Choral Compositions

 

 

Here are a few of my pieces:  

 

The first piece here is called Totally New Beginning which gets its title from an essay by Thomas Merton.  Words by Vicki Milewski and Thomas Merton, music by Vicki Milewski

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second piece I'll share has been widely performed by sacred and secular choirs and is called Stars In a New Constellation and it is about the time directly after losing my parents and how the stars in my life had shifted.  The title comes from the United States Congress who in   1777 ordered the creation of a flag featuring "stars in a new constellation"—the Stars and Stripes.

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The third song I'll share here is called Winter Song which I wrote over several years after losing both my parents. It is an atonal song with some lush harmonies and a strong melody.  There are two scores one with piano and one where the choir is acapella.  Words and Music by Vicki Milewski.  Winter Song has been performed internationally:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The next song is called Light: Where do we go from here? and is written for acapella choir in a hymn structure.  When I was out snowshoeing one bright winter afternoon I fell and could not get up since my snow shoes were frozen onto my shoes and it was hard to stand with them on.  I worried since the sun was setting and the forecast was for below zero temperatures.  I became frustrated and then I looked up and saw I left the light on in my house which was about 1/2 mile away.  I then heard this song and knew I was going to make it home.  I wrote it that evening in front of the iron stove's fire.  The title is from a Martin Luther King Jr. speech.  Words by Martin Luther King Jr. and Vicki Milewski and music by Vicki Milewski

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This choral piece was inspired by reading from the books found at Nag Hamadi as well as theosophical ideas.  In Love One words and music by Vicki Milewski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This piece is for solo voice (or unison choir) with piano and it's called Those Birds for the migratory birds which use the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.  After finding that some of the birds who raise their young on my lake go there I had to follow and the freedom and sense of space at this Refuge inspired this song.  Drums will be added to the score...

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A Little Background

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I started writing compositions for choir just after high school. They were simple, catholic structures that I never sought to have performed but which helped gain me scholarship money for college.  Once I was majoring in music I wrote better pieces and could actually hear the sounds I wanted.  Then I was introduced to Charles Ives and everything changed.  Atonality was what I sought and I understood it as strength, love, conviction--all things I needed in my life.  I also heard atonality as the freedom of chords, as the chance for individual notes to be heard even when played with others.  My love of rock n roll music may have also helped in my appreciation of atonality.  I believe in the tune first, the melody and then after that it is all about explaining what the choir is singing through the tonal structure.  

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Currently I am working on a song cycle based on Ghost Dance melodies compiled by James Mooney and Alice Fletcher in the late 1800's.  These melodies are haunting and I hope to bring attention not only to the music but the history of that time in order that we uplift everyone and see that personal, communal and global cultures need to be respected and given space to thrive.

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I have also found an affinity with Electronic Music (EM) and Electronic Dance Music (EDM).  My love of fashion and dancing led me to this music and from the early days when I would scratch my records at Chicago house parties to now when I simple click a link to start the music it has been a thrilling ride.