The 2018 Mid-Missouri Composers Symposium was a wonderful experience! From July 12-22, Four composers and I were in residence at the Osage Arts Community in Belle, Missouri. Each day, we all spent the day composing and then met up early evening to share our music and ideas. I finished my new composition Cerulealina for violin, cello, 3 percussion, harp and double bass, and was so happy to have the time to do that. Many thanks to composer Nolan Stolz for the invitation to be at this artist residency!

Last night, May 31st, the Oregon State University under the direction of Chris Chapman performed Uprising for wind ensemble featuring jazz drum set, featuring Ryan Biesack. It was a fantastic performance and the recording will be available soon!

Here is a link to the article: http://www.gazettetimes.com/entertainment/music/osu-wind-ensemble-to-premiere-new-works-at-concert/article_7aae1e2f-6873-5046-a46a-557d24c39a36.html

The Nevada Chamber Orchestra performed Echo’s Lament and Out of the Shadows Sunday, May 6 at the Historic Fifth Street School Auditorium in Las Vegas. The concert was called “Celebrating Women,” which honored various women of the Nevada School of the Arts including dean Shakeh Ghoukasian and UNLV College of Fine Arts dean Nancy Uscher.

Guest Conductor Alexandra Arrieche led the ensemble, delivering a beautiful performance of Out of the Shadows, which featured the NSA strings with jazz trumpet, vibraphone (performed by guest faculty Rachel Julian), piano, electric bass and drums. This was the string orchestra premiere of the piece, that was originally written back in 2012 for string quartet and commissioned by Mike Kaupa (jazz trumpet) with vibes, piano, bass and drums for premiere at the Eastman School of Music.

Conductor Chuck Cushinery led the NSA strings in a beautiful performance of Echo’s Lament, a piece written back in 2009 for the Millersville University Orchestra under the direction of Reuben Blundell, inspired by the Greek mythological story of Echo along with being in memoriam of Jennifer Mathiason, an artist and friend, whose works inspired the piece.

This Sunday, the NSA Chamber Orchestra under the direction of guest conductor Alexandra Arrieche will perform my piece “Out of the Shadows” for string orchestra, jazz trumpet, vibraphone, piano, electric bass and drums. This will be the premiere of the string orchestra version. They rehearsed it beautifully last night and I’m very excited for Sunday! It’s going to be a great concert! 🎶🎻🎺🎹🎸🥁

UNLV Compilation CD titled “Nexus” features compositions by Jennifer Bellor, Charles Halka, Diego Vega, and Cynthia Wong. The two recordings featured by Bellor are:

Crystalline

Turn the Key

It is available on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0YrqXCH3y1xXruwzKZXTSF

The Composition Division faculty released their debut compilation album at their CD release concert on Thursday, May 3! Composers Jennifer Bellor, Charles Halka, Diego Vega and Cynthia Wong are featured. Photo credit: Shahab Zargari.

Songs in the Dark received an Honorable Mention in the vocal chamber category of The American Prize: http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com/2018/04/winning-composers-vocal-chamber-music.html

Turn the Key

Turn the Key
Music and lyrics by Jennifer Bellor

Jennifer Bellor, voice and pipe organ
Julian Tanaka, clarinet with improvisation
Adam Schroeder, bass clarinet
Gabby Ordonez Villalobos, congas and bass drum
Mixing/Recording by Ron George at UNLV
Producer (vocals) by Phil Joy