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Words & Music: A Conversation with Poets and Composers

the Facebook message to prove it! The text he wrote Newhouse: Covid has jumbled the dates of the actual
about hands for Connor Koppin was really impactful... premieres of our commissions vs. commissions we’ve
so I reached out to let him know. He sent a gracious re- finished and are awaiting premieres vs. some specula-
sponse back and opened the door to a future collabora- tive pieces we’re hoping come to fruition. A glorious
tion by writing, “if you’re ever interested to work with mess. But the most recent premiere was “First Cradle”
a lyricist on a choral piece, let me know...” (SSAA with cello and piano), about the exquisite bond
between parents and newborns, and the bittersweet
heartbreak of letting our children go.
What was the last piece on which you worked
together? Was it a commission? If so, from Pederson: A glorious mess indeed! “First Cradle” was
whom? a commissioned project with Judy Sagen and the Min-
nesota Valley Women’s Chorale. Brian had shared his
Powell: Our last collaboration was “Love Will Find A beautiful text a few months earlier, and it came immedi-
Way,” which has just been released by Gentry Publica- ately to mind as Judy and I were talking about the kind
tions. Our collaboration began when he sent the lyrics of piece she envisioned for her choir. The pandemic
to me, troubled by what he was hearing and seeing on postponed the premiere by a couple of years, but it was
the news. As I read his words, I found myself inspired worth the wait! The most recent “full on” collaboration
by his sentiments. Steve’s lyrics described where we was the Genesis Prize piece, commissioned by ACDA,
were as a country, and where we find ourselves even and premiered by Conspirare. That was an iterative
now. His lyrics addressed the apparent problems while process in which text and music influenced each other
offering hope through acts of love. Somehow, amid over the course of the collaboration, and where Brian
all the divisiveness of our world, there are stories of and I were able to meet in person a few times in addi-
people coming together, loving, and helping one an- tion to phone/email exchanges.
other. The work was commissioned by The Metropoli-
tan Youth Orchestra of New York’s Nassau Chamber
Chorale and was premiered in Jazz at Lincoln Center For the composers: What do you look for in a
in May 2019. text? What gets you excited about a text?

Powell: Often, I am inspired by texts that speak to my
Runestad: “Earth Symphony,” for chorus and orches- heart about the joys and struggles of life. Because of
tra, is our latest and most ambitious piece yet—a thirty- my studies in art song literature and the African Ameri-
five-minute dramatic monologue from the voice of a can spiritual, I am especially drawn to symbolism and
post-Anthropocene Mother Earth. The work imagines metaphorical texts that juxtapose nature with human
Earth’s hope for humanity, her discovery of its power, experience. I find inspiration in texts that arouse a heart
her ruination at its hands, her lament at its loss, and response as I read them. This emotional response is
her recovery. This piece was commissioned by True what serves as the impetus for and develops the mood,
Concord Voices & Orchestra and their conductor Eric melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and form of the song as
Holtan and had its premiere in February 2022. I compose.

Cordero: The last piece we worked on was “Holding Runestad: At the first reading of a text, I need to feel
Our Breath.” We are currently working on a commis- the energy and emotional intention of the writer. It has
sion from the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia to grab me right away at a superficial level, and then
and Dominick DiOrio. engage me the further I dig into its layers of meaning.
I desire texts that are succinct, clear, and compelling in

CHORAL JOURNAL March/April 2023 Volume 63 Number 7 11