Author: Nell

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Le Mystère du Pouvoir Féminin

Le Mystère du Pouvoir Féminin is a fabulous collaborative video piece created by Style412 and The Frick Pittsburgh, scored with excerpts from my choral piece Transform the World with Beauty performed by Skylark Vocal Ensemble. I’m honored to have my music featured in this beautiful work of film and fashion responding to radical Victorian art!

The video was screened on-site from November 6, 2021 through January 30, 2021 to accompany The Frick Pittsburgh’s special exhibition Victorian Radicals: From the Pre-Raphaelites to the Arts & Crafts Movement, and is now available for viewing online.

From The Frick Pittsburgh:

“Exploring the theme of feminist freedom, Le Mystère du Pouvoir Féminin (The Mystery of Female Power) captures the essence of Lady Godiva, who over time has become a sexual symbol, political activist and medieval myth. Godiva is often referenced as an 11th-century champion of the lower class, as legend holds that she rode naked through her town of Coventry, England in a challenge to the crippling taxes imposed by her powerful husband. Captured through art, literature, and history, her tale was a popular subject during the Victorian era. Lady Godiva inspired the work of many “Victorian Radicals” and is considered to be one herself through her commitment to justice, freedom, and equality.

Through this collaboration, Style412 delves into Lady Godiva’s mysterious feminine power and takes us on a modern-day journey of her legend. Presenting a cast of emerging artistic talent, we intentionally showcase a piece of work that embodies those less seen and heard within Pittsburgh’s rising fashion industry. Screenwriter Gabrielle Johnson invites us into a story of beauty, lust, power, and transformation. Sustainable stylist Brooke Bryant sources locally-designed or curated pieces inspired by fashions of the Victorian era.

The experiential perspective of Devin Corboy and Caito Amorose paired with an original musical score composed by Nell Shaw Cohen and performed by Skylark Vocal Ensemble, takes us on a journey of visual art, fashion, and symphony; a renaissance of delight and sensory exploration.”

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Greet the Winter Solstice with choral music!

Listen to Boston Choral Ensemble’s NEW live recording of Blue Shadows, Silver Sunlight, my choral setting of three poems for the winter season, from their holiday concert on December 11, 2021 (Klo Garoute, conductor).

Commissioned and premiered by Boston Choral Ensemble in 2019 through their 12th Annual Commission Competition, “Blue Shadows, Silver Sunlight” features settings of three poems on the theme of winter: “Winter Branches” by Margaret Widdemer, “A Winter Blue Jay” by Sara Teasdale, and “A Winter Ride” by Amy Lowell, all written in the early 20th century by American women. Each of these poets used vivid descriptions of winter phenomena to convey moments of profound connection to the natural world.

Any of the three movements may be programmed separately as standalone works for performance. Read the program note and view the perusal score here.

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Skylark Receives GRAMMY Award Nomination for “It’s a Long Way”

List of Nominees for Best Choral Performance, including "It's a Long Way" by Skylark Vocal Ensemble
Skylark Vocal Ensemble’s It’s a Long Way has received a 2022 GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Choral Performance!

I’m continually grateful and honored that Skylark featured this piece I wrote for them as the title track of their beautiful album, which gives expression to experiences of the pandemic through a musical program of courageous stylistic and emotional range.

The album is available for listening on all major streaming platforms and can be ordered directly from the ensemble here.

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Skylark Releases Album “It’s a Long Way”

Album cover with black and white photograph of feather, by recording artist Skylark Vocal Ensemble, album title It's a Long Way
I’m deeply honored that one of my dearest collaborators, multiple GRAMMY-nominated vocal ensemble Skylark, is featuring my choral work It’s a Long Way as the title track of their new album! The album includes a varied selection of contemporary and historical music exploring Skylark’s collective experience of living through the 19 months since their last concert.

The album was released today, September 24, 2021 and is available for purchase directly from Skylark and streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.

Commissioned by Skylark and originally recorded by a virtual quartet for educational use, my piece has been given further life in this stunning new studio recording by the full Skylark chamber choir.

It’s a Long Way will also be featured on Skylark’s album release tour next month in Massachusetts! Concert dates include Friday, October 8, 7:00pm @ the Simon Center for the Arts at Falmouth Academy, Falmouth MA; Saturday, October 9, 7:00pm @ Belleville Church, Newburyport, MA;  and Sunday, October 10, 3:00pm @ First Parish Church in Weston, Weston, MA. Subscribe to Skylark’s season to purchase tickets.

About the Music
“William Stanley Braithwaite’s poem “It’s a Long Way,” although published in 1904, speaks powerfully to me in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic…I’ve sought to honor Braithwaite’s bittersweet words of hope and determination with a choral setting for all of us striving to safely arrive at our journeys’ shore.” Continue reading & peruse the score.

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“Fallen Star” to be published in NewMusicShelf Anthology of Trans & Nonbinary Voices

Two songs I’ve written in collaboration with visionary playwright & lyricist Mashuq Mushtaq Deen are being published in two different anthologies this year!

It’s an honor to have our music included in NewMusicShelf’s upcoming publication, NewMusicShelf Anthology of New Music: Trans & Nonbinary Voices, Vol. 1.

Fallen Star, the first song we wrote together in 2017, will appear in this anthology in a brand new arrangement for solo voice. I’m thrilled our song will have this opportunity to be found by performers, teachers, presenters, and audiences who are in search of new repertoire created by and/or for trans and nonbinary artists.

Grateful to curator Aiden K. Feltkamp and publisher Dennis Tobenski for selecting our work, and for putting together this fabulous project!

The Methuen Drama Book of Trans Plays book cover

Yet another anthology celebrating trans artists, The Metheun Drama Book of Trans Plays, features Deen’s play The Betterment Society, which includes our song “Come to the Edge.”

It has been such a gift for me to be a small part of this play’s journey through workshops and drafts over the years, and I’m very pleased it will reach a broader audience through this anthology.

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Remembering Lois Rudnick

Photograph of Lois and Nell
Lois Rudnick with Nell at the Harwood Museum of Art, Taos, NM, August 2016

A very dear friend and mentor, Lois Rudnick, has passed away. I’d like to share a few memories of her here.

Lois was a true intellectual with a seemingly boundless appreciation for the arts, culture, and the natural world. Her fierce drive to build a more equitable society through teaching, advocacy, and activism was matched by her unfailing (and sometimes outrageous) sense of humor, as well as her affectionate and nurturing spirit. She had an impact on countless people, and I’m very grateful to be among them.

Lois was a scholar, writer, curator, and Professor Emerita in American Studies at University of Massachusetts Boston, who retired to Santa Fe. We met in 2016 when I approached her as a fan of her authoritative biographies of Mabel Dodge Luhan, about whom I was writing a chamber opera (Mabel’s Call). Lois’s writings, and our conversations, significantly shaped my opera. She subsequently became an enthusiastic supporter and advocate for my work, collaborating with me on several public presentations. Our mutual appreciation was the start of a wonderful friendship.

Even in the last few months of her life, Lois published yet another book about remarkable people whose stories reflect the complexities of the American experience (Eva Mirabal: Three Generations of Tradition and Modernity at Taos Pueblo).

Lois lived in wholehearted engagement with the world around her, and I will always remember her for that with love and admiration. Thank you, Lois.

"Eva Mirabal: Three Generations of Tradition and Modernity at Taos Pueblo," 2021

  • Obituary from the Santa Fe New Mexican.
  • Online presentation that Lois gave with her co-author Jonathan Warm Day Coming last month (May 2021) about their new book.
  • Essay by Lois from May 2020 about her journey with with multiple myeloma.

Here is a selection of Lois Rudnick’s works as an author and editor:

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Commission from Laura Strickling for The 40@40 Project

I’m delighted to have been commissioned by extraordinary soprano Laura Strickling to write an art song for The 40@40 Project! Praised by The New York Times for her “flexible voice, crystalline diction, and warm presence,” Laura is personally commissioning 40+ art songs for her ambitious and visionary project.

For this song I’ve collaborated once again with my wonderful librettist and sister, Megan Cohen. Titled Woman Walking, our song is a portrait of a solitary woman and present-day flâneuse sauntering city streets. I can’t wait to share this work with you soon!

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Virtual Choir Performance of “It’s a Long Way” by SEMMEA Festival Choir

It’s rare privilege to receive a commission and premiere performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even rarer: receiving  two performances of a new work within a short time!

I was deeply moved by the virtual choir performance of my choral score, It’s a Long Way, given by the Massachusetts Music Educators Association Southeastern District (SEMMEA) Senior Festival Choir.

In early January 2021, nearly 200 high school students remotely rehearsed and recorded their parts with guidance from conductor Dr. Christopher Jackson. Their individual performances were then assembled into this beautiful performance documentation.

I also had the pleasure of participating in a virtual visit with the choir and a Q&A led by Dr. Felicia Barber, alongside fellow composer Joel Thompson.

Commissioned by Skylark Vocal Ensemble for their New Voices for Education project, this work was composed primarily for study by high school and college choirs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The score and a professional recording of this work may be found on Skylark’s website.

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World Premiere Recording of “It’s a Long Way” by Skylark Vocal Ensemble

Painting of ocean, sky, and horizon with bright, pale light
“Seascape” (1901), watercolor, William Trost Richards (1833”“1905). Public domain.

The World Premiere recording of my newest choral work, It’s a Long Way, commissioned by GRAMMY-nominated vocal ensemble Skylark, has just been released!

Check out Skylark’s website for free access to the recording, score, and oodles of supplementary videos and study materials that their team of artist-educators has put together to make my score visible, accessible, and approachable for high school and college-level virtual choirs.

I’m honored to be featured in this project alongside Jonathan Woody, whose new work I Conquer the World with Words is a gorgeous and dynamic expression of the impact of language.

I applaud Skylark’s support of us living composers and encouragement of young singers’ engagement with new music, as well as providing students and educators with world-class choral study materials.

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Skylark: New Voices for Education Commission

I am thrilled to have been commissioned by Skylark Vocal Ensemble to compose a new work for virtual high school and college choirs, to be featured alongside a work by composer Jonathan Woody! Skylark’s fundraising campaign, New Voices for Education, will fund our commissions and the ensemble’s production of free world class online study guides to support young singers performances of these new works in this era of remote learning.

I’m continually impressed by Skylark’s innovative projects through the pandemic and so proud to be participating in this fabulous initiative for choral education!

Learn more about Skylark: New Voices for Education and contribute to the campaign.