Sixteen years have flown by since I first put pencil to staff paper in college and became hooked on the challenge of composing: creating music, sculpting sound. I began my music career at age seven with piano lessons, at age eleven learned the clarinet in band, and explored dance, theater, art. Supported by teachers, family, friends, I continued my studies through the master’s level, both in the States and in the Netherlands on a Fulbright grant, and now work as a freelance composer with musicians, artists, and theater makers, presenting in concerts and festivals around the globe.
Youth Orchestra Premiere – “Texas Horned Lizard”
Youth Orchestra of San Antonio (YOSA Philharmonic) presents “Wildlife Harmonies”
May 12, 2024 – 7 p.m. (Sunday)
H-E-B Performance Hall – Tobin Center for the Performing Arts,
100 Auditorium Circle, San Antonio, TX 78205. Tickets.
Experience the world premiere of compositions by Composers Alliance of San Antonio (CASA) members inspired by animals at the San Antonio Zoo: “A San Antonio Carnival of the Animals.” This concert will also feature Respighi’s show-stopping “Pines of Rome” with special guest the San Antonio Brass Band, plus a solo performance by the 2023/24 YOSA Concerto Competition Winner. Don’t miss this wild musical adventure through the animal kingdom.
*This concert includes the premiere of my new composition “Texas Horned Lizard” for youth orchestra.
Bread Machine for Wind Quintet & Video
Adelante Winds masterfully premiered my new romp of a piece for woodwind quintet & video called “Bread Machine,” where you can hear and see the dough mix and form. The machine really sings some great loops and grooves with the fantastic wind instruments. And who doesn’t love bread?! The premiere performance was part of The Second International Arts Festival at the Luella Bennack Concert Hall of the University of the Incarnate Word on March 23, 2024. Once again, I’m proud to have been part of a concert of music by Composers Alliance of San Antonio.
Requiem for the Victims of a Pandemic
for SATB Choir, Two Soloists, and Chamber Orchestra
Commissioned in consortium by Trinity University (Gary Seighman, conductor), the University of the Incarnate Word (William Gokelman, conductor), and the Young Professionals Choral Collective (Danielle Steele, conductor), this new work aims to bring healing as we begin to gather again after the tough years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The score and parts were delivered after a journey of introspection, observation, and creation. Half of the text is original- themes of breathing, solitude, loneliness, uncertainty and hope penned by the composer interweave with anonymous submissions of words and memories by choir members, creating a plurality of voices.
The world premiere performance was given during the “Choral Union Concert” in Laurie Auditorium at the Trinity University San Antonio, Texas on March 4, 2023. Trinity University (Gary Seighman) and the University of the Incarnate Word (William Gokelman) choirs joined forces with the Trinity Symphony Orchestra (Joseph Kneer, director).
The next consortium performance was by the Young Professionals Choral Collective, directed by co-commissioner Ms. Danielle Cozart Steele at the Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati, Ohio in June 28, 2023.
New: There is a new reduction available for a chamber ensemble of 5 players, also commissioned by YPCC.
For more details about this work, please visit the Requiem page.
The live stream and recording are available on YouTube, as embedded above.
Carolyn E. True, pianist
Dr. Carolyn E. True, my beloved teacher, mentor and friend has been touring and sharing a fantastic program of contemporary piano music around the U.S. I am so pleased that she continues to play “Deep True” for herself and listeners to reflect and enjoy.
There’s a recording in the works, as also her fellow SOLI Chamber Ensemble members have recorded their solo Postcard Miniatures I composed for them in the pandemic. But nothing can replace hearing Dr. True creating those amazing colors in person.
Composers Alliance San Antonio collaboration with ~Nois
On the occasion of the inaugural International Arts Festival at the University of the Incarnate Word, the Composers Alliance of San Antonio jumped on the opportunity to support bringing in the exquisite sax quartet ~Nois from Chicago. What was originally going to be half a concert set of CASA music grew to a total of eight world premieres by our members, plus Darian Donovan Thomas, a UIW alumnus making his name in NYC.
For ~Nois I wrote a graphic score piece inspired by their name called “Trace~“.
Composers Alliance San Antonio Project with Music Wall Duo
The Composers Alliance of San Antonio presented a concert of new music for flute and piano performed by Abigail Walsh and Pei-I Wang, members of the Music Wall Duo. The introspective and emotional program by CASA members, including two world premieres, was released online on May 23, 2021 on CASA’s YouTube Channel. This virtual concert forms part of a series that CASA has presented during the pandemic to advance its mission of promoting contemporary music in San Antonio and beyond. Since then it was performed at Illinois College in November 2021, and in San Antonio, TX at the University of the Incarnate Word on April 29, 2022.
I composed a new flute and piano duo Dragonflies for this project, and was so very happy it was chosen, played, and recorded so well.
Album
Buy download now
Listen on Spotify & YouTube Playlist & read the liner notes
About the album
The inspiration for this album is how the voice of the cello may be enriched by the manifold options the electroacoustic world can bring. For Yvonne Freckmann, composing is the ideal way to explore ideas and sounds to engage the mind. For cellist Clara Rivière inspiration comes through experimentation with fresh ideas and living at the intersection of music, theater and multimedia performances.
UNDA Cellotrónica is the result of the four-year exploration of melding a classical modern cello sound with pre-recorded sounds that range from trains, to birds, to recordings of the cello itself. The album UNDA (in Latin, wave) is a compilation of the five exciting works to stretch your ears. We hope to present this project in concerts around the world.
SOLI Chamber Ensemble
A dream come true: award-winning SOLI Chamber Ensemble commissioned me to write a new piece for their October 2019 concerts! The result was Nest, for their mixed quartet and field recordings! They are the vanguard of contemporary music in San Antonio, Texas, and an inspiration and mentors of mine since college, making this a personal and challenging project for me.
SOLI is also dedicated to education of audiences and young musicians. Their “I SOLO’d with SOLI” gives students a taste of chamber music with the actual SOLI musicians themselves, and I was honored to compose in 2020 an arrangement of six Clementi sonatinas for their educational project. During the throes of the pandemic I also composed a solo for each of them as part of my “Postcard Miniatures Series,” which they have been graciously programming on some of their concerts and recently recorded.
Made in SA – new music for young pianists, and other young talent
One of the most delightful and fruitful projects of CASA (Composers Alliance San Antonio) is the Made in SA series of new music for new music musicians. A published series of books and also concerts by pianists in San Antonio, Texas have celebrated that special connection between composers and musicians. Most of the concerts have been hosted at the University of the Incarnate Word, and the new partner the DoSeum, and there were several all-digital concert releases during the pandemic. Check out the official trailer.
Thank you for your interest in my music! Contact me with any questions about scores, pieces, performances, or future collaborations! Also, please visit my store where you can browse and buy my scores and album.