About
composer - soprano
(Photo credit Antonia Rose Photography)
Education
Festivals & Awards
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Portland-based composer and soprano Carolyn Quick (she/her) is “a composer of great renown” (Dr. Justin Smith) and “one of the most important voices in our community” (Makrokosmos Project). She writes music that is “deeply meaningful,” making a “huge impact on both singers and audiences” (Smith) as she explores interwoven lines, conversational counterpoint, and unique timbral and textural possibilities - particularly those of the human voice. In her work, she strives to set texts that are raw, and vulnerable, often gravitating toward lesser-known poetic voices. Recent commissions include Voices of Concinnity, Fear No Music, Eugene Opera, and Portland Phoenix Chamber Choir - who performed her work Catch at Hope at the NW ACDA Choral Directors Conference this year.
Throughout her work as a composer and vocalist, Carolyn advocates for historically excluded composers and their music and co-founded new music collective Persisting Sound and music distribution collective Raindrop New Music to uplift those voices. Carolyn’s “pure timbre” (Opera News) lends itself well to both early and contemporary music. Carolyn has sung everything from Purcell, Handel, and Bach with period instruments, to Britten - most notably performing the role of Miles in Eugene Opera’s production of Turn of the Screw -, Undine-Smith Moore, and over a dozen world premieres by composers such as Andrea Reinkemeyer and Damien Geter. She is also an avid chorister and has sung with Cappella Romana, Resonance Ensemble, and Portland Symphonic Choir. She has competed with the University of Oregon Chamber Choir, the Portland Phoenix Chamber Choir, and, most recently, the Royal Voices of Charlotte, winning first place at Choral Festivals in Ireland, Canada, and most recently at the International Choral Festival of Preveza in Greece. Most recently, Carolyn completed two vocal commissions and competed in the NATS Classical Student Auditions, qualifying for the National Competition Round. The first commission by Queens University of Charlotte’s Royal Voices of Charlotte (directed by Dr. Justin Smith), is a sacred work for a cappella mixed choir that premiered at the 28th International Choir Competition of Preveza in Greece, was featured in their winning competition set, and received the Special Jury Prize for Best Performance of a Contemporary Piece. The second commission was through the National Association of Teachers of Singing and Cincinnati Song Initiative. Carolyn was one of twelve selected participants for the NATS Mentorship Program this year and her piece, which sets a brand-new text by British Columbia-based poet JCCortens, premiered alongside the other participants in Cincinnati Song Initiative’s Let It Be New concert series this Summer. |
Carolyn is currently a member of Portland-based chamber choir In Medio, Resonance Ensemble, Royal Voices of Charlotte, Portland Phoenix Chamber Choir, & Tabor Wind Ensemble.