Melissa Dunphy

Text by poet Nikita Gill. Commissioned by Acalanes Bella Voce, directed by Bruce Lengacher.

To the Women of Acalanes High School Bella Voce on the occasion of their performance at the 2018 CASMEC. They will all tell new stories.

In memory of Giselle "Gigi" Keppel (2000-2019).


WILD EMBERS

We are the descendants
of the wild women you forgot
We are the stories you thought
would never be taught.

They should have checked the ashes
of the women they burned alive.
Because it takes a single wild ember
to bring a whole wildfire to life.

—————
Nikita Gill (2017)
Text used with permission of the poet.

"This very simple, very clean body percussion brings a rhythmic cohesion and drive to the piece, but doesn’t add additional tonal complexity or visual distraction. "
⁠—ChoralNet

Artwork by Nikita Gill

Performances

• 13 May, 2023: Seattle Girls Choir at Trinity Parish Church, Seattle, WA
• 24 Mar, 2023: Kennesaw State University Treble Choir at Morgan Concert Hall, Bailey Performance Center, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA
• 18 Nov, 2022: Street Symphony at Downtown Women's Center, Los Angeles, CA
• 06 Nov, 2022: Denver Women's Chorus at Broomfield Auditorium, Broomfield, CO
• 05 Nov, 2022: Denver Women's Chorus at Central Presbyterian Church, Denver, CO
• 04 Nov, 2022: Denver Women's Chorus at Central Presbyterian Church, Denver, CO
• 04 Nov, 2022: University of Kentucky Women's Choir at Otis A. Singletary Center for the Arts, Lexington, KY
• 24 Sep, 2022: Sharmila G. Lash & Friends at Piedmont Piano Company, Oakland, CA
• 01 May, 2022: Metropolitan Youth Orchestra: Nassau and Suffolk Senior Treble Choirs at Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
• 29 Apr, 2022: Baldwin Wallace University Treble Choir at Gamble Auditorium, Berea, OH
• 27 Apr, 2022: Tennessee State University Meistersingers at Strange Performing Arts Building, Nashville, TN
• 27 Mar, 2022: Penn Chorale/Faith Ensemble of Wharton-Wesley at Wharton-Wesley United Methodist Church, Philadelphia, PA
• 26 Mar, 2022: North Dakota All State Treble Choir at Hall D of the Bismarck Convention Center, Bismarck, ND
• 06 Mar, 2022: EVoco Voice Collective at St. Peter's By The Sea Episcopal Church, Bayshore, NY
• 05 Mar, 2022: EVoco Voice Collective at Trinity Episcopal Church, Roslyn, NY
• 01 Mar, 2022: Mansfield Varsity Womens Choir at SW-ACDA Convention, Robinson Center, Little Rock, AR
• 13 Feb, 2022: University of Rochester/Eastman School of Music Treble Chorus at Kilbourn Hall, Eastman School of Music East Wing, Rochester, NY
• 12 Feb, 2022: ACDA East Convention at Sheraton Grand Ballroom, Boston, MA
• 05 Dec, 2021: UConntabile at von der Mehden Recital Hall, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT,
• 09 Oct, 2021: Willamette University Chamber Choir and Voce at Hudson Hall, Willamette University, Salem, OR
• 20 Jun, 2021: LaCappella Nuova at Arnsburg Abbey, Hesse, Germany
• 13 Mar, 2021: Seattle Pro Musica at Seattle, WA (virtual)
• 17 Feb, 2021: Mansfield University Concert Choir at Endless Mountain Music Festival, Wellsboro, PA
• 01 Nov, 2020: Mansfield University Concert Choir at Mansfield University, Mansfield, PA
• 13 Jul, 2020: Audeamus at Gettysburg College, PA (Virtual)
• 28 Mar, 2020: Women of the Choral Arts Chorus and the Choral Arts Chamber Singers at Live! at 10th & G, Washington, DC
• 28 Mar, 2020: Women of the Choral Arts Chorus and the Choral Arts Chamber Singers at Live! at 10th & G, Washington, DC
• 28 Feb, 2020: Gonzaga University Concert Choir & Discantus Treble Chorus at Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, Spokane WA
• 22 Feb, 2020: Mid-Columbia Mastersingers at Richland Players Theatre, Richland, WA
• 18 Dec, 2019: Church of the Ascension Choir at Church of the Ascension, Montgomery AL
• 23 Nov, 2019: Coastal Region High School Honor Treble Choir at San Mateo Performing Arts Center, San Mateo, CA
• 23 Nov, 2019: BVS Women’s Choir at First Unitarian Congregational Society, Brooklyn NY
• 22 Sep, 2019: Sharmila G. Lash & Friends at Piedmont Piano Company, Oakland, CA
• 08 Jun, 2019: VOX Femina at Zipper Concert Hall, Los Angeles, CA
• 30 Mar, 2019: Choir Matrix Women’s Ensemble at Austin Arts Center, Trinity College, CT
• 04 Nov, 2018: Choir Matrix Women’s Ensemble at Fine Arts Instructional Center, Eastern Connecticut State University, CT
• 30 Jun, 2018: North Carolina Governor’s School West Chorus at Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC
• 24 Mar, 2018: Tonality at St. John's Episcopal Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA
• 10 Mar, 2018: Acalanes Bella Voce at Golden State Choral Competition, CA
• 15 Feb, 2018: Acalanes Bella Voce at St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica, San Jose, CA (CASMEC)