Music for female voices by Sheena Phillips
And still I rise
SSAA and drums
Words by Maya Angelou
Commissioned and first performed by Columbus
Women’s Chorus, dir. Patti O’Toole, 2002
The birth (Christmas)
SA piano
Words by Jean Kenward
Published by Canasg Music
(www.canasg.com)
Chinese crane song
SA piano or SSA piano (also
available for SATB voices)
Words by Edwina Towson
First performed by Capital
University Women’s Chorus, dir. Sandy Mathias, 2003
Five antiphons honouring St Kentigern
4 soprano voices and wire-strung harp
based on a text from the medieval office of St Kentigern
First performed by Canty (female voices of Cappella Nova), Glasgow Cathedral, January 2009
Garbe Rame (Dancing with Gourds)
SSAA, flute obbligato, percussion ad lib (also
available for SATB voices)
Gujarati folk song depicting goddess Amba dancing with gourds
Published 2010 by Roger Dean Publishing Company
Selected for the Women's Voices Reading Session at the 2011 Ohio Music Educators Association Convention, Cincinnati, January 2011
Healing river
SSAA
Arrangement of the hymn by Fred Hellerman and Fran Minkoff
First performed by Calliope Women’s
Chorus, Minnesota, dir. J Michele Edwards, 2006
Also available as SATB (see Sacred
Music)
Published by Santa Barbara Music Press where you can view the music, listen to a recording, and order online
Here we come a-wassailing
SSAA a cappella
Arrangement of the traditional English carol
First performed by Columbus Women’s
Chorus, Ohio, December 2007
Images
SSA a cappella
Setting of three short medieval Japanese poems (with English translations by Kenneth Rexroth)
First performed by the Magpie Consort, Columbus, Ohio, 2006
Imi notna leviva-li
SSAA a cappella
Arrangement of a traditional Chanukah song (in Hebrew)
First performed by the Columbus Women’s
Chorus, Ohio, December 2007
In beauty may I walk
SSAA, piano, flute obbligato
Setting of a Navajo Indian poem
First performed by Columbus Women’s
Chorus, Ohio, November 2008
A variant of the original setting for SATB, recorder and cello
Incantation
SSA
Traditional Gaelic invocation of St
Brigit
Commissioned and first performed by
Canty of Scotland, 2002
Irish blessing
SA voices and organ
Setting of traditional Irish blessings ('May the road rise to meet you', etc)
Written for the wedding of Clare Brew and Chris Scarafile, New York, April 2009
Land o' the Leal
SSAA a cappella
Arrangement of Lady Nairne’s lullaby and lament for a lost child (Scotland, 18th century)
First performed by the Columbus Women’s Chorus, May 2009
Love is the softest thing
SSA
Anonymous medieval English lyric
SSA piano
Arrangement of the World War 2 era song
by Evans and Loeb
Commissioned and first performed by Columbus
Women’s Chorus, dir. Patti O’Toole, 2002
Recorded on Notes of Courage
Permission from the copyright
holders is required to perform this song
Sea pieces
SSA
Words by Emily Dickinson
1. My River runs to thee
2. As if the Sea should part
3. Exultation
Commissioned and first performed by
Canty of Scotland, 2002
Song of the Star Child
SSA
Words by Glenn Watson, song framework by Edwina Towson
Arranged for SSA voices and piano, 2009
Sweet sleep
SSAAA
Words by William Blake
View the score and purchase at Canasg Music
Sweet Sleep performance by the Wisconsin State Honors Treble Choir, dir. Patti O’Toole, 2002 (mp3)
The winter wood
SSA piano
Short cantata based on poetry by
Jean Kenward
1. Bleak and bare
2. Star
3. The Wheel of Winter
Commissioned by Kinderchor of
Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio, dir. Amy Chivington
Duration c. 10 minutes