Linda Dusman

for soprano and violin

ca. 14'45"

Fifteen years ago, mixed in among mundane official forms and memos, I received in my campus mailbox Serena Hilsinger’s Triptych of Gossips. I recall that it was a “weak day of bad month,” and so this gesture of artistry was a great gift, a poem I have turned to many times since for inspiration. With the opportunity to compose a piece for the Chiu/LaBarbara Duo (who premiered the piece in 2010) I returned to it to explore its musical possibilities. After considering a number of different directions, I embarked on a path creating an homage to the 1970’s—combining the exuberance of second wave feminism with the playfulness and enthusiasm with which composers of that era explored the expressive potentials of extended techniques for instruments and voices. The piece is dedicated to Serena Hilsinger and Lois Brynes, great friends who never cease to inspire.

This piece was performed and recorded in 2018 by Duo della Luna (Susan Botti, soprano, and Airi Yoshioka, violin).

Click here to view the score and listen to the recording.

Click here to watch the performance video (YouTube).

Linda Dusman

for soprano and optional hand drum

ca. 7'15"

Elio: Visions of Light II is a setting of fragments of poetry by the Greek lyric poet Sappho for soprano solo with optional hand drum. It was arranged from the original Elio: Visions of Light from 1985 by request from the Serbian soprano Ana Spasic.

A recording of this piece was made by Ana Spasic.

Click here to view the score and listen to the recording.

Linda Dusman

for soprano, flute, cello, piano, percussion

ca. 7'30"

Elio: Visions of Light is a setting of fragments of poetry by the Greek lyric poet Sappho for soprano, flute, cello, piano, and percussion. It reflects my memories of the light in Greece during my travels there.

A recording of this piece was made by Ana Spasic, soprano, and members of the Conservatorio "G. Nicolini" chamber music program in Piacenza, Italy.

Click here to view the score and listen to the recording.