Jennifer Bellor

I will be releasing my new EP soon to be available online for streaming/purchase (Spotify, iTunes, Amazon). This EP is titled “Songs in the Dark” with songs setting texts by Emily Brönte (1818-1848) and John Donne (1572-1631):
Jennifer Bellor, composer and vocalist
Christina Wright-Ivanova, piano
Jason Corpuz, synth
Summer Kodama, electric bass

1. I’ll Not Weep
2. Air & Angels
3. The Night is Darkening
4. Interlude, Frozen
5. Fall, Leaves, Fall

Recording by Chuck Foley and Ron George
Mixing by Ron George
Mastering by Gil Kaupp

On Wednesday, January 25, Tod Fitzpatrick interviewed me on my album “Stay” for the Musicians’ Compendium program held every Wednesday that features interviews and news about the UNLV School of Music faculty and students. I was delighted to have the opportunity to share my music on this program! Tod and I spoke about the first three tracks featured on my album: Chase the Stars, Stay, and Burning Light.

Here is the interview:

Her debut album Stay (2016) was featured on NewMusicBox’s Staff Picks as an album displaying a “wonderful demonstration of how to maintain a highly individual compositional identity without needing to take refuge in pre-post-genre musical silos.” (Frank J. Oteri, NewMusicBox).

I’m excited to find out that two of my compositions, Bordello Nights, and Chase the Stars, have been selected as finalists in the orchestra and band categories for The American Prize.

For a complete listing of finalist composers in the orchestra category, please visit: http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2016/12/composer-finalists-2016-orchestra.html

Here is a recording of Chase the Stars:

For a complete listing of finalist composers in the band category, please visit: http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2016_11_01_archive.html

Here is a recording of Bordello Nights:

Stay for clarinet, vibraphone, and piano was selected to be among the semi-finalists for The American Prize in the chamber music category. For a complete listing, see the blog post at: http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/ for Wednesday, October 19th.

Here is a link to Stay streaming on Youtube:

Familiar Stranger was selected as a semi-finalist in the orchestra category, and announced last week. For a complete listing of semi-finalists, visit the link: American Prize blogspot list of semi-finalist composers for orchestra

Here is a recording of Familiar Stranger:

I’m excited to share the video from the premiere of my song cycle “Songs in the Dark” – the version for voice and piano! I love Emily Brontë’s poetry, and was honored to perform these with Christina Wright-Ivanova on piano at the UNLV Nextet concert November 2nd. I realized more and more the last couple of years how much I miss and love performing. I feel more complete when I aim to perform my own vocal compositions, since I can play a more active role in the music-making process. Here is a little bit about the songs:

When I came across these highly emotional poems, they reminded me of lyrics to rock songs reminiscent of one of my favorite artists, Tori Amos. I decided to compose what I consider alternative rock art song, and create a narrative that ties these poems together: how the main character deals with the varying emotional states that accompany feelings of despair or loss, focusing on the lower register of the voice:
1) “Frozen” – she is caught in the middle of a metaphorical storm that ultimately sucks her into the vortex of despair.
– Piano interlude creating the cold and dreary atmosphere as leaves are falling from trees
2) “Fall, Leaves, Fall” she embraces darkness, welcoming death around her.
3) “I’ll Not Weep” – even though she may be sad that he dies, she really is just sad to be stuck here and hopes that she can die too very soon and join him.

If any of my singer friends want to check them out, send me a message! =)
Here is the audio on SoundCloud:

Thank you, Neva Pilgrim, for including some of my music from my album on upcoming FRESH INK BROADCASTS! =) Today, she will be playing “Fallen Veneer” on the program “Frontier Music.” My compositions “Stay,” “Moments Shared, Moments Lost,” and “Chase the Stars” will be aired on November 13th, 27th and December 4th. Here is a list of upcoming programs that all begin Sunday’s at 2:00 PM EST on Classic FM, WCNY-FM 91.3 Syracuse, http://www.societyfornewmusic.org/ink.cfm, http://tunein.com/radio/WCNY-FM-913-s27969/

I premiered the voice and piano version of my composition Songs in the Dark at the UNLV Nextet concert Wednesday, November 2nd with Christina Wright-Ivanova on piano. We had a blast performing, and I’m just so happy to be a part of the music-making experience. I wrote these songs over the summer when I came across these highly emotional and dark poems by my favorite writer Emily Brontë (1818-1848). I LOVE Brontë’s poetry, and these reminded me of lyrics to rock songs. Therefore, I decided to compose what I consider alternative rock art song, and create a narrative that ties these poems together: how the main character deals with the varying emotional states that accompany feelings of despair or loss 1) First one, “Frozen,” she is caught in the middle of a metaphorical storm that ultimately sucks her into the vortex of despair. 2) “Fall, Leaves, Fall” she embraces darkness, welcoming death around her. 3) “I’ll Not weep,” she is tired of that low feeling and instead does a massive “over-correction” trying to turn the feeling into hope: Even though she may be sad that he dies, she really is just sad to be stuck here and hopes that she can die too very soon and join him.