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Commissions
As I have grown as an artist and scholar, I really have a passion for new music. A significant portion of my professional career has included performing new works—including four world premieres—and works by women composers. It is vital that works by living and female composers become more commonly performed in recital spaces (particularly within university settings), as half of the student population currently does not see their lived experiences (those of a female-identifying individual) reflected in the works they perform and take in as audience members. Additionally, contemporary composers are creating works that are relevant to our lives today, and it is imperative that students partake in the sharing of these stories through the medium of song recitals, such as those required for university degree fulfillment.
Listed on this page are works that I have commissioned, including performance recordings and information on purchasing the sheet music, where applicable. Linked below is a commissioning guide, should one want to take on this endeavor too and help expand the classical music canon.
Shaping the Path
Music by Gilda Lyons
Libretto by Kelley Rourke
World Premiere: February 21, 2026
Shaping the Path is, in my own way, a love letter to many of the most important women in my life. It represents the full range of emotions, experiences, and dispositions of the16 women in my life who agreed to be interviewed as part of this commission.
Charmed, I'm Sure
Music by Mikeila McQueston
Poetry by Alice Duer Miller, from Are Women People? A Book fo Rhymes for Suffrage Times
World Premiere: February 21, 2026
Charmed, I’m Sure is comprised of four songs, each of which contains varied styles and musical features, making each song a unique vignette within the larger work as a whole.
"There Will Come Soft Rains"
Music by Kamala Sankaram
Poetry by Sara Teasdale
World Premiere: February 21, 2026
"There Will Come Soft Rains" addresses the uncomfortable nature of war and the way it forces humanity out of its normal course of life. Sankaram wrote it in response to the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
"I Confess"
Music by Andrea Ramsey
Poetry by Alison Luterman
World Premiere: February 21, 2026
"I Confess" is about the power of humanity and connection to those around us. We should be more honest about these kinds of things in our daily lives, and that it may be weird, but it also might be lovely and refreshing.
"You Wore It Better (Than She Ever Did)"
Music and Lyrics by Carla Lucero
World Premiere: February 21, 2026
"You Wore It Better (Than She Ever Did)" tells the story of a trans girl who is found by her family after she takes her own life, told from the perspective of her sister. This song is very personal to Lucero and pays homage to a real-life situation close to her heart. This song includes transphobic and homophobic language and slurs, intentional misgendering by the parents, and a fairly graphic allusion to suicide.
"To Catch a Star"
Music by Laura Jobin-Acosta
Poem by Coty Raven Morris
World Premiere: February 21, 2026
"To Catch a Star" reminds all of us of the power and strength we hold within ourselves.
