Jennifer Bellor

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.

Querencia for wind ensemble & vibraphone soloist was commissioned by James Doyle and the Adams State University Wind Ensemble under the direction of Angela Winter for premiere at the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs on January 26, 2017. The commission was funded by a grant that encourages art based on the culture of the San Luis Valley in Colorado.Duration: approximately 6 minutes. Here are some score excerpt:

I premiered the version I wrote of “Songs in the Dark” with the Mivos quartet on September 17, 2016 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for the N.E.O.N. festival concert. It was such an honor working with them! Featured are:
Jennifer Bellor, composer and vocalist
Mivos Quartet (Olivia de Prato and Lauren Cauley, violin; Victor Lowrie, viola; Mariel Roberts, cello)
Tim Jones, vibraphone
Summer Kodama, electric bass

I orchestrated the first two songs of the cycle for this performance: 1) “Frozen” and 2) “Fall, Leaves, Fall.”

 Great recording session today! Recorded the original version of “Songs in the Dark” (voice, piano, synth, electric bass), along with “Air and Angels.” I’m hoping the EP I release later this fall will feature not only these songs, but also the live, raw and uncut performance of the Jazz version from last Sunday’s CD release show (if the mastering works out). 😊

CD Release Show at The Bop Shop August 21, 2016
Jennifer Bellor, vocals
Colin Gordon, soprano saxophone
Julian Garvue, piano
Andrew Links, keyboard
Tyrone Allen, electric bass
Aaron Staebell, drums

1. Chase the Stars

2. Burning Light (remix)

3. Familiar Stranger (remix)

4. Moments Shared, Moments Lost (remix)

5. Air and Angels

6. Afterhours

7. A Whole New World (arrangement)

8. Pure Imagination (arrangement)

9. Noir

10. Songs in the Dark

I had a blast making music with my band Sunday, August 21st at the Bop Shop for my CD release party in Rochester, NY.

Band featured:
Jennifer Bellor, vocals
Colin Gordon, soprano saxophone
Julian Garvue, piano
Andrew Links, keyboard
Tyrone Allen, electric bass
Aaron Staebell, drums

Great turnout, and was so happy to share it with so many friends from the area who were there to support me! At the end of the show I asked the audience to stay put so I could take a photo:

I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun performing! I presented an hour and 15-minute set comprising special live versions of not only compositions from my album Stay, but also premieres of songs I wrote this summer.