DAWN KRYSTAL WILLIAMS

COMPOSER AND MEZZO-CONTRALTO
WORKS LIST
WORKS LIST
(annotated partial list)
(annotated partial list)
A Candle Lit at Noon
A Candle Lit at Noon
Voice and Piano
Voice and Piano
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
SSA Choral
SSA Choral
Arc
Arc
Viola and Cello
Viola and Cello
Aset
Aset
Speaker and Prepared Piano
Speaker and Prepared Piano
Language: Ancient Egyptian
Language: Ancient Egyptian
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Duration: 10 minutes
Hear it on:
Hear it on:
CHALUMEAU (CD)
CHALUMEAU (CD)
The text to Aset is a hymn to Isis, inscribed on a wall of the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae. The speaker (either male or female) intones the words of the hymn. The prepared piano part, based on perfect intervals and tritones, uses registral and temporal space to highlight the spoken words.
The text to Aset is a hymn to Isis, inscribed on a wall of the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae. The speaker (either male or female) intones the words of the hymn. The prepared piano part, based on perfect intervals and tritones, uses registral and temporal space to highlight the spoken words.
Perform it:
Perform it:
Aurora Australis
Aurora Australis
Full Orchestra
Full Orchestra
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Duration: 10 minutes
Baïlèro
Baïlèro
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass)
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass)
Sung partially into a megaphone to depict echoes across mountains, Baïlèro is a modern setting of a traditional folksong from the Auvergne region of France. The work may be performed by any voice type. The folksong, an exchange between two shepherds, is quoted over the course of the piece. Between phrases of the original song is newly-composed music, such as special effects, folk-like melodies, and ethereal passages. The Occitan words appear unaltered during the folksong phrases, and provide phonemes that comprise the text elsewhere.
Sung partially into a megaphone to depict echoes across mountains, Baïlèro is a modern setting of a traditional folksong from the Auvergne region of France. The work may be performed by any voice type. The folksong, an exchange between two shepherds, is quoted over the course of the piece. Between phrases of the original song is newly-composed music, such as special effects, folk-like melodies, and ethereal passages. The Occitan words appear unaltered during the folksong phrases, and provide phonemes that comprise the text elsewhere.
Perform it:
Perform it:
Blue Ice
Blue Ice
2 Flutes
2 Flutes
Difficulty: Moderate (college/community level)
Difficulty: Moderate (college/community level)
Duration: 7 minutes
Duration: 7 minutes
Burst
Burst
Electronic
Electronic
Duration: 1 minute
Duration: 1 minute
Burst is a very brief electronic piece, consisting entirely of musique concrète. Abrupt percussive strikes persistently interrupt longer waves of vocal clusters.
Burst is a very brief electronic piece, consisting entirely of musique concrète. Abrupt percussive strikes persistently interrupt longer waves of vocal clusters.
Class Act
Class Act
Song
Song
Collage/Cast
Collage/Cast
Solo Contrabass
Solo Contrabass
Cyclopes
Cyclopes
Brass Quintet
Brass Quintet
Deorsumversion
Deorsumversion
Full Orchestra
Full Orchestra
Dulci
Dulci
SSAA Choral
SSAA Choral
Eleison
Eleison
Full Orchestra
Full Orchestra
Entortilation
Entortilation
Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, 2 Percussionists
Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, 2 Percussionists
Erinyes
Erinyes
Alto Recorder and Cello
Alto Recorder and Cello
EVERYONE
EVERYONE
Song
Song
Genesis
Genesis
Solo Cello
Solo Cello
Grey Mist
Grey Mist
Solo Cello
Solo Cello
Difficulty: Moderate (college/community level)
Difficulty: Moderate (college/community level)
Duration: 8 minutes
Duration: 8 minutes
Counterpoint is the prominent feature of Grey Mist. The piece contains a limited number of intervals, with many octave displacements. These intervals combine into various pitch patterns, forming broad melodic lines, with rhythms designed to avoid metric implications. The pitch patterns reappear throughout the work, transposed and with differing rhythms. In particular, the opening long phrase develops into quasi-variations.
Counterpoint is the prominent feature of Grey Mist. The piece contains a limited number of intervals, with many octave displacements. These intervals combine into various pitch patterns, forming broad melodic lines, with rhythms designed to avoid metric implications. The pitch patterns reappear throughout the work, transposed and with differing rhythms. In particular, the opening long phrase develops into quasi-variations.
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty
Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass), Toy Instrument Player
Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass), Toy Instrument Player
Language: English
Language: English
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 25 minutes
Duration: 25 minutes
Humpty Dumpty is a bizarre declamation of a series of nursery rhymes, with mainly humorous and a few serious settings, both sung and spoken. The piece may be performed by any voice type. It includes well-known poems (Jack Sprat, Georgie Porgie, Little Miss Muffet, etc.) as well as less-familiar ones (Tommy Snooks, Sally Go Round the Sun, Hector Protector, etc.). The rhymes are often performed in voices of specific character types. These may be relevant to the text, or may be ironic or even entirely unrelated to the nursery rhyme. Various types of toy instruments of differing timbres appear throughout the piece, with one instrument per poem.
Humpty Dumpty is a bizarre declamation of a series of nursery rhymes, with mainly humorous and a few serious settings, both sung and spoken. The piece may be performed by any voice type. It includes well-known poems (Jack Sprat, Georgie Porgie, Little Miss Muffet, etc.) as well as less-familiar ones (Tommy Snooks, Sally Go Round the Sun, Hector Protector, etc.). The rhymes are often performed in voices of specific character types. These may be relevant to the text, or may be ironic or even entirely unrelated to the nursery rhyme. Various types of toy instruments of differing timbres appear throughout the piece, with one instrument per poem.
Huwuld Nyui
Huwuld Nyui
Medium-Low Voice (Mezzo-Soprano or Baritone), 2 Percussionists
Medium-Low Voice (Mezzo-Soprano or Baritone), 2 Percussionists
Language: Pima (Native American), phonemes
Language: Pima (Native American), phonemes
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 12 minutes
Duration: 12 minutes
Huwuld Nyui is a setting of a Pima poem by Ha-ata, a song to the wind. Certain words of the poem are linked to particular percussion instruments. The vocal part combines sung, spoken, and whispered sounds. Text painting depicts especially picturesque words of the poem and phonemes derived from them. The full poem appears in the middle of the piece; the opening and closing sections consist of highlighted words and their phonemes.
Huwuld Nyui is a setting of a Pima poem by Ha-ata, a song to the wind. Certain words of the poem are linked to particular percussion instruments. The vocal part combines sung, spoken, and whispered sounds. Text painting depicts especially picturesque words of the poem and phonemes derived from them. The full poem appears in the middle of the piece; the opening and closing sections consist of highlighted words and their phonemes.
Perform it:
Perform it:
Île de Ré
Île de Ré
4 Organists (1 Organ, 8 Hands)
4 Organists (1 Organ, 8 Hands)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 7 minutes
Duration: 7 minutes
Impulse
Impulse
3+ Performers (Leader and Audience)
3+ Performers (Leader and Audience)
Impulse is an interactive, audience-participation piece, which creates an atmosphere of percussive sounds. Each person present selects a percussive sound to perform. The leader opens the piece by producing his/her sound, at regular intervals. After the leader has begun, the first audience member begins, then the second, and so on until everyone is performing. Then, when signaled, everyone crescendos slowly, to as loud as possible. This loud dynamic sustains for some time, and then, again when signaled, everyone cuts off simultaneously.
Impulse is an interactive, audience-participation piece, which creates an atmosphere of percussive sounds. Each person present selects a percussive sound to perform. The leader opens the piece by producing his/her sound, at regular intervals. After the leader has begun, the first audience member begins, then the second, and so on until everyone is performing. Then, when signaled, everyone crescendos slowly, to as loud as possible. This loud dynamic sustains for some time, and then, again when signaled, everyone cuts off simultaneously.
Kamu Balni
Kamu Balni
Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass) and Ethnic Drum
Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass) and Ethnic Drum
Language: Fulani/Peul (African)
Language: Fulani/Peul (African)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Duration: 10 minutes
Hear it on:
Hear it on:
CHALUMEAU (CD)
CHALUMEAU (CD)
Kamu Balni is based on a traditional West African poem, a depiction of twilight, from the Fulani (Peul) people of Upper Volta. It may be performed by any voice type, with any type of ethnic drum. Rhythm is the major focus of the piece. The vocal and percussion parts are independent of each other, but both incorporate features of traditional West African rhythms (such as hemiola and bi-rhythms). The vocal part contains various methods of producing sound: whispering, shouting, tongue rolls and clicks, etc., in addition to ordinario singing.
Kamu Balni is based on a traditional West African poem, a depiction of twilight, from the Fulani (Peul) people of Upper Volta. It may be performed by any voice type, with any type of ethnic drum. Rhythm is the major focus of the piece. The vocal and percussion parts are independent of each other, but both incorporate features of traditional West African rhythms (such as hemiola and bi-rhythms). The vocal part contains various methods of producing sound: whispering, shouting, tongue rolls and clicks, etc., in addition to ordinario singing.
Perform it:
Perform it:
Kiji no
Kiji no
Low Voice (Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Baritone or Bass) and Cello
Low Voice (Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Baritone or Bass) and Cello
Language: Japanese
Language: Japanese
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Duration: 10 minutes
Hear it on:
Hear it on:
CHALUMEAU (CD)
CHALUMEAU (CD)
Watch it on:
Watch it on:
DAWNSTAGE (DVD)
DAWNSTAGE (DVD)
Kiji no is inspired by traditional Japanese music. It may be performed by either male or female low voice. The text consists of a series of seventeenth- through nineteenth-century haiku, each by a different poet, depicting various nature scenes. The vocal music contains subtle text-painting of each poem. The cello plays entirely harmonics, which are sometimes combined with effects such as sul ponticello, tremolo, or glissando. Pitches in both the vocal and cello parts are based on approximations of notes in traditional Japanese modes.
Kiji no is inspired by traditional Japanese music. It may be performed by either male or female low voice. The text consists of a series of seventeenth- through nineteenth-century haiku, each by a different poet, depicting various nature scenes. The vocal music contains subtle text-painting of each poem. The cello plays entirely harmonics, which are sometimes combined with effects such as sul ponticello, tremolo, or glissando. Pitches in both the vocal and cello parts are based on approximations of notes in traditional Japanese modes.
Lattice
Lattice
Flute/Alto Flute, Clarinet, Cello, Harp
Flute/Alto Flute, Clarinet, Cello, Harp
Nautilus
Nautilus
Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello
Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello
Nunya
Nunya
2 African Drums
2 African Drums
Nunya may be performed on any type(s) of African drums. Both parts incorporate authentic African drumming patterns. The performers occasionally shout Akan words, which, when taken together, form the proverb “Nunya, adidoe, asi metunee o [Knowledge, like the baobab tree, can be embraced by no individual].”
Nunya may be performed on any type(s) of African drums. Both parts incorporate authentic African drumming patterns. The performers occasionally shout Akan words, which, when taken together, form the proverb “Nunya, adidoe, asi metunee o [Knowledge, like the baobab tree, can be embraced by no individual].”
Perform it:
Perform it:
Pangram
Pangram
Solo Clarinet
Solo Clarinet
Difficulty: Moderate (college/community level)
Difficulty: Moderate (college/community level)
Duration: 7 minutes
Duration: 7 minutes
Pascha Nostrum
Pascha Nostrum
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass)
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass)
Pascha Nostrum may be performed by any voice type. The piece is a modern rendering of a medieval chant, which is part of an Easter Day mass. The notes of the chant provide the pitch and structural framework for the piece. Phonemes occurring throughout the work are various combinations of vowels and consonants taken from the original text: “Alleluia—pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus [Alleluia—Christ our passover is sacrificed].” The performer adds vocal special effects as desired.
Pascha Nostrum may be performed by any voice type. The piece is a modern rendering of a medieval chant, which is part of an Easter Day mass. The notes of the chant provide the pitch and structural framework for the piece. Phonemes occurring throughout the work are various combinations of vowels and consonants taken from the original text: “Alleluia—pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus [Alleluia—Christ our passover is sacrificed].” The performer adds vocal special effects as desired.
Poèmes d'Amour
Poèmes d'Amour
Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass) and Piano
Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass) and Piano
Poèmes d’Amour consists of seven short songs, which may be sung by any voice type and may be performed in any order. The songs are settings of works by the nineteenth-century French poet Paul Verlaine, and may be considered as modern lieder. Each song has a distinct character, using various methods of vocal production: À Clymène features resonated vocalizing into the piano; A Poor Young Shepherd is a shepherd song, sung in a childlike voice; Clair de Lune is a Pierrot Lunaire-style song, with Sprechstimme; the chant En Sourdine is sung into a paper bag; Green is sung cabaret-style; Il Bacio is a spoken declamation of the text; and Mandoline is a serenade. The pianist also produces sounds in various ways, including strumming, plucking, scraping, and striking the piano strings; playing wind chimes or cowbells; and rapping the closed keyboard lid – without ever touching the piano keys.
Poèmes d’Amour consists of seven short songs, which may be sung by any voice type and may be performed in any order. The songs are settings of works by the nineteenth-century French poet Paul Verlaine, and may be considered as modern lieder. Each song has a distinct character, using various methods of vocal production: À Clymène features resonated vocalizing into the piano; A Poor Young Shepherd is a shepherd song, sung in a childlike voice; Clair de Lune is a Pierrot Lunaire-style song, with Sprechstimme; the chant En Sourdine is sung into a paper bag; Green is sung cabaret-style; Il Bacio is a spoken declamation of the text; and Mandoline is a serenade. The pianist also produces sounds in various ways, including strumming, plucking, scraping, and striking the piano strings; playing wind chimes or cowbells; and rapping the closed keyboard lid – without ever touching the piano keys.
Praesepe
Praesepe
String Quartet (2 Violins, Viola, Cello)
String Quartet (2 Violins, Viola, Cello)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Duration: 10 minutes
Preamble
Preamble
2 Flutes
2 Flutes
Pyat' Pesen
Pyat' Pesen
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass)
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass)
Pyat’ Pesen is a set of five songs, settings of works by the nineteenth-century Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov. The songs may be performed by any voice type and in any order. The work is designed for quasi-dramatic performance, and the singer determines various aspects of the music. The piece includes Kogda (When), Ona (She), Sosed (The Neighbor), Vykhozhu (I Am Starting Out), and Morskaya Tsarevna (The Sea Princess) – one of the composer’s personal favorites.
Pyat’ Pesen is a set of five songs, settings of works by the nineteenth-century Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov. The songs may be performed by any voice type and in any order. The work is designed for quasi-dramatic performance, and the singer determines various aspects of the music. The piece includes Kogda (When), Ona (She), Sosed (The Neighbor), Vykhozhu (I Am Starting Out), and Morskaya Tsarevna (The Sea Princess) – one of the composer’s personal favorites.
Perform it:
Perform it:
Senet
Senet
Medium-Low or Low Voice (Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Baritone or Bass) and Piano
Medium-Low or Low Voice (Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Baritone or Bass) and Piano
Language: Ancient Egyptian
Language: Ancient Egyptian
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Duration: 10 minutes
Hear it on:
Hear it on:
CHALUMEAU (CD)
CHALUMEAU (CD)
Watch it on:
Watch it on:
DAWNSTAGE (DVD)
DAWNSTAGE (DVD)
Taken together, the texts of the three movements of Senet comprise an ancient Egyptian love poem composed in Thebes during the reign of Ramses V. The music in both the vocal and piano parts is transparent, and is based on a series of chords. Each movement highlights a particular aspect of the chord series. The piano music, covering the entire range of the instrument, plays closely- and widely-spaced chords, and also incorporates extended techniques.
Taken together, the texts of the three movements of Senet comprise an ancient Egyptian love poem composed in Thebes during the reign of Ramses V. The music in both the vocal and piano parts is transparent, and is based on a series of chords. Each movement highlights a particular aspect of the chord series. The piano music, covering the entire range of the instrument, plays closely- and widely-spaced chords, and also incorporates extended techniques.
Perform it:
Perform it:
Sikya
Sikya
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass) with Shakers or Rattles
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass) with Shakers or Rattles
Language: Papago (Native American), vocables
Language: Papago (Native American), vocables
Difficulty: Moderate (college/community level)
Difficulty: Moderate (college/community level)
Duration: 10 minutes
Duration: 10 minutes
Hear it on:
Hear it on:
SOLODAWN (CD)
SOLODAWN (CD)
Sikya, a setting of a Papago poem depicting butterflies in flight, is inspired by traditional Native American music. It may be performed by any voice type. A rhythmic pulse drives the piece. Lines of the poem alternate with vocables (nonsense syllables), in a combination of sung, spoken, whispered, and shouted sounds. The singer also plays two shakers or rattles to illustrate swarms of butterflies.
Sikya, a setting of a Papago poem depicting butterflies in flight, is inspired by traditional Native American music. It may be performed by any voice type. A rhythmic pulse drives the piece. Lines of the poem alternate with vocables (nonsense syllables), in a combination of sung, spoken, whispered, and shouted sounds. The singer also plays two shakers or rattles to illustrate swarms of butterflies.
Perform it:
Perform it:
Sky
Sky
Clarinet and Piano
Clarinet and Piano
Slate
Slate
Solo Piano
Solo Piano
Sonnet 9
Sonnet 9
Contralto and Piano
Contralto and Piano
Surge
Surge
3+ Performers (Leader and Audience)
3+ Performers (Leader and Audience)
Surge is an interactive, audience-participation piece, which creates a rolling sweep of vocal sounds across the concert hall. Each person present chooses a vocal sound to perform. The leader conducts a series of passes over the audience, going slowly from one side of the hall to the other. With each pass, the audience members repeat their sounds until the leader has passed them, beginning as soft as possible, with a crescendo to as loud as possible, and gradually returning to as soft as possible.
Surge is an interactive, audience-participation piece, which creates a rolling sweep of vocal sounds across the concert hall. Each person present chooses a vocal sound to perform. The leader conducts a series of passes over the audience, going slowly from one side of the hall to the other. With each pass, the audience members repeat their sounds until the leader has passed them, beginning as soft as possible, with a crescendo to as loud as possible, and gradually returning to as soft as possible.
sWirLS...
sWirLS...
Electronic
Electronic
Tesserae
Tesserae
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass)
Solo Voice (Soprano or Mezzo-Soprano or Contralto or Tenor or Baritone or Bass)
A pastiche of short musical events, Tesserae is the composite of many fragmentary motives. It may be performed by any voice type. Numerous vocal special effects occur throughout the piece, altering musical aspects such as timbre and pitch. The vocal sound is further changed through external modifications (singing into a metal can, megaphone, etc.), and is augmented by percussive accents (foot stomps, finger snaps, etc.). The text has no actual meaning, but rather consists of a variety of phonemes.
A pastiche of short musical events, Tesserae is the composite of many fragmentary motives. It may be performed by any voice type. Numerous vocal special effects occur throughout the piece, altering musical aspects such as timbre and pitch. The vocal sound is further changed through external modifications (singing into a metal can, megaphone, etc.), and is augmented by percussive accents (foot stomps, finger snaps, etc.). The text has no actual meaning, but rather consists of a variety of phonemes.
Tiramisù
Tiramisù
Chef and Sous-Chef (Voice and Assistant)
Chef and Sous-Chef (Voice and Assistant)
Language: Italian
Language: Italian
Difficulty: Easy (within high school reach)
Difficulty: Easy (within high school reach)
Duration: 3 minutes
Duration: 3 minutes
Inspired by the composer’s passion for pastry cooking, Tiramisù is a humorous look at a pastry chef in the kitchen, hard at work on a tiramisù, the Italian dessert comprised of layers of liqueur-soaked cake and mascarpone cream. A semi-theatrical piece, it involves a speaker/singer dressed in chef’s garb who pantomimes the preparation of the dish from start to finish, meanwhile reading the recipe aloud and using actual working appliances and utensils. In addition to its entertaining aspects, the piece is also a study of the music inherent in the inflections of the chef’s speech and in the sounds of various chef’s tools.
Inspired by the composer’s passion for pastry cooking, Tiramisù is a humorous look at a pastry chef in the kitchen, hard at work on a tiramisù, the Italian dessert comprised of layers of liqueur-soaked cake and mascarpone cream. A semi-theatrical piece, it involves a speaker/singer dressed in chef’s garb who pantomimes the preparation of the dish from start to finish, meanwhile reading the recipe aloud and using actual working appliances and utensils. In addition to its entertaining aspects, the piece is also a study of the music inherent in the inflections of the chef’s speech and in the sounds of various chef’s tools.
(Untitled)
(Untitled)
Woodwind Quartet
Woodwind Quartet
Water
Water
Solo Cello
Solo Cello
Difficulty: Virtuosic
Difficulty: Virtuosic
Duration: 10 minutes
Duration: 10 minutes
Whale-Song
Whale-Song
Clarinet and Cello
Clarinet and Cello
Wind Song
Wind Song
Voice and Percussion
Voice and Percussion
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Difficulty: Hard (professional)
Witches' Harvest
Witches' Harvest
Violin Ensemble
Violin Ensemble
Difficulty: Easy (within high school reach)
Difficulty: Easy (within high school reach)
WOW
WOW
SATB Choral and Percussion, or Electronic
SATB Choral and Percussion, or Electronic
W Ursae Majoris
W Ursae Majoris
2 Violins
2 Violins