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Vocal Music

Farewell Songs, countertenor, Baroque and Chinese instruments

D.H. Lawrence Songs: I. Piano, soprano and piano

Family Songs, soprano & chamber orchestra

Songs of an Egyptian Princess, soprano and orchestra

Love Thy Neighbor, a capella opera for four singers SMTB

aliquid stat pro aliquo, four vocalists and electronics

Hammer Cantata, vocal quartet, choir and string trio

The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs, children's choir, narrator, and ensemble

Das Lied der Schwermuth, baritone and string quartet

Paradise Heaven, baritone, choir and ensemble

The Overwhelming Blankness of the Ultimate Meaninglessness of Tragedy soprano, actor and two ensembles

Chinese poet Wang Wei on horseback

​c.ten.| suona, 2 erhus, sackbut | 1perc.| hpschord | vln., vlc., cb.

Duration: 18’

Year of composition: 2023

Texts: Mèng Hàorán, Mèng Hàorán, and Edward Top, after Mahler

Commissioned by Early Music Vancouver
Financial support: Canada Council for the Arts.

Premiere: Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival, July 2025, Roundhouse, Vancouver

More information on Farewell Songs here

D.H.Lawrence Songs

For soprano and piano

I. Piano

II. in progress

Year of composition: 2023 - ongoing

Text: D.H. Lawrence

For soprano and chamber orchestra

112[b.cl.]1/1000/1perc./hp/str (43221)

text by Martinus Nijhoff, Hanny Michaelis, Edward Top

Duration: 19’

Year of composition: 2013

Commissioned by Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

Premiere: Robyn Driedger Klassen, Vancouver Symphony, Bramwell Tovey; Orpheum Annex Vancouver, Canada; 23 February, 2014

More information on Family Songs here

for soprano and orchestra: 2[1pic]011/1211/T/2perc/hp/str (43221)

In four movements

text from True Mummy by Tom Cone

Duration: 20’

Year of composition: 2012

Commissioned by Vancouver Symphony Orchestra during tenure as Composer-in-Residence

Premiere: Stephanie Domingues, Vancouver Symphony, Bramwell Tovey; Orpheum Annex Vancouver, Canada; 21 April, 2012

More information on the Songs of an Egyptian Princess here

a cappella opera for four singers SMTB

libretto by Tom Cone

Duration: 10'

Year of composition: 2011

Premiere: Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada, September 27, 2011 (home concert Opera Project at Tom Cone's residence, May 28, 2011)

More information on Love Thy Neighbor here

for vocal quartet and electronic tape

Year of composition: 2008

Duration: 9'

Commissioned by Romain Bischoff and Vocal LAB

Premiere: Gaudeamus Festival Amsterdam, Muziekgebouw aan het IJ, Netherlands, September 2008

Prize: Toonzetters 2008 Competition; Winner category 6 players or less Netherlands

More information on aliquid available here

for vocal quartet, choir and string trio

Text: Friedrich Nietzsche

Duration: 17'

Year of composition: 2006

Score available at donemus.nl

Score page from Edward Top String Quartet No 2

For children's choir, narrator, and ensemble: 0011 0110 1perc 10001

Duration: 14'

Year of composition: 2004

Commissioned by Doelen Ensemble

Premiere: Dutch Music Days, Vredenburg Utrecht, December, 2004

for string quartet and bass-baritone in 11 movements

Text: Friedrich Nietzsche

Duration: 22'

Year of composition: 2002

Commissioned by Doelen String Quartet

Premiere: Martijn Sanders (baritone), Doelen String Quartet, Institut Néerlandais, Paris, March 4, 2004

More information on Lied der Schwermuth available here

portrait of Renaissance and Reformation poet George Herbert

Paradise Heaven

Paradise Heaven

for baritone, mixed choir and ensemble

Text: G. Herbert (8')

Duration: 8'

Year of composition: 1996

for soprano, actor, and two ensembles 1111 1110 perc vibr hp pf 2vl vla vc cb

Words: Jorge Luis Borges, Octavio Paz, Amnesty International

Duration: 20'

Year of composition: 1996

Premiere: Ingrid Kapelle (sopr.), Fred van der Hilst (actor), Doelen Ensemble conducted by Lucas Vis; Gaudeamus Festival, Aga Zaal, Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam, 3 September, 1996

More information on The Overwhelming Blankness available here

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