reviews & quotes

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 commissions. As a conductor, I have found no other composer more collaborative in the creation of a work. Jocelyn was interested in my thoughts, wanted to hear about the rehearsal process, and even joined us in residency! She was engaging and encouraging each time she worked with the musicians. Her talent as a composer, high expectations for performance, and warm personality are blended with her energy and excitement to help draw the performers into her work.

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.