Chicago a cappella HerVoice premieres

Chicago a cappella gave premieres of two 2022-23 HerVoice competition winners at their February-March concerts, From Behind Closed Doors. With music direction by Artistic Director John William Trotter, the ensemble performed “Lullaby” by Inna Onofrei and “Invitation to Love” by Brittney Benton. These works had been selected as winners from among over 50 submissions to Chicago a cappella’s 2022-23 HerVoice Emerging Women Composers Competition. The program offers emerging women composers of any age one-on-one mentoring with composers Stacy Garrop, Chen Yi, and Zanaida Robles, as well as workshops with the participating choirs and a performance recording.  At the same concert, Chicago a cappella gave the world premiere of a new commission, “Peace” by Sarai Hillman. Hillman was one of the winners of the inaugural HerVoice competition in 2021-22. Chicago a cappella has partnered with other choirs to extend the reach of the HerVoice program. A third winner from the 2022-23 competition, Kira Rugen’s “Windows to Paradise,” will be performed by the Vancouver Youth Choir. In April, two winners from the inaugural HerVoice competition received premieres by the Kansas City Chorale: Jessica Rudman’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,” and Leah Tracy’s “Sing to Us, Cedars.”