HOW TO BELIEVE IN MAGIC
consortium commission for a new song cycle by Scott Gendel
consortium commission for a new song cycle by Scott Gendel
ABOUT ME:
Hi! My name is Scott Gendel, and I’m a composer, vocal coach, and pianist from Wisconsin. I write all kinds of music, but I particularly love composing art songs. My work includes 17 song cycles & many more individual songs, and these art songs are regularly performed & recorded throughout the United States and abroad. I’ve written songs for such wonderful musical artists as Karen Slack, Stephanie Blythe, and Yo-Yo Ma.
Hi! My name is Scott Gendel, and I’m a composer, vocal coach, and pianist from Wisconsin. I write all kinds of music, but I particularly love composing art songs. My work includes 17 song cycles & many more individual songs, and these art songs are regularly performed & recorded throughout the United States and abroad. I’ve written songs for such wonderful musical artists as Karen Slack, Stephanie Blythe, and Yo-Yo Ma.
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
I am so excited to share my newest project, “How To Believe In Magic,” with you! This cycle will be a set of seven songs on poems by Camille Inkwell, designed to be approachable, accessible, and meaningful to young singers & pianists. And I’m inviting you to be part of commissioning & bringing this work to life!
I’ve been talking with voice teachers, professional singers, college professors, friends & colleagues, and many of us have lamented the relative lack of excellent new music that high school & college-aged singers can sing comfortably & well. What so many of my vocal music colleagues told me is that they want is new art songs relevant to the time we live in, new music that young singers can hopefully connect with as fully as they connect with their pop & musical theatre repertoire.
The songs in “How To Believe In Magic” are not going to be etudes or “teaching pieces.” Rather, these are expressive, emotionally resonant, deeply felt art songs that don’t compromise artistically, but are written in a musical language that works with the limitations & strengths of young voices. Just like, for example, the simpler Schubert & Fauré songs that are often assigned to young singers, these are songs meant not only for teaching; rather, they are songs whose musical language makes them approachable by professionals & students alike.
ABOUT THE POETRY:
When I was searching for the right texts to set in these songs, I wanted to work with poetry that’s relevant to our modern world, poems that don’t feel antiquated but vital, relating directly to people’s lives today. After some searching, the work of poet Camille Inkwell jumped out to me. I came across Camille’s work last year on instagram, and while I adored her voice instantly, I also felt a swell of excitement from my inner child… like, this was exactly the kind of poetry I loved (& attempted to write, badly) when I was a teenager. The kind of poetry that doesn’t minimize big emotions but validates them, allows them to explode out of the text with directness & honesty. The kind of poetry that felt like it was yearning to be teenaged-me's favorite song lyrics. To give an example, here’s one of the wonderful poems that will become a song in “How To Believe In Magic.”
have you ever felt
so topsy turvy upside down that you can feel
the blood flushing your cheeks?
it is like being a river
that tumbles down a waterfall
on its way to the sea.
it can be so frightening, when you’re spinning,
spinning, out of control.
but like a river to the sea,
i have to believe that i am
where i am supposed to be.
HERE’S WHERE YOU COME IN:
So, it’s the year 2021. We’re still in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, though vaccines are rolling out & I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But the careers of so many musicians, including me, have been seriously altered & hurt (or worse), and the challenges keep coming. For me to dedicate my time to composing these songs takes money, so I can continue to pay my bills & live as a musician… and so many of the people to whom I know this project will appeal are going through hard times, and spending money on something like a commission might feel out of reach at this moment in time.
Which is why I’m trying something different: This is a “PAY WHAT YOU WANT” consortium commission. Any amount you or your organization chooses to contribute is helpful to making “How To Believe In Magic” a reality, and whatever you pay towards this project, you will be listed on the title page among the piece’s commissioners. ANY amount. Once the contributions have been made, and this campaign closes at the end of April 2021, I will begin composing these songs, and guarantee to have them complete and ready for your performance & teaching needs by September 1, 2021.
BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CONSORTIUM:
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BASIC TIER, UP TO $199: All funders of this project, no matter how much you or your organization contributes, will be listed among the commissioners for “How To Believe In Magic,” and will receive a digital score in PDF format & exclusive performance rights until September 1, 2022. TOP TIER, $200 AND UP: Funders in this range will be listed among the commissioners for “How To Believe In Magic,” and will receive a digital score in PDF format & exclusive performance rights until September 1, 2022 as above. These contributors will also receive a print copy of the score signed by the composer, and the ability to schedule an hour-long phone or video conference with the composer to discuss or coach the songs. |
FAQs:
Q: What voice type will these songs be written for?
A: These songs will be available in multiple transpositions, all of which will be included in the digital score. The idea is that they're able to be performed by nearly all voice types, similar to the multiple keys published of the "24 Italian hits."
Q: How long will the piece be?
A: Each song will be around 2-3 minutes long, and there are 7 songs in total, so the whole cycle will likely be around 15-18 minutes of music. But also, each song is meant to stand on its own, and can be performed apart from the set.
Q: Can I see a picture of your cat?
A: Of course! His name is Eddie. ---------->
Q: Is this consortium only for voice teachers & students?
A: Not at all! These songs will not only be performable by musicians of all skill levels, but will be written with the same level of care & passion I put into all of my music, and I would absolutely love for them to be performed by high school students, professional opera singers, and everyone in between. They will be suitable for educational purposes, but also suitable for all kinds of performance, from living room concerts to operatic recitals!
Q: What will the piano part be like?
A: Just as with the voice, the piano part will be performable by young pianists, but also interesting & thoughtfully composed in a way that both piano students and professionals should enjoy playing.
Q: How does this timeline work, exactly?
A: I'll be keeping this page open & accepting donations until the end of April 2021. (If you want to join the consortium after that, get in touch & I'm sure we can work something out.) After that, I'll start composing the piece, and you're guaranteed to receive your digital score by September 1, 2021 if not sooner, and printed scores soon thereafter. Then, the consortium members have exclusive rights to perform & use the piece until September 1, 2022, after which I'll be sending it to my publisher (with your name on it!) for wider distribution.
I hope you'll contribute now, and add your name to the list of commissioners helping making "How To Believe In Magic" a reality! Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions, and I'd be happy to answer them!
AND PLEASE SHARE!
Even if you don’t want to be part of the consortium coming together to commission this piece, it would mean a lot to share this campaign across social media & help me spread the word about this project. I’m so excited to start making this a reality, and I'm grateful for every bit of help.
(special thanks to Rob Peavler and Megan Ihnen for helping me hammer out the details of this campaign, and to SO many colleagues for chatting with me about this idea)