selected Works

The Weight of Light is a one-act chamber opera commissioned by Chicago Opera Theater, music by Gillian Rae Perry libretto by Marcus Amaker.

The story: when a child inherits a magical ability which allows them to speak with objects, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Their mother, who shares the same ability, does not see it as a gift but as a source of shame. Both child and parent learn to navigate their powers and the responsibilities that come with it in this deeply sensitive coming-of-age story.

I’m sorry to my body (2023)

I’m Sorry to My Body is an orchestral work that is both an open apology to my body and an exploration of the relationship between physical presence (body) and metaphysical presence (emotion, mind, spirit). The piece was a winner of the Ravinia Festival’s Breaking Barriers call for scores.

Lost Children is a fairytale-esque dance/video/live music hybrid piece that tells the story of five children trying to escape from shadows that hold them captive. Lost Children is meant to be performed with dance and film components.

The Velveteen Rabbit (2021)

“"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room… "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."“

~ Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit

Large Ensemble

chamber Ensemble

film score

tHEATRICAL

Solo Pieces

LOST IN MY THOUGHTS

Premiered 2023 // Performed by the Illinois Modern Ensemble

Looking for Friends

Premiered June 2019 // Performed by the Euclid Quartet

Songs of a Child

Solo Harp // Premiered Spring 2019 // Performed by Alison Bjorkedale

Always, Alone, Almost

Premiered November 2017 // Performed by
the Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
// Conducted by Fahad Siadat

Lost Children

Premiered May 2019 // hybrid dance, video, 4 vocalists, pierrot ensemble

I Am

Premiered March 2021 //
Performed by Yijeong Isabel Yun (vocals),
Sarah Welden (vocals), Laura McCauley (vocals), Anne-Marie Shaver (flute)

Voices

Premiered March 2020 // For solo vocalist and electronics

Occasional Climax

Performed Nov 2019// Performed by Zena Bibler, DaEun Jung, Daniel Miramontes, and Sam Wentz // Directed by Levi Gonzalez

Children Cannot Sleep

Premiered May 2018 // for six vocalists, clarinet, violin, piano // Choreographed by Joye Forrest // Performed by Socks Whitmore, Karina Fathi, Louis Coy, Kevin Patel, Richard An,
Evan Johnson, Kion Heidari, Jaslyn Loftin, Jordan Terrell-Young, Savana Ortiz, Odessa Uno, Antonia Timbol

48 (2018)

May 2018 // Directed by Nikki Chen

Lentajas (Re-scored)

Re-scored for the 2018 Watersprite Film Scoring Competition

echoes (2018)

Directed by Mark Kerins and Elliot Mayén // Film Info and Stream: click me

Why Are We Crushing the Bugs?

Premiered June 2019 // Performed by the Mostly Modern Orchestra