composer - soprano

Deft touch at crafting melodies and textures
- Charles Rose, Oregon ArtsWatch
Establishing herself as one of the most important voices in our community
- Makrokosmos Project 7: Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
Huge impact on singers and audiences
- Dr. Justin Smith, Queens University
Hello, my name is Carolyn and I am a composer and singer based in Portland, Oregon. Whether I am writing instrumental music, vocal music, or a combination, I use counterpoint in a conversational way between performers. As both a singer and occasional lyricist, I have always felt drawn to vocal music in particular - it combines all of my favorite things! I love the variety of sounds that the human voice produces and the unique way that song can communicate text.  When setting text, I look for works that are raw and vulnerable, seeking out lesser-known or historically excluded poetic voices - particularly works written by women. With these texts, I seek to breathe new life into them, setting them in new and interesting ways, often utilizing the sounds of the words themselves to add another layer to their artistic interpretation. My style is tonal, yet eclectic with striking rhythms and unexpected harmonic twists - drawing inspiration from composers like Samuel Barber, Henry Purcell, and Missy Mazzoli.

Featured Compositions & Arrangements

Featured Projects
​For a list of upcoming performances, premieres, and projects, please visit my Calendar Page for all of the dates, details, & links!

Recent Press

Quick's text uses frost as a metaphor for the chilling of dissent...it was a brief, but powerful piece
- What Makes a Home?: New Wave Opera previews Caroline Louise Miller's upcoming opera "Deep Water"
Oregon ArtsWatch
Carolyn Quick has a deft touch at crafting melodies and textures. Her music combines flowing modal melodies, evocative text painting and a refreshing levity to its rhythms
- Sitting in the Moment: Introducing Raindrop New Music
Oregon ArtsWatch
Quick was demure and prideful, flicking her hair about and crossing her legs as she describes her recent kills
- Between the tragic and comic: New Wave Opera's "Night of the Living Opera
​Oregon ArtsWatch

scores

Contact me to purchase scores and parts, or to commission a brand-new piece from me.

Performances

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