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Commissioned Works by the Ensemble

The Santa Fe Women's Ensemble is a leader among choral groups in commissioning new works. The repertoire of music for choirs composed only of treble voices is smaller than the repertoire for mixed-voice choirs. In 1982, only one year after its founding, the Ensemble commissioned its first new piece for women's voices. Since then, there has been a commission nearly every year. Thanks to the diligence and foresight of the Ensemble and its leadership, 40 original works have been added to the repertoire to date.

Are you interested in sponsoring a commission? Contact Dr. Linda Raney at info@sfwe.org.
 
2022-23 Commission

Linda Raney shares how A Christmas Telling of St. Bride of the Isles, this year's lovely commission came about:
“I have long been fascinated by St. Bride (Bridget of Kildare), especially after seeing the painting St. Bride by artist John Duncan. Based on the legend, the work depicts two angels bearing St. Bride from the Isles of Scotland to the Nativity in Bethlehem to serve as midwife to the birth of the Savior. Knowing that we had a wonderful Irish composer this year and not finding any poems about St. Bride I set my husband Raymond to work. Sarah and Raymond collaborated magnificently and produced an energetic musical interpretation of this myth."

Thanks to Joy Ice and Ron Latimer for sponsoring this important commission.

2021-22 Commission

We are so excited to share with you the inspirational new commission for this season by Bob Chilcott, one of our favorite composers throughout our 40-year-plus history! Our Roots, with poetry by Delphine Chambers, is for women’s voices and piano. Commissioning Bob Chilcott has been one of the Ensemble's longtime dreams. One of the world’s foremost contemporary living composers, his music is always stunning, and we are so grateful to him for writing this remarkable piece for us. Using the themes of this powerful and deeply touching composition, we continue to explore throughout the concert how we are all connected, melded together by our roots, our voices and our visions. 

Linda and Raymond Raney commissioned this work in honor of the Women’s Ensemble’s 40 years plus of serving the community of Santa Fe and our continuing efforts to expand and enliven the repertory for women’s voices.

 
2019-20 Commission
 
The Raney Songs, composed by Linda Rice Beck,  is graciously sponsored by Linda and Raymond Raney in celebration of their 37 years together. The poetry was written by Raymond Raney, with many of the poems about Linda Raney, his wife and our director.  (Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Linda Rice Beck's The Raney Songs will be performed Spring 2022.)
 
2018-19 Commission
 
Mementos of the Compass of Time, composed by David Beatty,  was graciously sponsored by Pauline and Jim Toevs. Pauline shared their inspiration to sponsor the commission,  “At the same time Linda is celebrating 30 years as director of the Women’s Ensemble, we are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary—a perfect combination of joyous occasions to honor with new music.”  

2017-18 Commission
Tell Me/Oseh Shalom Ur’fuah, composed by Karen Siegel, was sponsored by longtime Santa Fe Women’s Ensemble member Susan Phillips in memory of her husband, Ransom Reynolds, and in honor of her step-daughter, Stephanie Reynolds.

2016 – 17  Commission
 
Samuel Gordon'sVoice of my Song was set to a 2008 text by Scott P. Lounsbury. The exciting work for treble voices, cello and piano was premiered at the concert of May 14, 2017. The commission was sponsored by Jim and Linda Beck. Linda is a soprano in the Ensemble, a published composer and the creator of a number of past commissions herself. She and her husband are avid supporters of the Ensemble.

2015 – 16 Commission
 
Reina de la Noche by Z. Randall Stroope was written in honor of the Ensemble's 35th Anniversary and premiered May 22, 2016. It was made possible by a generous gift from Caroline Burnett.

List of Commissioned Works
 
A Christmas Telling of St. Bride of the Isles Sarah Jaysmith Winter 2022
Our Roots Bob Chilcott Winter 2021
The Raney Songs Linda Rice Beck Spring 2020, 2021
Mementos of the Compass of Time David Beatty Spring 2019
Tell Me/Oseh Shalom Ur'fuah Karen Siegel Winter 2017
Voice of my Song Samuel Gordon Spring 2017
Reina de la Noche (Queen of the Night) Z. Randall Stroope Spring 2016
Words of Peace (דברי שלום) Linda Rice Beck Winter 2014
Kennst du das Land? (Do You Know the Land?) Emma Lou Diemer Spring 2014
That Passeth All Understanding Bradley Ellingboe Winter 2012
Love All in All Joel Martinson Spring 2012
The Circle Linda Rice Beck Spring 2011
Two Andalusian Songs Stephen Paulus Winter 2010
Listen Kinley Lange Winter 2009
Echoes of Assisi Linda Rice Beck Spring 2009
Every Stone Shall Cry and Gloria Linda Rice Beck Winter 2008
Ave Maria Linda Rice Beck Spring 2008
All This Night Samuel Gordon Winter 2007
Winter Solstice Paul Carey Winter 2006
Let There Be Joy Daniel Gawthrop Winter 2005
Seasonal Dances Craig H. Russell Spring 2005
Learn to Think Lizard Naomi Stephan Spring 2004
Taladh an Leinibh Iosa   (Lullaby to the Infant Jesus) Robert Rothchild Winter 2003
A Jobim Sampler 
   Arrangements of Antonio Carlos Jobim songs		 Robert C. Jones Spring 2003
Chester Carol Katherine Dienes Winter 2002
Dreams, Rain, and Autumn Robert C. Jones Spring 2001
Magnificat Lana Walter Winter 2000
The Storke Gerald Near Spring 2000
To Crown the Year John Ferguson Winter 1997
We Are One Michael Mauldin Spring 1997
Goblin Market Lawrence Cave Spring 1996
Stabat Mater Dean Roush Spring 1995
Come Love We God Lynne Palmer Spring 1994
Epiphanies Jean Belmont Spring 1993
With This Child Michael Mauldin Winter 1990
Small Fry, Lazy Afternoon, Alone Together 
    Jazz arrangements		 Jack Manno Spring 1989
Three Poems of Sylvia Plath Shanna Suzanne MacLean Spring 1984
Kyrie Joseph Moore Winter 1983
Homage to Emily Dickinson Shanna Suzanne MacLean Spring 1983
The Great Invocation Shanna Suzanne MacLean Winter 1982