Events

October E-News

Greetings from the east coast (I’m on the road!) Excited to share several updates with you:

^{_{album art for Canon in D Harp Trio single release}}

I released a new single! Stream or purchase my Pachelbel’s Canon in D Harp Trio via AmazonMusic, Spotify, AppleMusic, iHeartRadio, Pandora, YouTubeMusic, and many more platforms… (*If you cannot find the track on your platform at your storefront of choice, please check back again soon! Often it takes several days or weeks for new releases to publish across all sites.)

For those seeking copies of my earlier albums (songwriting EPs Ophelia’s Song and Puzzle Pieces plus film-scoring and concert music EP Overture to an Adventure), visit the same platforms listed above for streaming and digital downloads, or order physical copies of CDs here.

photo by Julie Smith
Photo by Sarah Van Sciver
Image by Ashley Becker and Alyssa Brode
Photo by Sarah Van Sciver
Photo by Julie Smith
Photo by Julie Smith
Photo by Julie Smith
photo by Julie Smith
photo by Kirsten C. Kunkle
Photo by Raffaella Lo Castro
photo by Raffaella Lo Castro

^{_{Girondines production photos by Julie Smith}}

On Friday October 21st, Girondines began its premiere weekend run with Wilmington Concert Opera (WCO). Girondines, based on historical fact, is a new opera in English which focuses on the story of French Revolutionaries who presumably knew one another, met in secret before the Reign of Terror, and supported one another during the political upheaval. All six of the revolutionaries are women, and of these, three are guillotined and three live. I composed the opera’s score and crafted electronic soundscapes to intertwine with the music; for this concert opera premiere production, I am the pianist, music director, and technical director. Our stellar cast includes Girondines librettist and WCO Artistic Director and co-founder, Kirsten C. Kunkle as well as WCO Executive Director and Co-founder Marisa Robinson. Kirsten and Marisa originated the roles of Charlotte Corday and Marie Anne Pierrette Paulze Lavoisier, respectively; a full Cast list is included below.

To get a preview of the music itself, you can watch short clips from rehearsals on Instagram in the music section of my channel highlights or on my Facebook page. I expect you will particularly enjoy this video from when our librettist (and amazing soprano!) Kirsten rehearsed one of her arias in the role of Charlotte Corday with piano, violin, and cello earlier this week. Finally, Kirsten and I are so grateful that OperaWire interviewed us earlier this week about writing a feminist opera – hope you enjoy reading the interview! For any folks involved with voice, opera, theater, musical theater, or other performing arts venues, companies, festivals, or university programs, please let me know if you are interested in exploring opportunities to have your own reading, concert, or staging of Girondines.

Our final performance is TODAY at 2pm EST (11am PST)! If you will be attending in person, I look forward to seeing you at Presbyterian Church of the Covenant located at 503 Duncan Road, Wilmington, DE 19809. The performance is free and open to the public (no tickets required). Due to historical content, we recommend the opera for ages 13 and up. If you are unable to see attend this opera concert in person today, our production team will have a live stream option for today’s performance which you can watch via YouTube. Shortly before the show begins, you can tune in to watch from any laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Please be advised that livestream disruptions are possible, but it is our team’s hope and expectation that today’s digital presentation will run smoothly.

Who’s Who in our WCO Premiere Cast

Evening Cast: On Friday, October 21st + Saturday, October 22nd at 8pm:

Charlotte Corday……………………………….Kirsten C. Kunkle : instagram * web
Olympe de Gouges…………………………………Ashley Becker : instagram * web
Marie Anne Pierrette Paulze Lavoisier…Marisa Robinson : instagram * web
Madame Manon Roland………………Alyssa Maria Lehman : website
Madame Germaine de Staël……………Raffaella Lo Castro : instagram * web
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun……………….Tracy Sturgis : instagram * web

Matinee Cast: On Sunday, October 23rd at 2pm:

Charlotte Corday………………………Suzannah Waddington : instagram * web
Olympe de Gouges………………..Laurice Simmons Kennel : instagram * web
Marie Anne Pierrette Paulze Lavoisier………Alyssa Brode : instagram * web
Madame Manon Roland…………………………..Allison Deady : instagram * web
Madame Germaine de Staël…………..Kaitlyn Beth Tierney : instagram * web
Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun…………………….. Annie Gill : instagram * web

WCO Premiere Also Features

Pianist/Music Director/TD……………………Sarah Van Sciver : instagram * web
Piano understudy……………………………………..Tom Fosnocht : instagram
Cellist………………………………………………………..Melissa Brun : instagram * web
Cello understudy………………………………..César Colmenares : instagram
Violinist…………………………………………………….Thuy Nguyen : instagram
Violin understudy……………………………Caroline Stephenson
Stage Manager……………………………….Johanna Lynn Jones
Photographer……………………………………………….Julie Smith

Wilmington Concert Opera, an exclusively woman- and minority-run company, was founded on principles of diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility.

For anyone seeking a creative collaborator for music, audio, video, web/graphic design, sound, songs, jingles, film, theatre, piano, harp, ukulele, voice, a cappella, mentorship, lessons, etc., I look forward to connecting with you to learn more about how I can help!

September E-News

Greetings from sunny Southern California! Excited to share several updates with you:

October 21-23, 2022, Girondines, a new opera about six women from the French Revolution, will be premiered in Delaware with Wilmington Concert Opera (WCO). WCO Artistic Director and co-founder, Kirsten C. Kunkle, wrote the libretto, and I composed the music (and will be the pianist and music director for this premiere production) and have programmed electronics for soundscapes to intertwine with the music. Our stellar cast includes WCO Executive Director and Co-founder Marisa Robinson originating the role of Marie Anne Pierrette Paulze Lavoisier and Kirsten in the role of Charlotte Corday. I hope you RSVP, follow the project, and learn more via Eventbrite or Facebook. You can RSVP to let us know to look forward to seeing you there *or* you can RSVP that you are Unable to Attend if you want to be kept posted about the project (for instance, if a live-streaming option becomes available for any of the performances, we will be sure to email pertinent information to anyone who has selected the ‘keep me informed’ option.) Kirsten and I were recently interviewed about Girondines for those wondering what to expect at the premiere.

^{_{Girondines production photos by Julie Smith}}

Earlier this month, I began working in a new role at the California Institute of the Arts as a Life and Work Advisor for the Patty Disney Center for Life and Work (a.k.a. CalArts Career Services) within the Institute’s Office of Student Experience. As an artist, educator, and CalArts alumna (MFA Music, Performer-Composer ’16), I am proud to empower fellow CalArtians to bolster and balance creative careers making art, making a living, and making a difference in my new role.

Meanwhile, I continue to write, arrange, record, and produce scores, songs, sound, video, and visuals for film/TV, theatre, dance, concert, opera, studio album, and commercial productions. I perform as a vocalist, pianist, harpist, ukulele player, and conductor/music director and mentor aspiring, emerging, and established artists. It is exciting to build momentum more and more on these fronts in the aftermath of the early days of the ongoing pandemic. For any of you seeking a creative collaborator for music, audio, video, visual/graphic design, sound, songs, jingles, lessons, mentorship, etc., I look forward to connecting with you to learn more about how I can help!

Wishing you and yours an awesome autumn ahead!

Cheers,

Sarah

July Newsletter

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Hey there,

Several exciting projects and events to share… if you’ll be in LA or Philly for them, hope to see you there! Always seeking creative collaborators, so please send them my way! And feel free to drop a line through the link at the bottom of the page. Enjoy the rest of your summer days!

Cheers,

Sarah

SCORE & SOUND:

STRANGE AS ANGELS

It is such a pleasure working with Born Lucky Studios (Emily Gallagher & Austin Elston), whose newest film Strange As Angels features original score and sound by yours truly. The half-hour film, which Emily aptly describes as “David Lynchian,” stars Emilie Krause, Kate Raines, and Alex Bechtel. You’re invited to join me and the creative team behind the film for an evening of screenings at L’Etage in Philadelphia on August 15th– hope to see you there! The event is open to the public, and you can RSVP (free), here. Check out additional score and sound productions on my film page.

MUSIC & LYRICS:

PETER & IONA

Among the musical theatre projects on which I am hard at work is a fantasy adventure, “Peter and Iona,” chock-full of magic, music, mystery, romance, and rebellion. Writers Patrick W. Phillips & Sara Elizabeth Woodard are responsible for its sensational script while I pen its lyrics and music for a charming cast of characters. Below are two live acoustic demo recordings of the show’s songs, with a new song added since the last newsletter. The added track is the show’s “Opening Narration.” Stay tuned for more demos and additional announcements coming soon! They will be posted alongside other theatre projects on my music for the stage page. Learn more about the project and its team, here.

Opening Narration - live acoustic demo

Magic - live acoustic demo

UPCOMING WORKSHOP:

COPYRIGHT FOR CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS

You’re invited to join me for a workshop as copyright is defined, demonstrated, and discussed in the context of creating, protecting, and respecting original works of art in all mediums. Explore step-by-step registration instructions and discover answers to questions like:

how do copyrights work?
can copyrights protect my art and my ideas?
what do I do if my art was created collaboratively?
how much do copyrights cost?
what about “fair use” or mailing my art to myself and leaving it sealed?

I’m thrilled to have this workshop at Thymele Arts, launched by fellow CalArts alumnus John Henningsen. Thymele offers collaborative workspaces for LA artists, designers and arts managers; it is a membership-driven live event community that provides members access to rehearsal rooms, meeting space, private desks, studios, and event space for the development of new work. Refreshments will be provided at the talk. RSVP (free), here.

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Fifty Days at Iliam – This Weekend!

This weekend, don’t miss the Philly Fringe production of “Fifty Days at Iliam.”

What is “Fifty Days at Iliam,” you ask?

It is a Philly-based theatre ensemble, devising a play exploring the Trojan War/inspired by Cy Twombly’s “Fifty Days at Iliam.” It is led by my sister, Hannah Van Sciver.

Photos by Dave Garrett Sarrafian

It just opened, last night, to rave reviews. Tickets are sold out, but you can still see the show for $5/each – standing room, at the door!

“Fifty Days at Iliam” incorporates my original music, and the production features a wonderful cast and crew. I am thrilled to have been involved.

Remaining Shows

at the Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA
Sept 4th @ 8pm
Sept 5th @ 7pm, & 9:30pm

Cast
Joseph Ahmed
Elizabeth Audley
Richard Chan
Amanda Jill Robinson
Megan Slater
Hannah Van Sciver

Crew
Director: William Steinberger
Sets, Projections, Costumes & Properties: Sara Outing
Lighting Design: Eric Baker
Movement Coach: Nicole Quenelle
Choreographer: Joseph Ahmed
Composition: Sarah Van Sciver & Amanda Jill Robinson
Music Direction: Amanda Jill Robinson
Stage Management: Kat Kelly

Check out the paintings: http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/85709.html
Check us out in Classicizing Philadelphia: http://classicizingphiladelphia.blogs.brynmawr.edu/2015/07/31/fringe-2015-the-conversation-continues/