Craig Hella Johnson, conductor
Inspired by landays (2-line folk couplets) from Afghanistan, conductor Craig Hella Johnson and Jocelyn are creating a program highlighting the beautiful, poignant poetry of women from Afghanistan. Jocelyn’s Songs for Muska, an evening-length work for mixed chamber choir and chamber ensemble (consisting of stringed instruments and drums), will premiere in Austin, Texas, in the spring of 2019.
Jocelyn’s music ties so beautifully with the text, which for singers, makes her music a reward and a clear way to connect emotionally to the message. Her pieces are more than just singable lyric lines; they invoke a desire to connect to the audience and be a part of a bigger experience for everyone.
Jocelyn’s music sings. It is crafty and crafted but never difficult; lyrical and poignant yet never saccharin. Her musical lines flow as poetry in sound, as she guides the listener from one delight to the next.
Jocelyn’s music is filled with new impressions of texture and color. Individual lines melding together to create deep or expansive melodies. Our ensemble loved not only the rehearsal process, but found repeated performances to deepen our experience and expression of the music. I have had the great pleasure of working with Jocelyn on two different… Read more “New Impressions of Texture and Color”
Jocelyn Hagen’s music celebrates the eternal spirit of the feminine, informed by soaring poetry and the indomitable courage of women. Her sense of place, time and the elements weave together a fabric of sound that inspires awe, joy, and the resilience so needed in today’s world.
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