/piano

Poems by Sara Teasdale., about 9 minutes.

The Years

2001 | soprano or mezzo-soprano/piano

Poem by Sara Teasdale.

• Song 5 of The Years
• Song 9 of Come To Me In Dreams

They Are Gone

2010 | boychoir/tenor/clarinet/violin/cello and piano

From the Vedem oratorio

Libretto by David Mason

They Might Not Need Me

1995 | soprano/piano

Poem by Emily Dickinson

Song 2 of cycle Days and Nights

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

Errata

Some newer editions may already have these corrections.

• The words printed in the older Theodore Presser score (and sung on the recording) are incorrect. My sincere apologies to Emily Dickinson and my thanks to mezzo-soprano Virginia Dupuy for catching this mistake. These are the correct words and they should be substituted:

They might not need me — yet they might — I'll let my Heart just be in sight — A smile so small as mine might be Precisely their necessity —

• m. 11, RH — should only be an accent on 2nd chord (no staccato accent)
• m. 16 and m. 18 have incorrect rhythms in the piano. It should read eighth, dotted quarter, half note in the RIGHT HAND.
• In very old editions, the last chord in the left hand may be incorrect. It should be G, D, and A.
• please take time in m. 58. You can also take time in m.74.