Compositions

Orchestra
Operetta
Opera
Oratorio
Chorus
Musical Comedies
Music For Theatre
Theatre Pieces
Band
Multimedia
Tape
String Quartets
String Trios
Brass Quintets
Brass Quartets
Woodwind Quintets
Mixed Ensembles for 3-8 players
Instrumental Solos and Duets
Songs
Rounds
Chant/Mantra
Text-Sound
Film Score

Orchestra

THREE SWALES for string orchestra, includes KENTUCKY SWALE, BLUE BELL SWALE, MARCH SWALE: (21') Premiered in Antwerp, Belgium by the Collegium Musicum Carinthia conducted by Alexei Kornienko at the Festival of Flanders.
MOURNING DOVE SWALE: (5') for string orchestra, dedicated to those who died 9/11/01.
JULY SWALE: (5') for string orchestra
MINNESOTA SWALE: (10'11") for flute, oboe, B-flat clarinet, bassoon, B-flat trumpet, 2 French horns, percussion and strings (8,8,6,6,2). Includes an improvised percussion cadenza. Commissioned and premiered by the Minnesota Synfonia with Jay Fishman conducting; performed by the Wellesley College Orchestra, conducted by Joel Suben; recorded by Opus One in 1995 in Bratislava with the Slovak Radio Symphony. This piece is available on New Music For Orchestra, Opus One.
REVEL: (7') recorded on Opus One # 100; performed: Richmond Sinphonia, The Baltimore Women's Symphony, New Britain Symphony in Connecticut; Themes include a meditative 6-note scale, dueling trumpets, a Spanish/gypsy section, an E-major melody, a brass chorale and cut-ups of the themes.
PIANO CONCERTO: (14') for string orchestra with percussion and piano. Premiered with Joseph Kubera soloist and Gary Schneider conducting at Merkin Hall, New York.
REVELATION: (14')

Operetta

QOHELETH: words by Roye Dendler, for baritone, contralto, harpsichord, percussion, commissioned by the Soho Baroque Opera, 1998

Opera

QUEEN CHRISTINA (90') words assemblage: produced: Mills College; one act

Oratorio

JOAN (20'): words from the trial of Joan of Arc commissioned and produced by Cabrillo Festival

Chorus

MAGNIFICAT (3'): for SSA or SAT and organ/piano, 1999
PRECIOUS MEMORIES (10'): for SSAATTBBB a cappella; also avail for SSSAAT, 1996 The words are by Jo-Ann Krestan and Beth Anderson. The lyrics concern memories of old time hymns, life threatening experiences, survival as a woman composer, the search for love, perfect bliss and a descriptive critic. The music is a collage of American styles. It was commissioned and produced by Eclectix, Inc. on November 15, 1997 at Cami Hall in New York City and sung by The Accidentals. Performed repeatedly in Belgium. Go to this site for the words: http://kalvos.org/andeprec.html
WYNKEN, BLYNKEN, & NOD (3'): for SSATB a cappella or with piano, 1987; words by Eugene Field; performed by the Mount Sterling High School Madrigal Singers, John Stegner conducting
MAY WE EVER MINDFUL BE (2'): for SSATTB with piano or organ, 2000; words by Jo-Ann Krestan
WHO IS THIS JESUS? (2'): for SSA or for SA with piano or organ; words by Jo-Ann Krestan
THE GOOD CHRISTMAS CAT (2'): for SATB a cappella or with piano or harp, 1999; words by Jo-Ann Krestan; recorded in Denmark. Anne Nielsen in Denmark whose vocal group sings THE GOOD CHRISTMAS CAT says: " THE GOOD CHRISTMAS CAT has become one of the quartet's standards at Christmastime. We sang it for a group of young people at a kind of actors preschool and they absolutely loved it. They actually started laughing in obvious delight every time we sang "What's that" and at the end of our concert they clamored to hear the cat song again."
IN THE COMPANY OF WOMEN(2'): for SATB or SA with piano or organ, 1999; words by Jo-Ann Krestan; performed in Belgium
WE THANK THEE(2'): for SATB with piano or organ, 2003; words by R. W. Emerson; performed in Mount Sterling, Kentucky

Musical Comedies

THE FAT OPERA (75'): The book and lyrics are a collaboration between the composer and Jo-Ann Krestan. The Fat Opera is about dealing with the issue of weight. The cast includes a very large woman who is quite outgoing/romantic, a medium sized sweet/thoughtful/depressed woman, a thin bulimic woman, and a cute male exercise instructor.) It was produced at the Greenwich House Music School in New York City as a one evening equity showcase. It was remounted non-equity at Caffe e Dolce, Asbury Park, NJ, directed by George Hansel for 3 weekends. Selections were also performed at The Golden Fleece, Theatre 22, NYC.
NIRVANA MANOR (90'): book and lyrics by Judith Morely
produced by Eccentric Circles off-off Broadway
ran3 1/2 weeks
It is about a suburb that is supposed to be heaven, but isn't. It takes place between 1950 and 1976 and involves a cast of three generations.
ELIZABETH REX: Or, The Well-Bred Mother Goes To Camp (90'): book and lyrics by Jo-Ann Krestan
Produced at the Carter Theatre, off-off Broadway, ELIZABETH REX ran 3 1/2 weeks. Selections were also performed at Golden Fleece, NYC. This musical is about a mother, Elizabeth, who is determined to make Kate, her high church Episcopalian lesbian daughter, straight. It's also about Kate's lover, friends, and a drag queen named Lilly who is in love with Elizabeth's minister, Justin, who also loves Lilly.

Music For Theatre

REMEMBER THE WOMEN

by John B. Weinstein and Beth Newburger with music by Beth Anderson. This play only has one song in it and it is entitled THE SENECA FALLS FOLLIES, for three women's (SSA) voices and piano. It premiered at the National Theatre in Washington D.C. March 3rd, 2003. The play was described as: "Witty, warm and not a little outrageous, this is the story of great American women who moved their cause out of the kitchen and onto the political stage -- the only place that counts in Washington. This new play shines a spotlight on a nation so certain of its Founding Fathers and so surprisingly unsure about its Founding Mothers: a perfect celebration for Women's History Month."

AVON (60')

Avon is a new musical theater work with words by Stephen Paul Miller. In the play William Shakespeare writes and presents a play (within a play) about Stephen Paul Miller's attempt to explain his Ph.D. Dissertation, Three Self-Consuming Mechanisms of the Mid-1970's: John Ashbery's "Self-Portrait" in a Convex Mirror, The Watergate Affair, and Jasper John's Crosshatch Paintings, to John Ashbery, Richard Nixon and Jasper Johns. In 1997, Duke University Press is slated to publish a revised version of this dissertation entitled The Seventies Now: Nixon/Ashberry/Johns.

Jasper Johns sings Eruch Jessawala Said. (Eruch Jessawala is one of Meher Baba's closest disciples. Baba was silent for 44 years, and Eruch interpreted Baba's hand gestures to the world.) Nixon in China sings Talks To Teachers. Shakespeare, who has not been invited to a poetry reading for almost four hundred years, sings Lately, I've Been Working As A Model In A Life Study Class as he walks across the Williamsburg Bridge on a beautiful Spring day when the bridge is closed to vehicular traffic due to a structural defect.

Thomas Buckner sang in the premier of "Avon" and premiered all four songs in concert. Avon was produced at 8BC and also at St. Mark's Poetry Project in NYC with Tom Buckner and Taylor Mead.

WHATEVER BERNHARDT GOETZ

play by Stephen Paul Miller
produced at 8 BC's National Theater For The Lower East Side and also at The Bad Museum, NYC with Taylor Mead, Mary Sutton, Peggy Lowenberg, Julius Klein, and Phil Suraci

Theatre Pieces

RIOT ROT (11' 9"): a text-sound and music theatre piece designed for radio (rock band with singer, two speakers)
SOAP TUNING: (two speakers)
ZEN PIECE: (two speakers)

Band

SUITE FOR WINDS AND PERCUSSION: commissioned and performed by The Staten Island Symphony, conducted by Robert Kogan
OVERTURE FOR BAND: performed Damrosh Park, NYC by The New Wilderness Band

Multimedia

SHE WROTE: (2 violins, mezzo with multiphonics, tape) texts by Gertrude Stein and Kathy Acker
written for Stein's 100th birthday
first performance 1750 Arch Street
M.A. thesis composition, Mills College
also performed Cabrillo Festival and The Kitchen NYC
HE SAID: (two clarinets, video tape, speaker, audio tape) commissioned by the San Francisco Conservatory New Music Ensemble, John Adams conductor
also performed at The Kitchen, NYC
video by Jack Briece
THEY DID IT: (piano and tape) first performance The Kitchen, NYC
also performed by Sorrel Hayes in Europe
RECITAL PIECE: (piano and tape) graphic score
first performance Ann Marie Mooney, Mills College
TOWER OF POWER: (organ and quad tape) graphic score
first performance Linda Collins, Mills College Chapel; available on the Pogus CD, PEACHY KEEN-O
TULIP CLAUSE: (tenor voice, alto flute, B-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax, string bass, cello, organ, timpani, tape) commissioned by The San Francisco Conservatory's New Music Ensemble, John Adams, conductor
numerologically derived pitches
graphic score
tape based on lecture regarding Jupiter at Chabot Observatory
also performed Cabrillo Festival
published in a book entitled ED VOGELSANG-"VIEWS BESIDE..." edited by Fritz Balthaus, Berlin 1982
VALID FOR LIFE: (tape and large strung instruments and large soft membranophones
piano strings and timpani can be used with large soft beaters) graphic score published in ASSEMBLINGS edited by Richard Kostelanetz
first performance Mills College by the composer and Sybl Chickenmint
PEACHY KEEN-O: (tape, female voices, organ, electric guitar, vibraphone, large membranophones, improvisatory dancers, light) graphic score
first performance Mills College with Hysteresis; available on the Pogus CD, PEACHY KEEN-O
GOOD-BYE BRIDGET BARDOT OR HELLO CHARLOTTE MOORMAN: (cello, tape, with or without dancer and green cloth) performed 1750 Arch Street, Berkeley, CA and Composers' Forum, NYC
SKATE SUITE: (violin, mezzo, cello, electric bass, tape) Commissioned by the Diane Jacobwitz Dancers. Also performed at The Kitchen, NYC.
MORNING VIEW & MAIDEN SPRING: (tape, speaker, slides, light)
MUSIC FOR MYSELF: (piano, mirrors, vibraphone, voice, light)
THE MESSIAH IS COME: (revised to be THE BRIDEGROOM IS HEAR)
collaboration with sculptor, Paul Cotton
human sculpture with internal and external sound sources, tape, string bass, flute, voices, speakers, piano, percussion, slides
produced at 1750 Arch Street, Berkeley, CA
HALLOPHONE: (environment, 2 sax, steel guitar, voice, tapes, slides, dancers
commissioned and produced by Nanny Goat Hill, San Francisco, CA

Tape

GERMAN SWALE: commissioned and played as an environment for three German art galleries
ODE: (heard The Kitchen, NYC); available on the Pogus CD, PEACHY KEEN-O
TULIP CLAUSE AND BUCHLA BIRD HISS DOWN THE ROAD OF LIFE
JOAN: (15 track version of the pitches only in the oratorio) available on the Pogus CD, PEACHY KEEN-O
THUS SPAKE JOHNSTON: (uses the voice of Jill Johnston) broadcast KPFA

String Quartets

JANUARY SWALE: (Clearwater String Quartet, first performance) This is a swale that includes a lot of partying framed by a theme going forwards at the beginning and backwards near the end, a Janus. Because it was written with Carol Buck and her children in mind, there is a small children's theme just after the introduction which runs in and out later on in the piece. An aeolian alleluia interrupts and returns later a half-step down. It ends with the feeling of a "starry night" at the original tonal center.
PENNYROYAL SWALE: (Soldier Quartet, first performance) Pennyroyal is a member of the mint family and a healing herb with a distinctive odor. Pennyroyal Swale combines folk-related vernacular music with "classically" developed techniques in an open, somewhat repetitive form. The work is dedicated to Mr. James Roy, the now deceased ex-head of Concert Music at BMI, a great Southern man who was a big help to women composers and to me especially. It has been performed at the New Music Festival at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, the Soho Baroque Opera Company, and at St. Michael's in New York City.
ROSEMARY SWALE: (Soldier Quartet, first performance) Rosemary Swale is dedicated to Rosalie Calabrese who ran American Composers Alliance for many years. Rosemary is not only a cooking herb but is also a fixative for perfume--perfect for Rosalie who combines functionality with aesthetics.
MARCH SWALE: Performed by the Rubio String Quartet at the Library of Congress and in Brussels.
JULY SWALE
MUSIC FOR CHARLEMAGNE PALESTINE: (graphic score)
I AM UH AM I: (graphic score)
performed Mills College, Oakland and Intersection, San Francisco by Ear Ensemble
exhibited various shows

String Trios

JASMINE SWALE: (Jade String Trio, commission and first performance) When the Jade String Trio asked me to compose a piece for them, they also sent me some Chinese folk music to incorporate into this swale. I cut up the songs (Little River and Jasmine Flower) into small pieces and made musical sections based on these cut-ups. Jasmine is a common name for plants that are intensely fragrant and it is a genus of about 200 species of tropical shrubs and vines with delicate pale flowers that are a native of China, hardy in the Southern United States, and grow in Southern Europe and the East and West Indies especially. Jasmine can grow in a swale of many different plants and the swale can simultaneously be 100% jasmine. It is evocative of warm days of bird song and passion, and fragrant, humid nights, full of dancing and romance. Consequently this swale has all these things implied within it, as well as some birds in the vines. All the themes are cut up and weave in and out of each other.

Brass Quintets

SATURDAY/SUNDAY SWALE: (Saturday Brass Quintet, first performance, Eclectix, NYC)
THE BRASS SWALE: (Saturday Brass Quintet, first performance, Eclectix, NYC)

Brass Quartets

THE BRASS SWALE: (quartet version) first performance The University of the Redland's New Music Ensemble, Barney Childs, director

Woodwind Quintets

AUGUST SWALE: In 2003 I made a woodwind quintet version of this sextet for Calico Winds which they premeired in California. The swatches in this piece are in a variety of styles and feeling states including anxious modernity, cheerful Americanism, passionate "gypsiness" and round, modal resolution--a sort of aesthetic life cycle.

Mixed Ensembles for 3-8 players

CLEVELAND SWALE: (two string basses and piano) first performance Greenwich House, New York City. Available on the 2004 Albany CD, Quilt Music.
TOLEDO SWALE: (two violins and soprano saxophone or for two violins and flute)
NEW MEXICO SWALE: (flute, percussion, violin, viola, cello) first performance Music Under Construction, NYC
The swatches in this piece are in a variety of styles and feeling states somewhat descriptive of the diverse regions of New Mexico.
AUGUST SWALE: (flute, oboe, French horn, bassoon or cello, violin, viola) first performance Bennington College's Chamber Music Conference (Frank Wiggelsworth, musical director) where I was in residence
also performed Muisc Under Construction, NYC
The swatches in this piece are in a variety of styles and feeling states including anxious modernity, cheerful Americanism, passionate "gypsiness" and round, modal resolution--a sort of life cycle.
BELGIAN TANGO: (violin, accordion, piano) performed and recorded by The Tango Project for Newport Classics
performances at Bard College & Nell's in NYC
piano solo version exists, as well
NET WORK: ( saxophone quartet and two pianos) commissioned by Barbara Jo Fleming's Commotion Dance Company
a piano solo version exists, as well
REVEL: (electric violin, B-flat clarinet, E-flat saxophone, B-flat trumpet, trombone, piano, percussion, string bass) commissioned and performed by the University of the Redlands' New Music Ensemble, Barney Childs, conductor
also performed by the Brooklyn Symphony, Tania Leo, conducting
orchestral version exists, as well
TRIO: DREAM IN "d": (violin or flute, cello, piano) available on CD from North/South
performed by Downtown Music Productions
also by Aviva Players, NYC and by Gramercy Ensembles, NYC
THE EIGHTH ANCESTOR: (violin, flute, cello, piano; or, flute, oboe, cello, piano; or, flute, clarinet, cello, piano; or baroque flute, alto recorder, cello, harpsichord)
first performance DelBarton Baroque Ensemble
also performed by The ISCM in Belgium
published by Joshua Corp/General Music, order # 1234 ($12.95) via The Boston Music Co.
SKATERS' SUITE: (violin, flute, cello, piano
or, flute, oboe, cello, piano
or, baroque flute, alto recorder, cello, harpsichord
or, violin, cello, string bass, mezzo) pub. Joshua Corp./General Music, order # 1235 ($12.95) via The Boston Music Co.
WATER STRIDER COURRENTE: (flute, clarinet, string bass, percussion, organ, piano) orig. a part of SKATE SUITE
first performance Experimental Intermedia, NYC
ALLELUIA: (two celli and two tenors; or, two trumpets & two tenors)
LITTLE TRIO: (flute, viola, guitar)

Instrumental Solos/Duets:

COMMENT: (flute solo) Commissioned by Nina Assimakopoulos in 2003. Based on a Dorothy Parker poem of the same name. CD release is scheduled for early 2005 on the Capstone Label. "Beth Anderson�s, world premiere Comment (after Comment by Dorothy Parker) amiably engages in story-telling, setting a Dorothy Parker poem, with its twists and turns, to music. This programmatic treatment adds a human element upon which the flute, the freest relative of the voice, sings and dances." -- Mark Greenfest, IAWM Journal
FULL CIRCLE: (piano solo) 1985, 20 minutes 18 seconds; Beautifully copied. Commissioned by Daniel McCusker Dancers; "pools of stillness set off against a rhythmic undercurrent...haunting." - The Berkshire Eagle 7/27/85.
APRIL SWALE: (viola and harpsichord) Commissioned by Marlow Fisher. Premeired at the Georgia O'Keefe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
GHENT SWALE: (string bass and piano) first performed at De Rode Pomp in Ghent, Belgium, September 1999 and recorded by the Belgian radio March 2000
BELGIAN TANGO: (violin and piano version) first performed by Mary Rowell and Denman Maroney and recorded for the Belgian radio March 2000
TALES #1, #2, #3: (violin and piano) first performed by Mary Rowell and Denman Maroney and recorded by the Belgian radio March, 2000.
RHODE ISLAND SWALE: (harpsichord or piano solo) first performed by Elaine Comparone, Harpsichord
commissioned by Bobby Buecker.
The piece begins with a Phrygian folk-like tune which ends with a turn (BCBAB). This is followed by a lochrian tango and an aeolian melody in which the harpsichord sings words whose text remains mysteriously hidden under the music, ending with a turn (ABAGA). The text is derived from an English translation of the Heine poem "Auf flugeln des gesanges", "On Wings of Song", as loosely condensed and paraphrased by Jason Serinus (the prize-winning whistler who performed Puccini's "O mio babbino caro" as the voice of Woodstock in an Emmy-nominated Peanuts cartoon). The next group of swatches includes an aeolian minimalistic section marked "mindfully", a d-minor tune, a G-major choral, a C-major folk-like tune, and some lochrian mysterioso, along with various kinds of connective tissue. In the next section the original musical groups are cut up with some fiddle music, moving backwards and forwards and in new tonal areas. The work ends with a shortened version of the Heine section on 'e', rather than 'a'. The figuration at the end is a turn (EF#EDE). The poem within the piece is: "On wings of song my beloved, I shall take you away/ Away to the banks of the Ganges/ There I know the loveliest spot/ The birds will sing, the gazelles will leap/ And arm in arm, we shall fall into a dream/ A dream of bliss. "
SEPTEMBER SWALE: (guitar with mandolin or harpsichord solo or piano solo or violin with piano) first performed by Elaine Comparone, Harpsichord, Beucker & Harpsichords; also performed at the Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio; at Richmondtown Branch Library on Staten Island and 80 Langdon Street in San Francisco by Joseph Kubera; and in Allentown, PA, by Elaine Comparone; recorded by Antes/Bella Musica on CHILI CON TANGO
GUITAR SWALE: (two acoustic guitars) commissioned and performed by University of the Redlands' New Music Ensemble, Barney Childs, director
also performed at Cal State Hayward's Musica Delle Donne
It combines various oriental scales with Satie-like lyricism.
MAY SWALE: (viola) commissioned by Mimi Dye
premiered by Mimi Dye at Old First Church in San Francisco on 5/30/97
FLUTE SWALE: (flute) commissioned and performed by Andrew Bolotowsky
PREPARATION FOR THE DOMINANT: OUTRUNNING THE INEVITABLE: (ocarina or flute or violin solo) for Andrew Bolotowsky, published by Joshua Corp./General Music order # 1237 ($4.50) via The Boston Music Co.
SHAKUHACHI RUN: (flute with or without hand drum) for Andrew Bolotowsky
THE PRAYING MANTIS AND THE BLUEBIRD: (flute and piano) for Andrew Bolotowsky, published by Joshua Corp./General Music order # 1238 ($4.95) via The Boston Music Co.
LULLABY OF THE EIGHTH ANCESTOR: (flute or violin and piano) published by Joshua Corp./General Music order # 1236 ($4.95) via The Boston Music Co.
DR. BLOOD'S MERMAID LULLABY: (flute or violin or cello and piano) for Andrew Bolotowsky
also performed by the Aviva Players, NYC
BELGIAN TANGO: (3' piano solo) commissioned and performed by Yvar Mikashoff
WALLONIAN WALTZ: (3' piano solo) often performed with BELGIAN TANGO as a pair
MANOS INQUIETAS: Part I, II, and III (piano solo) parts may be played singly-15'-20'@- or together
commissioned by Bonnie Schiebman Dancers
first performance Cunningham Studio, NYC
Part II performed by Joseph Kubera at Cami Hall, NYC
QUILT MUSIC: (30' piano solo) commissioned by Daniel McCusker Dancers for his choreography entitled TAKING SIDES, performed St. Mark's Dance Project, NYC
NET WORK: (10' piano solo) A version for sextet and a 6' version for piano solo both exist. A longer version was commissioned by Montclair State College and first performed at their Spring Dance Festival. Available on CD from North/South

Songs

SAM THE SAME

(2006) 9'; for medium voice and piano;words by Jo-Ann Krestan; I would like to make a version for children's chorus with soloists and piano, so let me know if you have a chorus that might like to perform such a piece. Topic: a mouse with vocal difficulties and his solutions to his problem which involve his friends the pig, the dog, the cow and the duck, as well as some very friendly children. And he learns a lesson.

NIGHTSONG

(2005) 4', soprano with viola and piano (also available for soprano, viola and harp); (also available for soprano and piano without the viola); words by David Mason; Commissioned by Francoise Vanhecke for premiere in Brussels, Belgium. Topic: a woman having a nervous breakdown.

WINTER SOLSTICE

(2005) 2m30s, low or high voice with piano; words by Ann Silsbee; Premiere on Women's Work concert series in Manhattan. Topic: a short dark day that leads to our future. Ann's title for her poem is WINTER SOLSTICE, 2001.

DARK SONGS

(2004) trio for mezzo-soprano, contralto, and piano; words by Dana Gioia and David Mason; includes SONG OF THE POWERS, ALLEY CAT LOVE SONG, and SUNDAY NIGHT IN SANTA ROSA. The name of the cycle is derived from the fact that these three songs are alternately violent, randy, and sinister. Commissioned by Gesine van der Grinten/Marcellina van der Grinten/Jorg Ritter from Germany.

SWIMMERS ON THE SHORE

(2004) 4', high or low voice with piano; words by David Mason; commissioned by the West Chester Poetry Conference in West Chester, PA; Premiered by Randall Scarlata and Carl Cranmer June 12, 2004. Topic: father-child relationship. Alzheimers.

CAT SONGS

(2001) 10', high or low voice with piano; includes six songs of six different poets on the subject of cats with a possible additional seasonal cat song for Christmas. THE LAZY PUSSY (words by Palmer Cox (1840-1924); THE KILKENNY CATS (traditional anonymous words); THE TYGER (words by William Blake 1757-1827); HEY DIDDLE DIDDLE (Traditional anonymous words); SHE SIGHTS A BIRD (words by Emily Dickinson 1830-1886); THE WIDOW AND HER CAT (words by Jonathan Swift 1667-1745) optional: THE GOOD CHRISTMAS CAT (words by Jo-Ann Krestan) Premiered by Keith Bordon. Released on QUILT MUSIC from Albany CDs. "The text, vocal and piano lines flowed in wonderfully vivid imagery-almost visual. "She Sights A Bird" was the essence of 'cat'. It was purrfect." -- Mark Greenfest, IAWM Journal

ANIMAL SONGS

(2004-2006) high or low voice with piano; words by Jo-Ann Krestan primarily and by Florence Page Jaques (1890-1972); includes The Wise Old Owl, Itty Bitty Dog. The Woodpecker, Dearie's Lament, The Butterscotch Bear, The Puffin, and Barnacle Pete. Topics: what makes an owl wise, what does a Maltese think, where does a woodpecker live, what does a Border Collie see, what does one kind of bear want to eat, what does a puffin do with his/her friends, what is a barnacle.

HARLEM SONGS

(1999) baritone, string bass, piano; includes SONG, SOUTHERN ROAD, TABLEAU, and WHILE YOU LOVE ME

SONG

(1999) 3', pn, bar, cb Words by Gwendolyn Bennett. Topic: the black experience in song/"the cry of a soul". Commissioned by Keith Borden

SOUTHERN ROAD

(1999) 3'30", pn, bar, cb Words by Sterling Brown. Topic: the thoughts of a black male prisoner on a chain gang. Commissioned by Keith Borden

TABLEAU

(1999) 1'30", pn, bar, cb Words by Countee Cullen. Topic: mixed racial friendship. Commissioned by Keith Borden

WHILE YOU LOVE ME

(1999) 1'30", pn, bar, cb Words by Georgia Douglas Johnson. Topic: the desire to be loved and to die prior to love's loss. Commissioned by Keith Borden

LULLABY

(mezzo or baritone and piano) (1998) 2', words by W.H. Auden, dedicated to Ned Rorem; available on two CDs from Capstone Records. "...lush, sublime, introspective...the best song on the CD" --Dr. Melanie Mitrano, New Music Connoisseur June 2004.

LULLABY

(accapella low voice or low voice with keyboard/guitar chords) 1997, words by Stephen Paul Miller

THE ANGEL

(12') (soprano, harp, celeste, 2 violins, viola, cello) words by Hans Christian Andersen as translated by Mrs. E.V. Lucas with additional lyrics by Anthony Calabrese
The Angel was commissioned and first performed by The Shore Festival of Classics in Ocean Grove, NJ. It has also been performed at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, Greenwich House Music School and Beucker & Harpsichords
The Angel tells the story of a sick girl who died, and was taken to heaven by an angel, who allowed her to pick flowers to take to God who would choose one. To this one flower, He would give a voice so that it could sing in heaven. The child chose the flower that had been her only comfort on earth and God gave it a voice.

AVON

(Four songs for medium voice and piano) words by Stephen Paul Miller

TALKS TO TEACHERS
ERIC JESSAWALA SAYS
THE NEW TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK
LATELY I'VE BEEN WORKING AS AN ARTIST'S MODEL IN A LIFE STUDY CLASS

DREAMING FIELDS

(song cycle of 3 medium voice songs with piano) words by Eugene Field. These may be sung singly or together.

THE SUGARPLUM TREE
THE DUEL
WYNKEN, BLYNKEN, AND NOD

KNOTS

(medium voice with piano) Knots has words by R.D. Laing, the eminent psychotherapist. They are taken from his book, Knots, (1971). In his introduction he writes, "The patterns delineated here have not yet been classified by a Linnaeus of human bondage. They are all, perhaps, strangely, familiar. In these pages I have confined myself to laying out only some of those I actually have seen. Words that come to mind to name them are: knots, tangles, fankles, impasses, disjunctions, whirligogs, binds."

A WAY BACK HOME

(low G to High F) voice and piano; words by Joann Krestan

THE LAND OF COUNTERPANE

(soprano and piano) words by Robert Louis Stevensen

JUNK LOVE

( medium voice and piano) words by the composer

THE ONLY ONE I WANT