Jenni Brandon

Jenni Brandon (b. 1977) is a composer of solo, vocal, choral, chamber, and orchestral music. Her music has been described as “some of the most imaginative, ingratiating recent chamber music for winds” (Steve Turpin, Morning Musicale, WBST), and her style is often influenced by nature and her surroundings. Ensembles and organizations that have commissioned, performed, or broadcast her work in venues across the world, including Carnegie Hall, include Voices of Ascension, The Singers-Minnesota Choral Artists, the Yale Glee Club, Conundrum, Sistrum, the Definiens Project, Sister Singers Network, California Association of Professional Music Teachers, and the Young New Yorkers Chorus. As a resident composer she has worked with the Vientos Trio in Los Angeles and is in demand as a guest composer.

As a conductor she currently leads The Concert Singers, the oldest independent choir in Los Angeles. Recent and upcoming engagements include guest conducting her new choral work during the Sister Singers Network Conference in Chicago and premiering her new choral work during MidAmerica Productions’ 2011 concert season in Carnegie Hall.

Jenni is also active as a mezzo-soprano, making choral appearances with the Boston Pops, Pacific Chorale, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and at the Hollywood Bowl.

Her award-winning music has been featured at festivals, conferences, and on radio broadcasts, and a number of her works are published by Boosey & Hawkes and Graphite Publishing. Her music can be found on various recordings including releases from the women’s choir Sistrum, the Yale Glee Club and The Sundance Trio from Utah. Jenni’s first self-produced CD, Songs of California: Music for Winds and Piano, was released in 2010. Please visit www.jennibrandon.com for more information.


Compositions by Jenni Brandon

Breakable

Jenni Brandon treble choir, Difficulty : 3, piano, 3-5 min.

Dig (Chloe), from Dog Tales

Jenni Brandon high voice, Difficulty : 4, piano, less than 3 min.

Dog Tales (cycle)

Jenni Brandon high voice, Difficulty : 4, 1-2 instruments, piano, 10+ min.

Imperceptible

Jenni Brandon high voice, Difficulty : 5, piano, 10+ min.

1: (Easy) No divisi in voice parts, accompaniment doubles or supports vocal parts, diatonic, symmetrical phrases, textures mostly homophonic, simple rhythms, stepwise voice leading (conjunct), moderate ranges, no extended techniques, and limited sustained singing.

2: (Medium Easy) Limited divisi, voices somewhat independent from accompaniment, some chromatics, phrases may be longer or more fragmented, mostly homophonic, moderate rhythmic complexity, some difficult intervals (disjunct motion), moderate ranges, extended techniques are simple, limited sustained singing.

3. (Medium) Limited divisi, unaccompanied, or with independent accompaniment (voice parts not doubled), many chromatics, phrases of varying lengths, more contrapuntal textures, moderately complex rhythms, some difficult intervals (disjunct motion), moderately difficult/challenging ranges, extended techniques are potentially challenging, and some sustained singing.

4. (Medium Difficult) Abundant divisi, unaccompanied, or accompanying instruments are fully independent from voice parts, many chromatics and/or key changes, long and/or broken phrases, potentially little homophony, complex rhythms, many difficult intervals (disjunct motion), difficult/challenging ranges, potentially difficult extended techniques, and a demand for sustained singing.

5. (Difficult) Adundant divis, unaccompanied, or accompanying instruments are fully independent from voice parts, many chromatics and/or key changes, long and/or broken phrases, potentially little homophony, complex rhythms, extreme ranges, use of challenging or unusual extended vocal techniques, abundant sustained singing.