Contemporary Classical Composer Sabrina Pena Young Official Music Site

Music Projects 2012

2012-01-30T08:48:00.000-08:00

2012 proves to be another creative year. Check out some of the my latest music projects:

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera

The virtual opera is in full music production. After handpicking a very, very talented cast of musicians through virtual auditions, we have launched into the recording phase of the project. Find out more about the Libertaria Cast here: http://virtualopera.wordpress.com/libertaria-cast/.

The opera leads include the Kate Sikura and Gracia Gillund as Libertaria, Gretchen Suarez-Pena as Lucinde, and Matthew Meadows as Simeon. Each cast member records the music from Libertaria and sends the recordings back to the sound team, which includes the talented Eve Klein from Textile Audio and musician Patrick Neher. Animation begins in the summer. We have several talented animators helping out on the project, headed up by Art Director Caroline Damien. Legendary composer Dr. Clare Shore serves as the Music Advisor.

Easy Ear Training
I continue blogging regularly for the music education site: Easy Ear Training.com. For Halloween I composed the fun track Halloween Horror 3000 and added some fun music educator Halloween goodies like fun songs and activities that you can check out here. Keep Checking back for more great ear training articles.

Millikin University Halloween Concert
Halloween seems to be my busiest time of year. I had another opportunity to work with the Millikin University Percussion Ensemble. This year I created a fun animation, starring percussion director Brian Justison. You can catch snips of the animation here at Moviestorm: http://www.moviestorm.co.uk/community/index.php?page=videos&section=view&vid_id=107837

Music Performances
I'm anticipating several exciting performances from New York to Argentina this spring, including a performance of "Light", movement 2 from my award-winning Creation oratorio and the work "Song of the Forgotten Rose", for soprano, flute, and piano.

Upcoming Film Score Project
I'm excited to be working with the talented cartoonist Rob Cabrera on an upcoming film project. More on this project soon!

Animators Wanted for Libertaria: The Virtual Opera

2012-01-30T08:18:00.000-08:00

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera is looking for crew members excited about technology and music!

We are looking for:

Lead Animators
Assistant Animators
Writers
Production Assistants
Screenwriters
Audio Engineers
Marketers
Graphic Artists
Sound Designers
Publicists
Music Assistants
Actors

Join the Libertaria Film Crew: E-mail spenayoung@gmail.com

MOVIESTORM ANIMATORS WANTED

“Libertaria: The Virtual Opera” needs a team of talented Moviestormassistant animators to help make this opera a reality. This is volunteer and all animators receive full credit and publicity for your part with Creative Commons licensing for work created for the opera (commercial or noncommercial).

We are in the middle of music production. Animation production will start this summer (2012) once the music production side is complete. The first screening will take place in 2013.

If you are interested in volunteering for Libertaria, please contact me via: spenayoung@gmail.com

You can listen to some of the instrumental music for Libertaria here: http://sabrinapenayoung.bandcamp.com/track…nd-instrumental

Serious inquiries only.

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera Launching Party!

2012-01-30T08:14:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

As part of the 2013 LIbertaria Virtual Launch Party, 100 institutions will receive a free press pack with a prelease Libertaria DVD for their own Libertaria Virtual Launch Party.

Who can be part of theVIRTUAL LAUNCH PARTY?

Film Clubs
University Departments (Film, music, art, theater, opera workshops, art,feminist theory, political science, etc.)
Film Departments
Art Galleries
Student Groups
Theaters
Libraries
Festivals
Clubs
Community Centers
Select Individuals (Who can commit to a public screening ofLibertaria)

If you are part of a university, gallery space, theater, etc. that can host a Libertaria Virtual Screeing Party, e-mail “Spenayoung@gmail.com” with the subject title “Liberaria Virtual Launch Party”. Include the name of your institution, a contact person, and URL.

Private individuals that would like to host their own public viewing ofLibertaria: The Virtual Opera in 2013 and receive the free press package need to include specific details regarding venue, expected attendance, and the bio of the host.

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera is recommended for mature audiences!

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera

2011-09-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

It’s been a busy summer for Libertaria: The Virtual Opera!

Since the spring, singers auditioned online through Music Xray and through e-mail internet auditions, final cast decisions were made in late August, some basic preproduction work was completed, draft 1 of the screenplay completed, the studio was upgraded to handle the heavy software needed to create an animated opera, and cast members have started working on excerpts for Libertaria: The Virtual Opera. Libertaria is an exciting animated science fiction opera set in the year 2139 that combines contemporary classical composition techniques with some of the latest innovations in electronic music and sound synthesis.

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera has an amazing cast dedicated to new music. Please keep checking the website for updates on the cast members for Libertaria. Each cast member will have their own exciting bio page where you can find out more about the artist, their albums, and any upcoming artist projects.

Meet the Cast Members of Libertaria!

(In Alphabetical Order)

Mallory Berlin
Joe Cameron
Jaely Louise Chamberlain
Gracia Gillund
Jennifer Hermansky
Matthew Meadows
Mike Shiftlett
Christina Sidaras
Allan Smith
Gretchen Suarez-Pena
Kate Sikora

You can also see a new low res draft of the Opening Credits here:

http://virtualopera.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/opera-cast-selected-for-libertaria/

Want to Know More About Libertaria?

If you would like to write an article or interview the composer for Libertaria: The Virtual Opera, please contact Sabrina Peña Young at spenayoung@gmail.com.

Unravelling Music Album Available Now!

2011-07-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaEasy Ear Training has released the album Unravelling Music: Introducing Intervals on CD Baby and Amazon. The Unravelling Music Series from Easy Ear Training helps the average listener learn more about music just by listening. It's a great resource for music educators and students. You can buy the full album from CD Baby or Amazon, or just check out the individual tracks below!

Check out this album for some great music and a new and fun way to learn about music!

Body Crash (Track 2)

An upbeat electronica work about love, aliens, and the beginning of a new world.

Desert Run (Track 8)

An ambient piece with a great beat! Desert Run was inspired by the millions who sacrificed everything to give hope to a younger generation. As I wrote this song, I imagined a mother and child fleeing poverty towards freedom.

Fallen (Track 13)

A beautiful easy listening piano ballade complete with luscious strings. This work was inspired by the sacrifices made by those who have fought and died for freedom and partially an emotional response to my brother's current service in Iraq.

Asylum (Track 18)

A gritty and psychedelic rock piece full of pulsating rhythms and electronica.

Club Mango (Track 23)

Starts out slow and steamy, then breaks out into a full Latin Jazz party! Spring break dancing my heart out on South Beach. You can check out another clip of Club Mango here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NC8BEI/ref=dm_dp_trk28

Let me know what you think about these great tracks! And enjoy Unravelling Music!

Libertaria Opera Auditions

2011-07-06T20:29:00.001-07:00

Well, I have been settling in our new home of Oklahoma. Currently taking advantage of the extra time to work on a few projects:

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera Auditions and Screenplay

I am currently accepting female and male roles (all vocal types) for the upcoming video opera Libertaria. Interested vocalists may submit a short vocal mp3 audition to spenayoung@gmail.com. The cast is growing bigger, and there are only a few spots left. I am completed the libretto for Libertaria and am working on the screenplay version first draft.

Find out more about Libertaria: The Virtual Opera here:

http://virtualopera.wordpress.com/

The Athena Mix Video

In the spring I had the opportunity to curate works with Vox Novus' Robert Voisey for the premier of the Athena Mix, an exciting and eclectic mix of sixty electronic compositions by sixty women from around the globe. Talented musicians like Pauline Oliveros, Joan La Barbara, Maggie Payne, Brenda Hutchinson, and many, many more submitted incredible electrouacoustic works for an hour long concert premier at the Athena Festival at Murray State University.

Currently I am working on a one hour long video animation project synced up to the Athena Mix. Needless to say, it has been a challenge. Soundscapes, dance beats, complex electroacoustic works, sound synthesis, vocal narratives, electronic opera, and more are covered in the video mix. It has been a challenge, but I hope that the visuals will be rewarding in the end.

Other Fun Projects

While Libertaria: The Virtual Opera and the Athena Mix are taking up much of my time, I am also doing a few other things on the side like teaching music history online, playing in the music ministry, and writing, of course. I was excited to find out about the Oklahoma Composer's Association Salon Concerts here in Lawton and will participate in these great music events.

Life is always busy and fun and musical. I look forward to what the rest of this year brings!

Creation Multimedia Oratorio wins IAWM New Genre Prize 2011

2011-06-05T21:09:00.000-07:00

My multimedia oratorio Creation won the New Genre Prize from the International Alliance for Women in Music. Creation, premiered by the Millikin University Women's Choir and Millikin University Percussion Ensemble (directed by Brian Justison), conducted by the talented Michael Engelhardt, had its first performance in Decatur, Illinois in 2011. Creation was commissioned by the Millikin University Women's Choir and partially funded by the Kentucky Foundation for Women's Artist Enrichment Grant. I could never have completed the work without the amazing support of each of these ensembles and organizations!

Press Release IAWM Search for New Music Winners!

2011-06-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Winners of the Search for New Music by Women Composers 2011

From the International Alliance for Women in Music: http://iawm.org/oppsComp_snm_currentWinners.htm

Theodore Front Prize - (minimum age 22) Chamber and Orchestral works:

Winner: Julia Adolphe of Los Angeles, CA, "Between the Accidental" for string quartet

Honorable Mentions:
Andrea L. Reinkemeyer of Ann Arbor, MI, "Wild Silk" for baritone saxophone, percussion and piano
Sky Macklay of Memphis, TN, "Before There Was Backspace There Was No Going Back" for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion, and amplified electric typewriter

Miriam Gideon Prize - (minimum age 50) Solo Voice and up to 5 Instruments:

Winner: Anne Kilstofte of Arizona for "String Quartet No. 2, Songs of the Night Wind" for baritone voice and string quartet

Honorable Mentions:
Cynthia Folio of Pennsylvania for "Two Songs on Poems of Stephen Dunn" for soprano, flute and viola
Alice Shields of New York City for "Komachi at Sekidera" for mezzo soprano, alto flute and koto

Sylvia Glickman Memorial Prize - (minimum age 40) String or Piano Trio or Quartet:

Winner: Kathryn Mishell of Austin, TX for "Piano Quartet" for violin, viola, cello and piano

Honorable Mentions:
Diane Berry of Victoria, BC for "A Northern Winter's Night" for violin, viola, cello and piano
Marilyn Devin of Los Angeles, CA for "Spring Quartet" for string quartet

Libby Larsen Prize - (currently enrolled in school) Any Medium:

Winner: Jessica Rudman of Brooklyn, NY for "Vortices" for orchestra

Honorable Mentions:
Heather Stebbins of Boston, MA for "again and again, however we know this landscape" for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion
Sang Mi Ahn of Bloomington, IN for "Hwae Sang (Remembrance)" for two violins

New Genre Prize - Innovation in form or style, including improvisation, multimedia, use of non-traditional notation:

Winner: Sabrina Peña Young of Murray, KY for "Creation" for chorus, percussion and multimedia

Honorable Mentions:
Hannah Gibbs of York, England for "Tale: A Radiophonic Soundscape"
Ximena Alarcon-Diaz of Leicester, England for "Sounding Underground", an interactive virtual environment

Pauline Oliveros Prize - Electro-acoustic media:

Winner: Nina C. Young of Montreal, Canada for "Kashchei for nine instruments and electronics"

Honorable Mentions:
Leah Reid of Mountain View, CA for "Sparrow (Spero)" flute, horn, percussion, violin, piano and live electronics
Shuai Yao of Muncie, IN for "White Night", an electronic composition using sounds of a Chinese pipa

PatsyLu Prize - Women of color and/or lesbians:

Winner: Jae Eun Jung of San Diego, CA for "Collage of Sketches" for chamber orchestra

Honorable Mentions:
Chia-Yu Hsu of Durham, NC, "Shan Ko" for orchestra
Ching-Yi Wang of Los Angeles, CA, "Beyond the Sound, There is..." for flute, viola and percussion

Judith Lang Zaimont Prize - (minimum age 30) Unpublished and not recorded - Large Solo or Chamber:

Winner: Beryl Lee Heuermann of Missoula, MT for "Ridge of Blue Longing" for two pianos

Honorable Mentions:
Eva Kendrick of Providence, RI for "Sonata for flute, oboe, clarinet, viola"
Carolina Noguera-Palau of Coventry, England for "Nocturno for large ensemble".

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Prize - (women 21 and under) Any Medium:

Winner: Elizabeth Nonemaker of Los Angeles, CA, "Quite Natural Things" for 2 flutes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, cello and harp

Honorable Mentions:
Samantha Wolf of Springwood, Australia, "...and all that could have been" for flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, viola and cello
Molly Joyce of New York City for "5 songs" for soprano, clarinet and piano

Ruth Anderson Prize - Sound installation with electro-acoustic medium:

Winner: Karen Power of County Cork, Ireland for "Are you where you think you are?", which will present soundscapes from specific locations around the world simultaneously, mixed with live sound.

Honorable Mention: Anne Goldberg of New York City for "Gray Areas", which includes electro-acoustic spatialization and live mixing of the interactions of dancers, musicians and audience.

Judges

The judges were Susan Epstein Garcia, Professor of Music at the New World School for the Arts in Miami, Florida, and Timothy R. Sullivan, Assistant Professor of Music at Crane School of Music, SUNY Postdam, New York.

Thank you to the hard work by our judges and thank you to all who submitted their music.

Pamela J. Marshall
IAWM Search for New Music Competition Committee.

A Composer's Goodbye to Murray, KY

2011-04-20T17:22:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaSeasons change, and it's time for me and my family to leave Murray, Kentucky, which has been our home since relocating from South Florida three years ago. I have enjoyed the people and the students that I have met here. What an amazing jewel in America's Heartland, with the Athena Festival, Murray State University, the Murray Art Guild, and a thriving arts community.

Tuesday night was my last concert with Murray State University, the New Music Concert. My students presented nine different electronic works, from clarinet and tape to more contemporary electronica. We even had a fun jazz piece or two. I also presented a video version of Movement 1 of my Creation Oratorio, originally performed live by the Millikin University Women's Choir and Millikin University Percussion Ensemble.

Moving will be hard. I am giving a lecture next week Ohio, then returning to Murray to finish packing. Such incredible craziness!

Goodbye, Murray! I will miss you!

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera Screenplay Update

2011-04-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

I recently rediscovered my passion for writing! I am in the screenplay stages of Libertaria: The Virtual Opera. After months of concept art, writing the libretto, and the storyboard, I am now making my dream a concrete reality through the art of screenwriting.

Why screenwriting for an opera?

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera is an animated opera, using the voice talents of an international cast and mixed by yours truly in my project studio. Unlike a live opera performance, Libertaria: The Virtual Opera will be a feature length animated film using a combination of computer animation and 2D art to tell the compelling story of the fiesty orphan Libertaria. Combining surrealism and graphic novel techniques, Libertaria: The Virtual Opera is both visually and aurally stunning, with an eclectic score that mashes contemporary electroacoustic composition with futuristic IDM (intelligent dance music).

If you want to find out more about Libertaria: The Virtual Opera, check out the Kickstarter Page!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/virtualopera/libertaria-the-animated-opera-0

2011-04-02T18:51:00.001-07:00

Image via WikipediaWith the semester coming to a close at Murray State, and my family soon relocating farther west, I am finding increased solace in writing the opera libretto for Libertaria: The Virtual Opera. I have written hundreds of lines of poetry and lyrics in my life, but writing an opera libretto is an entirely different animal.

Characters need to be fleshed out and as multidimensional an opera can allow. The story should flow logically, at least in my mind. Lyrics need to be purposeful and true. None of that "I love you, and I'm blue, dooby-doo" silliness. There must be drama, and realistic places (set in the future?). Since the opera will be animated, camera actions and transitions are also incorporated. The cast grows from a handful to two dozen interesting characters populating this bizarre science fiction tale. I hope the tale is original, as it weaves a complicated web about mother-daughter relationships against a backdrop of pharmaceutical frenzy. Is the opera about drugs? About war? About greed? About jealousy and revenge? Yes, but Libertaria: The Virtual Opera is also about love, forgiveness, and hope.

As I flesh out the ideas floating in my head and filling my recycled sketchbook, I am amazed with how simply typing up the libretto, scene by scene, has brought the fuzzy haze of an operatic tale into reality. I still have many scenes to write, many plot twists to turn, and many characters to bring to life, but the process is such an amazingly rewarding one.

I may never compose the same again!

Online Audition for Libertaria: The Virtual Opera

2011-01-05T10:13:00.001-08:00

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera
A surreal animated musical work by Sabrina Peña Young
Teenage Libertaria, a fighter of mysterious origin, leads a children's rebellion against the post-Apocalyptic government of the United Socialist States of America.
Even death can't stop her.

I am happy to announce the online auditions for Libertaria: The Virtual Opera at Music Xray.

If you are interested in volunteering your vocal talent for this exciting new animated opera, please check out the link below:
http://www.musicxray.com/interactions/1414/submissions/new

Libertaria: The Virtual Opera

It's the year 2125, and United States, decimated by nuclear war in the last half of the 21st century has splintered off into territorial factions. The sky has grown red, the water runs black, and hope rests on the shoulders of a young teen.

Meet Libertaria, of unknown origin and unknown place. Left as an infant in the abandoned Lady Liberty in the year 2125, she spent her early years bouncing from one foster home to another, until at the age of 14 she found escape, traveling on the bullet train from Nueva York, the capitol of the USSA, to New Miami.

But the world had not heard the last of the spunky chic with the bad attitude. And before it's all over, she will lead a children's rebellion against the greasy politicos running the nation into the ground.

New Free Relaxation Album

2010-12-09T14:54:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone,

As we get ready to take a break for Christmas, I thought I would share one of the projects I worked on this semester. It is a relaxation album specifically for mothers and children, but it also is very relaxing for just about anyone.

There is a free download of the entire album here:

http://www.easyeartraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/RelaxationPlayer/

Angels Take FlightThe flowing rhythms and melodies of the marimba embrace you and your child in a warm auditory embrace. Fluid melodies, repeating, enclosed within circles of luscious synthesized chords, send you into a heavenly realm of sweet slumber.
Eva Sleeps TonightThe simple melody of the lullaby, sparse and innocent, conjures up feelings and emotions associated with sleep and childhood. Single notes play together like children.
Before the DawnSoothing arpeggios and orchestral strains greet your ears with pleasing chords and a melody that wanders and wavers. Sounds of nature bring up images of a more innocent time, before the hustle and bustle of daily life eclipsed peaceful rest. Close your weary eyes and journey into the quiet land of slumber.
Mermaid SongSimplicity of melody and song, plaintive and sweet, calms the mind through joyous song. Slow and sparse, flute and harp create an imaginary dreamland welcoming even the most stressed of minds. Focus on each single note and allow your pains and sorrows to float away.
Brown NoiseWhile in the womb, your child enjoyed the constant beating of your heart, the rush of fluid around her ears, and the muffled voices from the world outside. This always active environment is recreated through the sounds of simple "brown" noise, which soothes and calms both mother and child.

I hope you enjoy this early gift for your ears for the holidays!

Smiles,
Mami Mozart

Composer Bio

2010-12-09T14:05:00.001-08:00

Origins Electronica Album

Intermedia composer, percussionist, author, and obsessive sci-fi buff, Young composes mind-numbing electroacoustic works heard in Asia, North America, Australia, and Europe. Her music has been heard in film festivals, radio, electronic dance clubs, random boom boxes in France, and as not-so-pleasant background music. Her multimedia works have been performed at venues like the Beijing Conservatory, the International Computer Music Conference, Miramax's Project Greenlight, the Athena Festival, the New York International Independent Film Festival, Art Basil Miami, Turkey's Cinema for Peace, and Pulsefield International Exhibition of Sound Art.

Creation Mov. 2 "Light"

Origins, a riveting album of cinematic soundscapes, pulsating rhythms and enigmatic vocals, was released on CD Baby and i-Tunes in 2008. Origins includes World Order #1, a pounding dance piece about nuclear war and Looking Glass, a nightmarish musical poem. Recent projects include World Order #5, an apocalyptic tale about the decimation of the human race by a viral mutation written for the Kansas State University percussion ensemble, 3D animation, and electronic music, and the Creation, a CGI multimedia oratorio composed for the Millikin University Women's Chorus and percussion ensemble. The world premier of Creation will took place April 17th, 2010, in Decator, Illinois.

The Feminine Musique: Multimedia and Women Today

In 2009 Young published The Feminine Musique: Multimedia and Women Today. The Feminine Musique traces the intersection of experimental music and new media through the works of innovative composers and artists who embraced social change, technology, and music.Young has written for the Kapralova Society Journal, Percussive Notes, Panpipes, the IAWM Music Journal, the SEAMUS Music Journal, and various fine arts websites.

Young has taught at Florida International University and currently teaches Sound Synthesis and composition at Murray State University.

Free Halloween Music Download

2010-10-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone!

I wrote a fun and spooky Halloween track called "Halloween Eve's Birthday Bash!" for Easy Ear Training.

Download it for free here:

http://www.easyeartraining.com/2010/10/29/new-free-ear-training-download-happy-halloween/

Let me know how you like the music track!

New Ear Training Album: Unravelling Music

2010-10-24T15:59:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce the release of my latest music project:

Unravelling Music: Introducing Intervals

This exciting new album is first in a series of fun and easy music training albums. Learn all about music just by listening to awesome tracks like Club Mango (a Latin Jazz tune based on my experiences at South Beach), Asylum (a heavy alternative rock tune), and Body Crash (electronica awesomeness).

Check out a sample here:

http://www.easyeartraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/IntroducingIntervalsDemo.mp3

The first 100 Customers will get a special introductory price of only $9.99!

I am so excited about this album! You will absolutely love the music!

http://www.easyeartraining.com/store/introducing-intervals/

Let me know what you think!

Fall Updates

2010-10-06T13:04:00.001-07:00

Image via WikipediaHello Everyone!

I have been busy like crazy teaching four music history courses and music synthesis. In addition, I am writing a new series called "Music & Life" for Easy Ear Training.com. This exciting new series delves into the latest research about music and human development, from the affect of music on the unborn baby to how music can positively impact autistic children.

You can check out the first article in "Music & Life" at Easy Ear Training:

http://www.easyeartraining.com/2010/09/30/music-life-the-unborn-child/

The latest article in the "Music & Life" Series is "The Secret Language Connection". Find out how music helps children develop language skills and how music can even help you learn a foreign language!

I am also hosting the International Alliance for Women in Music ELectronic Music concert at Murray State University. In the Spring Semester, the exciting Athena Festival will take place in March. Vox Novus will be collaborating with the Athena Festival to create the Athena Mix, an eclectic selection of sixty one minute works by sixty talented women.

More info about Vox Novus and the music submission process to come soon!

Murray State University Music Studio

2010-09-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Another exciting semester has begun at Murray State University. Right now the Synthesis Studio is full and I have a few private students. We are getting ready to work in Garageband and learn some MIDI Basics, then off to exciting work in Logic Studio mid-semester. The Murray State University New Music Concert is scheduled for November 20th. I also will be hosting an IAWM lecture/recital at the beginning of November, which will cover tape works by talented women.

I am teaching an online Music History course which I redesigned this semester. I am very excited to teach this music survey course, which has a new textbook that incorporates an online music lab. Very cool, very interactive, very tekky.

I continue writing for Easy Ear Training.com and am working on several other music writing projects for a number of national and international companies. My most recent releases include a series of ringtones and a couple of singles - Light and Revolution Devolution.

Update for Summer 2010

2010-07-14T22:25:00.001-07:00

Movement 2 "Light" from the multimedia oratorio "Creation".
Premiered April 2010 by the Millikin University Women's Chorus under the direction of esteemed conductor Michael Engelhardt.

It has been one busy summer. After a terrific performance of my multimedia oratorio "Creation" at Millikin University at the end of the spring semester by the University Women's Chorale, I completed an album for Easy Ear Training.com which will be coming out later this year. Right now I am composing a film score and getting ready to put out an album of tape music from "Creation" as well as finally getting around to publishing a video compilation of my best animated works, like Enigma, World Order #5, Innermost Thoughts of the Distorted Psyche', and the 3D animation from Creation. I continue writing for the IAWM Blog, Easy Ear Training.com, AC, and soon Yahoo.

Gearing up for the new semester at Murray State, where I will be teaching Music Synthesis. This year is the Athena Festival, and I will be jurying works for a special Vox Novus 60x60 Athena Mix to be premiered in the spring. Murray State will also be hosting an IAWM concert this fall in a lecture/recital format.

Scores

2010-05-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

PROGRAMMING A WORK
If you are interested in programming a composition or commissioning a new work, you can e-mail me through spenayoung@gmail.com . I look forward to hearing from you.

SPECIAL NOTICE: I am currently looking to collaborate with a large instrumental or vocal ensemble to create a large-scale multimedia work based on the text in Revelation. If you or someone you know is interested in this type of project, please contact me at spenayoung@gmail.com .

SCORES AVAILABLE ONLINE

Creation Multimedia Oratorio
SSA/3D Animation, Percussion Ensemble, Tape, Electronic Keyboard
A complex multilingual intertwining of Afro-Cuban music and traditional choral music, the intermedia oratorio Creation celebrates diversity and the beauty of procreation. A celebration of culture, life, and humanity.

Full score available through Lulu.com . Parts, click track, tape, and video available upon request (spenayoung@gmail.com).

A Glass of Water Lights the World
Solo Cello
Mysteriously enigmatic contemporary cello solo for advanced player inspired by the French film "Orfeus".

Song for the Forgotten Rose
Hauntingly beautiful and romantic wedding song for Mezzo Soprano and Piano. A beautiful and original love song of a forgotten rose found by a wandering traveler. Professional sheet music for intermediate performers.

Downward Spiral for String Orchestra
Free download available at the American Music Center.

Millieval
Advanced French Horn solo.
Free download available at the American Music Center.

Upcoming Performances

2009-08-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

World Order #5 has been selected to be screened at the Angel Moving Festival in London, England in October 2009.

The score for Looking Glass will be part of Nashville's SoundCrawl in October 2009.

The multimedia oratorio, Creation, commissioned by the Millikin University Women's Chorus and conducted by talented director Michael Engelhardt, will begin rehearsals this fall for the world premier in Spring 2010. Creation is a multimedia large-scale choral work, incorporate Millikin University's 60 member Women's Chorus, a full percussion ensemble, synthesizer, electronic tape, and animated 3D video. The text is in three languages - Swahili, Spanish, and English - and is derived from the creation story in Genesis, as well as excerpts from Revelation and Psalm 139. Meant to be a juxtaposition of procreation and the creation story, the Creation incorporates a musical marriage between electronics and traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms.

I also recently published The Feminine Musique: Multimedia and Women Today through Lulu Publishing: The Feminine Musique traces the intersection of experimental music and new media through the works of composers and artists at the turn of the twentieth century, giving a voice to those artists who embraced social change and technology to create compelling and sometimes controversial works.

The Feminine Musique is available in e-book and paperback format. It is currently available at Lulu.com and will be available at Amazon.com by 2010.

Great Film Tips for Low Budget Video and Film Projects

2009-05-18T14:41:00.001-07:00

The most recent set of articles that I have published on Associated Content.

Low Budget Film and Video Tips 1: In-Camera Video Effects
Helpful tips for creating convincing in-camera visual effects on low budget film and video projects.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1744772/low_budget_film_and_video_tips_1_incamera.html

Low Budget Film and Video Tips 2: Choosing an Exciting Set and Location
Creative ideas for choosing big budget locations for low budget films.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1744830/low_budget_film_and_video_tips_2_choosing.html

Low Budget Film and Video Tips 3: Sound and Dialogue
Professional tips for creating convincing sound in your low budget film or video.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1746922/low_budget_film_and_video_tips_3_sound.html

Low Budget Film and Video Tips 4: Music
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Recent Projects

2009-04-30T07:11:00.001-07:00

This past academic year has been a busy one, with my first semester teaching Music Synthesis and Music Theory at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky.

Recent projects include a commission from Millikin State University to compose an original oratorio for their sixty member women's chorus group, video, tape, electronic piano, and percussion. The Women's Chorus is directed by Michael Engelhardt. The oratorio is an audio visual comparison between the creation and the miracle of procreation (from conception to birth). Presented in several movements, the oratorio borrows text from Genesis, Psalms, and Revelation in the languages of English, Spanish, and Swahili. Musically, the work delves into a hybrid of traditional African rhythms and electronic synthesis. The 3D animation, created with Poser, Bryce, and Final Cut, combines familiar imagery of fetal development with the seven days of creation. The oratorio finishes with a massive chorus of joy.

WKMS, the local public radio station in the Western Kentucky area will be celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2010. I have been asked to compose a series of original music themes for their programming and regular shows. It is an exciting project that I thoroughly enjoy.

Millikin State University Halloween Concert 2008

2008-11-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

Encompassed in surreal fog and the dark void of Albert Taylor Theater, surrounded by ghouls, strangely familiar characters, and faux politicians donning masks as unreal as their human counterparts, the patrons of the annual Millikin University Percussion Ensemble Halloween Concert experienced a Halloween extravaganza like no other. Musicians donning costumes both dastardly and deeply disturbing, performed an eclectic mix of works from Dr. Jeremy Brunk’s exceptional rhythmic study, "Dominican Cycles", to works involving balloons and knives and lighters, and Sabrina Pena Young's eerie intermedia work, virelaan. Intermixed within outstanding percussion performances were interludes beckoning back to familiar horror villians such as the Joker and Saw's John Kramer.

The Annual Halloween Concert is the brain child of Brian Justison, Associate Professor of Music and Coordinator of Percussion Studies at Millikin University. Justison directed the entire production, from the intense musical performances to the cemetery surrounding the percussionists and the to mysterious appearances of the Rail Girl, a ghostly spirit said to have died a horrible death falling down the Albert Taylor Theator's elevator shaft. Justison hopes to expand the Halloween Concert to multiple nights next year, given this year's sold-out concert.

Article Published in the The Kapralova Society Journal, Volume VI, Issue 2

2008-09-12T09:14:00.001-07:00

The Kapralova Society recently published my article, "Intermedia: Redefining American Music at the Turn of the Third Millennium" in The Kapralova Society Journal, Volume VI, Issue 2 (Fall 2008).

In the article, I trace the evolution of technology and music through the works of prominent women who work in the arts and composition. Artists such as Laurie Anderson, Meredith Monk, Yoko Ono, and Brenda Hutchinson are discussed within the historical context of the convergence of visual and performing arts in intermedia.

You can read the article HERE.

The article is a condensed version of my thesis "The Feminine Musique': Multimedia and Women Today".

The Kapralova Society continues to contribute to the musical dialogue through its research and promotion of women in music.

Video Work for Upcoming Projects

2008-08-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

After completing the scores and tape parts for KSU's piece World Order #5 and the piece for Millikin University's percussion ensemble, entitled virelaan, it is time to create some serious video work for the two pieces. The piece will be performed November 8th at Kansas State University.

Both works are composed for percussion ensemble, tape, and video, for a large multimedia experience. Although both videos are in their sketch stages, with only seconds of video composed for each one, the concepts are complete.

World Order #5 will have a sleeker look, very futuristic, with throwbacks to radio noise which reflect the tape part. The bulk of the graphics will be created in Bryce, and animated with a combination of 3D and 2D work.

virelaan, from the Elvish word for "ghost", was commissioned for a Halloween concert this upcoming October at Millikin University. The black and white images will be a combination of 2D images animated through both Bryce and Photoshop CS. The piece will be performed at Millikin on Halloween night.

Moved to Kentucky!

2008-08-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

My husband and I just completed a fun 1000 mile drive from Miami, Florida to Murray, Kentucky. My husband has taken a position as strength conditioning coach with the basketball team at Murray State University. Now that we have almost moved in, back to composing!

Untitled Work for Haunted Concert Hall Halloween Night

2008-07-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

Between packing up my Miami apartment for a move to America's Heartland in Kentucky and tying up all the loose ends at my job, I have been completing my latest composition for Milllikin University in Illinois. The composition, the name of which has been oscillating between Rail Girl to Forgotten, and now is just untitled again, has been a fun break from the usual heavily sci-fi fair that I usually create.

Millikin University enjoys the notoriety for being the nation's most haunted (yes, haunted as in GHOSTS! BOO!) university. The ghost of the Rail Girl haunts the concert hall. Musicians and theater students alike try to assuage the wrath of Rail Girl by leaving her an offering of candy. Those that do not have had various catastrophes plague their performances, with one girl even claiming the ghost attempted to throw her down the stairs!

You can read more about the Rail Girl HERE.

When composing this piece I decided to purchase some "inspirational" items from the local thrift shop. A painting of a young girl at the beach stood out, as did a dress that matched the painting, and an eerie doll. The look in the girl's eyes are a bit unnerving, to say the least. However, what is perhaps a bit more unnerving, is the pink sash tied around the girl's waist. According to one student who saw the spirit, the Rail Girl "...was a small girl, with brown hair and she was wearing a white dress with a pink tie around it..." Was Rail Girl watching? I could not say.

The currently untitled work sounds like the inner workings of a rusted music box, and is scored for video, tape, handbell choir, waterphone, marimba, vibraphone, bells, crotales, and 2 hand percussionists.

Waterphone performed on by its founder, Richard Waters.

The composition will be performed Halloween Night at the Albert Taylor Theater by the Millikin University Percussion Ensemble, and will be conducted by Brian Justison.

Happy Haunting!

World Order #5 Awarded A CAP Grant from the American Music Society

2008-07-31T18:51:00.001-07:00

Sabrina Pena Young was awarded the a Composer Assistance Grant from The American Music Center for the upcoming world premier of World Order #5 on November 8th by the Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Kurt Gartner.

World Order #5 has been commissioned by the KSU Music Department and is the second piece composed specifically for this talented ensemble.

The American Music Center awarded a Composer Assistance Grant for the upcoming premier of World Order #5, to be performed at the McCain Auditorium by the Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble (directed by Kurt Gartner). World Order #5 is written for percussion sextet, video, and tape and is fifth in a series of electroacoustic pieces about contemporary society. This has been a successful series of works, with premiers at Turkey's Cinema for Peace, Pulsefield International Exhibition of Sound Art, and at the New York International Independent Film Festival (filmscore). World Order #5 follows the eventual demise of the human race in 2095 due to virus mutation and the continued economic disparity between the nations.

You can read more about the AMC CAP grant below:

ANNOUNCED

$33,760 Awarded for Support for Production of Performance Materials

NEW YORK – The American Music Center (AMC) is pleased to announce grant awards totaling $33,760 to 25
composers through the May 2008 round of the Composer Assistance Program (CAP). The awardees are
American composers ranging in age from 28 to 79 residing in 14 states and abroad.

Read more at:
http://www.amc.net/about/pressreleases/2008-07-22%20Composer%20Assistance%20Program.pdf

Music Updates!

2008-06-22T20:41:00.001-07:00

The American Music Society has awarded Sabrina Pena Young a music grant for the premier performance of World Order #5 at Kansas State University this November, under the direction of Kurt Gartner.

Progress on the commissioned work, World Order #5, has been a otherworldly audio experience. The electronic tape part, heavily inspired by the robotic truisms of Hal from 2001 Space Odyssey, creates a sound texture of an imminent apocalypse.

World Order #5 is written for percussion sextet, video, and electronic tape. The instrumentation includes vibes, marimba I and II, and three percussionists. The score and tape will be available through the American Music Society after November's performance.

The video for World Order #5 will be a combination of 3D and 2D animation techniques, and is the first time that Young will be using 3D animation for a live performance.

Sabrina Young just released her debut electroacoustic album, Origins. Cinematic soundscapes, pulsating rhythms, and enigmatic vocals envelop the listener in entangling textures and robotic mayhem. Origins is an otherworldly sound experience.

You can download Origins at i-Tunes HERE.

Millikin University in Illinois has commissioned a new multimedia work for percussion, video, and tape, to be premiered at the annual Halloween Concert. The piece is an eerie and twisted music dedication to the ghost, locally known as Rail Girl. Instrumentation for the work includes the use of the Waterphone, an unusual instrument known for its plaintive wailings. The piece will be conducted by Brian Justison.

Upcoming Performances 2008

2008-04-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

April 18-22, 2008
Premier of video work REQUIEM at the 2008 Beijing International Congress on Women in Music at the China Conservatory of Music. The event is hosted by the IAWM (International Alliance for Women in Music).

April 20, 2008
Performance of US vs. Them by Illinois' Millikin University Percussion Ensemble
6:00pm at the Albert Taylor Theater under the direction of Brian Justison.

May, 2008
Premier of Turtle Songs in Brookville, Ohio by the children's piano studio of Christina Sidaras. Turtle Songs is a children's piano piece in three movements for piano and video.

October 31, 2008 (tentative)
World Premier by the Milliken State University Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Brian Justison. This untitled work is for 10-12 percussionists, tape, and video.

November 8, 2008 (tentative)
Premier of World Order #5 by the Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Kurt Gartner. World Order #5 was composed specifically for the Kansas State University Percussion Ensemble, and is written for percussion sextet, video, and tape. It is the fifth in a series of electroacoustic pieces.

2008
The piece, CYBERNATION, will be released with the Vox Novus International Mix 2008 CD.

Spring 2008
The score for World Order #4 will be published as part of the composer anthology, Notations 21.

IN THE WORKS
The CD release of a solo electroacoustic album, ORIGINS.

Contemporary Classical Composer Sabrina Pena Young Official Music Site

Music Projects 2012

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Theodore Front Prize - (minimum age 22) Chamber and Orchestral works:

Miriam Gideon Prize - (minimum age 50) Solo Voice and up to 5 Instruments:

Sylvia Glickman Memorial Prize - (minimum age 40) String or Piano Trio or Quartet:

Libby Larsen Prize - (currently enrolled in school) Any Medium:

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PatsyLu Prize - Women of color and/or lesbians:

Judith Lang Zaimont Prize - (minimum age 30) Unpublished and not recorded - Large Solo or Chamber:

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A Composer's Goodbye to Murray, KY

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Scores

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Recent Projects

Millikin State University Halloween Concert 2008

Article Published in the The Kapralova Society Journal, Volume VI, Issue 2

Video Work for Upcoming Projects

Moved to Kentucky!

Untitled Work for Haunted Concert Hall Halloween Night

World Order #5 Awarded A CAP Grant from the American Music Society

Music Updates!

Upcoming Performances 2008