Opera

Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup (chamber opera-in-development). Libretto by Royce Vavrek based on an original story by DiBucci. Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup is an operatic journey into a young woman’s world torn apart by abuse, neglect, addiction and apathy. It is anunflinching and compassionate look at the opioid crisis, and a brutal testament on a plague that is emblematic of this decade.

Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup is about a contemporary woman named Meri, a wife and young mother who becomes addicted to painkillers after a routine surgery.  Abandoned by a system unable to provide help, her life quickly spins out of control as she moves desperately from prescription drugs to street Heroin to feed her addiction.

Should Meri be punished, pitied or rescued? Her feelings of isolation and social alienation collide head-on with the cold calculus of a dysfunctional social system. Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup is being developed by Against The Grain Theatre in Toronto, Joel Ivany, director. The title of the opera comes from “Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup”, an opiate-laced drink that was given to babies with colic and their nervous mothers from 1849 – 1920. Tragically, many who took Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup became addicts.

Charlotte Salomon: Der Tod und die Malerin, Ballet-Opera. Commissioned by Musiktheater im Revier, 2015. Music Director, Valtteri Rauhalammi. Bridget Breiner, Choreographer.

Grail: Portrait of Faust as a Young Man Libretto – Harold deCampos (Commissioned by A Secreteria Municipal de Cultura, Rioarte and Casa das Artes de Laranjeiras)

The Garden Angel (A Childrens opera sponsored by the Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada)

Theater

Basetrack Live created by Edward Bilous, based on multimedia artwork from journalist, Teru Kuwayama and adapted for the stage by Jason Grote, Seth Bockley and Anne Hamburger. Produced by Engarde Arts National Tour 2014/2015

Versions based on a film by Oliver Laric featuring solo violin and actress. Commissioned by Beyond the Machine 13.1, 2013

Basetrack created by Edward Bilous, based by on multimedia artwork from journalist, Teru Kuwayama and adapted for the stage by Roderick Hill. Commissioned by Beyond the Machine 12,1, Synchroneity. 2012 

Biederman’s Match Adpated from Max Frisch’s Biedermann und die Brandstifter by Beau Willimon; Lyrics by Portia Kamons. Developed through Launch Pad, Risa Brainin, Director.

Fausto (Commissioned by Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru for Teatro Municipal de Lima) Jorge Guerra, Director

O Principe de Copacabana (Sponsored by SESC, Rio de Janeiro & Brazil Telecom) Gerald Thomas, Director

Philoctetes (Commissioned by Ensayo Theatre Co., Lima, Peru for the Spetses Festival in

Greece) Jorge Guerra, Director

Ventriloquist (Commissioned by The Dry Opera Company and SESC, São Paulo) Gerald Thomas, Director

Nowhere Man (Sponsored in part by the Medunarodni Festival in Croatia, and by the Festival Internacional de Teatro da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro) Gerald Thomas, Director

Le Chien Andaluz (Commissioned by The Dry Opera Company and FESC for a celebration commemorating Garcia Lorca’s 100^th birthday in São Paulo, Brazil,) Gerald Thomas, Director

Chief Butterknife (Sponsored by the Commission of Culture for the City of Copenhagen for Dr. Dante’s Aveny) Gerald Thomas, Director

The Oresteia (Commissioned by The New World School for the Arts) Jorge Guerra, Director

Fanfare Scenario: Dennis Aubrey (Commissioned by The Lincoln Center Institute, New York)

David’s Scenario: Dennis Aubrey (Commissioned by The Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble)

Routine Based on a monologue by Dennis Aubrey (Supported by Carnegie-Mellon University, College of Fine Arts for ConcerTheatre)

Fables Here and Then (Commissioned by The Park Players and The Ensayo Theatre Co., Jorge Guerra, Director)

(Supplemental Music composed for the following plays: Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Two Gentlemen of Verona and Pericles; Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Indian Ink; David Mamet’s A Life in the Theatre; Michael Cristofer’s The Shadow Box; Leon Katz’s The Golem, The Possessed and Dracula Sabbat, Martin Sherman’s Bent; Georg Buchner’s Woyseck; Moliere’s The Doctor in Spite of Himself and The Miser; Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal; Jean-Claude van Itallie’s The Serpent; Bertolt Brecht’s The Exception and the Rule,)

Dance

Charlotte Salomon: Der Tod und die Malerin a Balletoper commissioned by Musiktheater im Revier, 2015. Bridget Breiner, Ballet Director and Choreographer. Michael Schulz, Intendant.

On the Nature of Things Commissioned by Pilobus. 2014. Created by Robby Barnett, Renée Jaworski, Matt Kent and Itamar Kubovy.

Don Juan Regresa de la Guerra (Commissioned by Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru for Teatro Municipal de Lima & New World School for the Arts, Miami, Octavio Campos, Choreography, Jorge Guerra, Dir.) 2010

Don Juan (Commissioned by The Dry Opera Company and Tuca – TUC, São Paulo, Gerald Thomas, Dir.) 1995

Concert

Homage – String Orchestra, (Commissioned by A Secreteria Municipal de Cultura, Rio de Janiero.)

Powerhouse – String Quartet, Arr. Raymond Scott (Commissioned by the Kronos Quarte,)

Helikopter – Sting Quartet, Arr. Stockhausen (Commissioned by Beyond The Machine, Juilliard,)

Prelude on Playthings of the Wind – Woodwind Quintet,(Commissioned by the Manhattan Wind Quintet)

The Well – Mezzo Soprano, Baritone, Mixed Ensemble, (Supported by the Pennsylvania Council On The Arts)

The Garden of Earthly Delights – Mezzo Soprano, Baritone, Mixed Ensemble, (Supported by the Pennsylvania Council On The Arts)

Voice and/or Volumes Verbing the Unmind – String Quartet & Marimba, (Brooklyn Philharmonic, Meet The Moderns Series, Lukas Foss, Cond.)

A Song – Mezzo Soprano, Oboe, Piano,

Three Piece Suit(e) – Clarinet, Marimba, Cello, (Commissioned by The American Thermoplastic Society)

Dies Irae — Chorus (SATB).

Seizure in Transit – Orchestra,

Carol of a Bird — Chorus (SATB)

Fourth Dimension – Trumpet, Alto Saxophone Trombone, Vibraphone

Film

Cancer: Emperor of All Maladies, Three-Part Series for PBS. Ken Burns, Executive Producer, Barak Goodman, Director, 2015

Forgiveness – PBS Films, Helen Whitney, Director, 2011

Circus – Six-Part Series for PBS Created by Show of Force 2010

Carrier – Icon Pictures, 2007. Produced by Mauro Chermayeff for PBS

Wendigo – Magnolia Pictures, 2002. Directed by Larry Fessenden

Disney’s 100 Years of Magic – Walt Disney World – 2001. Celebrating Walt Disney’s 100^th Birthday. Linda Hill, Executive Producer.

Twins (Gemeas) – Conspiração Films, 1999. Directed by Andrucha Waddington

A Journey Within A Journey – Mystic Fire Video, 1996. Directed by Chitra Neogy

Creepshow – Warner Brothers, 1983. Directed by George Romero

Teaching

The Juilliard School
Music Division

Faculty, Theory and Analysis (since 1992)

Drama Division

Faculty, Drama in Music, Music in Drama (since 1994)

Liberal Arts

Faculty, The Shared Muse (2005-2008)

Lincoln Center Institute
Faculty, Teaching Artist (1988 – 1991)

Aspen Music Festival
Faculty, Music Theory (Summers of 1986 and 1987)

Carnegie Mellon University
Faculty, Music Theory for Non-Majors (1984 and 1985)

Awards

Recipient of Opera America Grants for Female Composers, made possible through the generosity of The Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. Prague Quadrennial, Meet The Composer, Pennsylvania Council On The Arts , ASCAP Grant to Young Composers, Aspen Center for Compositional Studies, Henry Mancini Scholarship and Andrew Carnegie Scholarship. WNYC Listen’s Poll – “Wendigo” Best New Soundtracks.

Education

The Juilliard School, MM in Music Composition, 1987 Studies with Vincent Persichetti and Bernard Rands

Carnegie Mellon University, BFA in Music Composition 1982

Studies with Leonardo Balada

Additional composition studies with Louis Andriessen and Jacob Druckman

Guest Speaker

The Copyright Society of the USA

United States Institute of Theater Technology

The Festival of Women Composers

University of Missouri, Kansas City, Department of Drama

University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Drama