I am immensely looking forward to the world premiere of my setting of Wendell Berry’s poem “The Sycamore,” commissioned by Lee Ryder for the Stephen Black Singers. Wendell Berry’s poetry and its sophisticated descriptions of our environments has inspired countless composers in recent decades, and it was a thrill to add my voice to that. I showcased the more lyrical side of my style in this piece, allowing the text to take center stage, and the tune and form of the piece twist and turn like the tree the poem describes.

The performance will be on the 5th of June at Metro Baptist Church in Midtown, NYC, and the program features other stunning settings of Wendell Berry by composers including Joan Szymko and Andrew Maxfield. Conductor Stephen Black is a fellow USC graduate and I am looking forward to his presentation of this wonderful program very much. More information can be found on the project website.