We are excited to continue our collaboration with the New York Women Composers (NYWC). This month, we present a piece by Rebekah Driscoll.
Rebekah Driscoll. Photo by Barnaby Kendall.
Rebekah Driscoll is a composer who thrives on creating music for unique instrument and vocal combinations, often exploring the intricate connections between language and music. Her work frequently addresses pressing societal issues like inequality and environmental stewardship, blending thorough research with a deeply personal perspective.
Rebekah’s major compositions include Apart/ment, an opera/song cycle that delves into the theme of homelessness, and Ill on a Journey, a multilingual oratorio reflecting the complexities of living with chronic illness. Her album From Liberty and Fragrant Harbors, which features her vocal ensemble music, has been praised for its compositional excellence and social consciousness. With degrees from Sarah Lawrence College and Brooklyn College Conservatory, Rebekah has studied under esteemed composers such as Chester Biscardi, Jason Eckardt, and Tania León. She is a member of ASCAP.
Featured Work: Sisters Face West for violin and cello
COMPOSITION DETAILS
- Title: Sisters Face West
- Composer: Rebekah Driscoll
- Year of Composition: 2008
- Instrumentation: violin and cello
- Movements: 1
- Duration of Work: 6 minutes and 30 seconds
- Number of Measures: 113
- Number of pages: 5
- Tempo: quarter note = c. 92 to quarter note = c. 70
- Difficulty Level: A versatile piece – technically, high intermediate, but musically advanced or professional
- Highest Position Reached: 5th, but depends on fingering
- Techniques Employed: no extended techniques; bass and tenor clefs; 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 time signatures; double- and triple-stops; half-note, quarter-note, and eighth-note triplets
- Publisher: Self-Published
- Where to Purchase the Score: ko-fi.com
- Cost of Score*: $7
Recording
Here is a recording by the Cygnus Ensemble (2008):
Program Notes
“This piece was inspired by two sisters dealing with the loss of a loved one. Each instrument represents one of the sisters, who initially have very different attitudes and cannot communicate with each other. As the piece progresses the two lines interact, working through various stages of grief together.” – Rebekah Driscoll
Rebekah Driscoll’s Other Work with a Prominent Cello Part
How to Follow, Support, and Contact Rebekah Driscoll
A Collaboration with the New York Women Composers (NYWC)
The NYWC series at the Cello Museum was created to showcase its members who have composed various pieces for cello, informing cellists seeking new music to add to their repertoire, and helping listeners find new favorites. Many thanks to the NYWC for this wonderful collaboration.
Read other installments in the series here.
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