About the Composers for Celebrating Women Who Compose

Published by Charlie Griffin on

We’re very excited about our upcoming celebration of Women’s History Month. Join us for these two concerts and read on for information about the fantastic composers represented on the program

  • Tuesday, March 7, 2017, 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, 1905 Kentucky Avenue, Winter Park, Florida 32789 [BUY TICKETS HERE!]
  • Friday, March 17, 2017, 7:30 p.m. at Christ Church Unity, 771 West Holden Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32839

Chan Ji Kim composes for dance, chamber ensembles, orchestra, and multimedia. Originally from Seoul, Korea, Chan Ji studied at E-wha Women’s University, New York University, and received her Ph.D. in Composition from University of Florida. Currently, she is Chair of Performing and Visual Arts Department, and Associate Professor of Music at the Eastern Florida State College. Her research and music areas of interest include collaboration between composer and choreographer, Korean folk music, and interactive electroacoustic composition.

 “Angels Watching Over Me”, “There Is An Old Lady”, “Mr. Lion” and “Lullaby” are from ChanJi Kim’s Children’s Songs, which is a collection of nine short pieces based on children’s night time stories and lullabies.

Jong means bells in Korean. I wrote Jong for fixed media for the people in Nepal who lost everything from the earthquake on April 25th in 2015. I recorded my Nepalese singing bowl bell. Nepali start the day ringing bells in the morning, a very special and important everyday routine to wake up their gods. I hope the ceremony still brings them peace in the morning.

To find out more about ChanJi Kim and her music, you can visit her website.

Sharon Omens is a composer, performer and music educator who has a deep passion for music.  After receiving her Bachelors of Music and Certificate of Music Therapy, she devoted more than 30 years training young musicians and using music as a source of healing with those in need.  She has been a spiritual performer of both piano and voice and has produced 6 albums with her original compositions.

Whimsical Rhapsody, a duet for violin and piano, is Sharon’s newest composition.  This fun and improvisational piece has one movement with two recurrent themes that have highly contrasting moods, color and tonality.  While this composition is classical in nature, there are parts that introduce undertones of dissonance creating a whimsical air.  This piece will be performed by violinist Jordan Bicasan and Sharon Omens on piano.

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Redemption is written for solo flute.  This piece was written to honor her father’s life who was a survivor of the Holocaust. The composition describes his early years in the Warsaw ghetto, the horrific events that occurred as a result of the Holocaust and finally, his ultimate redemption and success as he came to the United States, raised a family and built a successful business until his death in 2015.  “Redemption” will be performed by flutist, David Suarez.

To learn more about Sharon and her music, you can visit her website.

Originally from Miami Florida, Rebekah Todia, the youngest of five children, grew up in a house full of noise, art, and a family piano. Her father, a talented wood worker was her source of inspiration; he could carve the most beautiful sculptures from a tree trunk. Rebekah studied art at Miami Dade College, and piano performance at Rollins College. She mostly performs in the comfort of her own home, where the only audience are the eyes and ears of her beloved husband and children.

“She Walks In Beauty” is a poem written by Lord Byron (George Gordon).  Rebekah was inspired to set this poem of innocence to music!

“The Solitary” encompasses a women’s life whose love has never been discovered.  Her unique perspective through self-reflection is expressed with pivotal moments, overwhelmed by contrasting feelings of rage and adoration.  The Solitary integrates moods and emotions of considerable affection, agitation and moments of despair.  The Solitary is a dramatic art song that carries you off to the cloistered life of a woman that love has never found.  Both songs will be performed by vocalist Julie Batman and Ms. Todia will be the accompanist.

To hear more of Rebekah Todia’s music, you can visit her SoundCloud page

Bethany Borden received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Central Florida in 2003.  She enjoyed 10 years of teaching children how to experience and appreciate music as well as express themselves creatively.

In 2013, Bethany had the unique opportunity to express her musical ideas and wrote her first piece of digital music for the mobile game Stack’R.  By 2014,she quit teaching and became the audio director at Outhouse Games. She has now written music for video games and podcast themes, as well as a scored Youtube series. She use Ableton Live and Logic Pro X to compose, and has also learned to integrate music and sound effects into video games, record and edit dialogue. Technology has really opened the door for her!

She also writes her own songs and sings with her guitar at open mic nights. Recently, her song “The Best is Yet to Come” won the Director’s Award for the Nashville International Song & Lyric Writing Competition.

“Ancient Remains” is Outhouse Game’s first Virtual Reality game.  Bethany Borden’s electronic background music will be played along with a percussion ensemble (Josh Albert vibraphone, Paul Yorke glockenspiel, Theodore Jackson marimba, Matt Malhiot glockenspiel, and Devon Constanza tubular bells), while the game is being projected on a screen for the audience to see.

To listen to more of Bethany’s music, you can visit her  SoundCloud page.

Additional works that will be performed:

Phenomenal Woman, a poem written by Maya Angelou, is a powerful and affirming poem which challenges the stereotypes imposed upon women in our society.  Bethany Borden will be reciting this poem with piano accompaniment performed by Sharon Omens.

Praludium II, Op. 16 by Claire Schumann will be performed by composer and  pianist Eric Brook. 

“Between Worlds” by Anne Marie Davis and “Winter’s Tear” by Jeannie Cotter will be performed by vocalist and pianist Julie Batman.


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