Like Barley Bending

This year’s James M Collier New Works Festival features commissioned, large-scale choral/orchestral works by two women composers, Repertory Singers’ Composer in Residence, Jodi French, and English rising star, Lucy Walker. Jodi French’s, “Like Barley Bending” based on Sara Teasdale’s poem of the same name, explores the resilience of the human spirit. “So would I softly, Day long, night long, Change my sorrow Into song.” The multi-movement work expounds on this theme as expressed by women poets and mystics across time. Lucy Walker is fast establishing herself as one of choral music’s brightest lights. She is being performed by the very top ensembles in the world. Repertory Singers are proud that our commission will be her first major work commission and her first commission in the United States. We look forward to more life-enhancing, big heart music from these two outstanding women composers.