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

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 (www.sbmp.com)

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

view PDF file

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

Rosie the Riveter

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

First performed by the Wisconsin State Honors Treble Choir, dir. Patti O’Toole, 2002

Published by Canasg Music (www.canasg.com) where you can view the score

sweet sleep (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

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