Summer 2004 - BMI.com

Gayla Morgan
American Songbook as well as a
piece from Adam Guettel’s new
musical, The Light in the Piazza.
GAYLA MORGAN
On May 14th, composer-lyricist
Gayla Morgan (Advanced) presented
two vocal arrangements
and an original composition in
concert with the six-voice Grammy-nominated
a cappella group,
The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble,
of which she is also currently a
member. Her original composition,
“More Than Words,” concluded a
three-song set of sacred music
early in the program. Her ten-voice
(SSATTB/SATB) arrangement of
“America/Route 66” was performed
in collaboration with the
NYC all-male quartet, Consensus,
to conclude the first half of the program.
And her humorous arrangement
of “Harvest Moon”—including
the verse, of course!—was performed
as an encore that featured
the pseudo-tap-dancing skills of
Western Wind tenor Todd Frizzell.
LISA DeSPAIN
(Advanced composer), in collaboration
with legendary Graham
dancer/choreographer Donlin
Forman, premiered the final
installment of their jazz triptych
ballet in February at the Joyce Theater.
Song, an a cappella work drawing
from early American gospel,
blues and folk song, was performed
by the New York Choral
Society live on-stage with Ms.
DeSpain conducting. Also programmed
was Lisa D. (Mr. Foreman’s
tribute to Ms. DeSpain) set
to Ms. DeSpain’s String Quartet
#1, Rise & Fall (played live by the
Cassatt String Quartet), and Mean
Old World, performed by the blues
band Catfish Corner. The New York
Times has called Ms. DeSpain’s
work “rousing” and “witty” while
Backstage has heralded her as one
of the “tasty new ingredients” in
the dance music world. The
DeSpain-Foreman collaboration
was a main feature at Jacob’s Pillow,
summer 2003.
Lisa DeSpain
12