Composers have long used the human voice as a medium of expressing and critically addressing the historical moment and they have done so in very different ways: from Donizetti to Schoenberg… In this talk I will discuss the ways in which I have used the human voice in my own compositions over the last decade. These works include: “Love and Mercy” for chorus and large symphony orchestra, a piece based on a text by Bar Hebraeus, written during the Mogul invasion of Syria; “ Variations on (R)evolution for soprano, violin and piano, text by Yvette Christianse, commissioned by Beethoven Fest in Bonn to be performed in concert about the Arab Spring; “ 30 Articles for Viola and Electronics” commissioned by Salt Festival in Victoria, Canada and premiered in Ravensbruck concentration camp; as well as large scale and chamber operas.

The talk will include a presentation of scores and recordings.
The conversation will be joined by Professor Rosalind C Morris.