Hello from Vermont!
What a pleasure to sing with tUnE-yArDs in my home state of Vermont, and see my family!
10 more shows before Merrill’s back in the studio to make a new album. Time for me to finish writing this year’s choral commissions, record a solo album, put new vocal arrangements & videos online, tour with Solas, VOCO and the Lomax Project.Get in touch about your sheet-music wishes, and about Moira, or moira smiley & VOCO concert-residencies for the season:
Tuffet is currently rounding out 2016 bookings in these areas & time-blocks. Write her soon about bringing Moira / VOCO to you in the following areas / times:
January 24-27 in UK, Ireland, northern Europe
Feb. 1-5 in Sweden, northern Europe
April 2-11 in upper midwest, USA.
Mid-May, USA
The Cuckoo – live Moira Smiley [SOLAS Concert, Pontivy, FRANCE]
I’m so honored and thrilled to have a new SATB piece, “In The Desert With You” commissioned and premiering by the extraordinary 120-voice Los Angeles Master Chorale, November 15th at their “Made in LA” Concert. Also on the program are Morten Lauridsen, Jeff Beal, Shawn Kirchner and four other living composers. I thank LAMC’s Artistic Director, Grant Gershon for the permission to write about California’s drought. I’ve used my writing and research time to try to understand what solutions and responsibilities there are, then create music and text to add awareness and hope through powerful massed voices. I’m really proud and hopeful for the piece, and hope you will see it come to life November 15th, 2015 at the stunning DISNEY CONCERT HALL in downtown LA. I believe I’ll be singing it too!!
Travel memory…The timbre of the Breton bombarde shocks you. The Breton language ”Yec’hed mat! (cheers!)” and “Beaj vat!” (bon voyage) will take you far from France. Paris by bike is time-travel with your moped brethren – a wheeled video-game with baguette under-arm and history underfoot. Talk of Calais refugees and California drought threaded through our pedals. My friend Austin’s Portland OR is a wonderland of ‘paleo’ treats, beautiful launderettes and city park berry-picking. Providence RI musicians (like Community MusicWorks & The Low Anthem) build artisanal music communities in their cozy New England cityscape, and you never know who your next life-changing collaborator will be!
 I believe in the power of live performance, & the mind-opening power of travel. Here are a few pictures for you to celebrate that! For more… follow me on Instagram, and please “Like” the moira smiley & VOCO Facebook Band page – more ‘likes’ even help convince ASCAP to give me a little grant I applied for which supports artists (like me) whose music is being performed by lots of people, but isn’t out there in the biggest way.
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Moira SOLO + moira & VOCO shows:
Thu 8/27 Berkeley CA Freight & Salvage
Sat 10/10 Bozeman MT MSU Concert Hall
Sun 10/18 San Luis Obispo Cuesta College Concert Hall
Sun 11/15 Los Angeles CA Disney Concert Hall *WORLD PREMIERE of Moira’s piece
“In The Desert With You” by The Los Angeles Master Chorale In August, I get busy with Alasdair Fraser’s Valley of the Moon (VOM) and Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project – and fine musicians there to collaborate with. Come see VOM at Freight & Salvage, then Lomax Project will do a lot of touring in November and on into summer, 2016.
CLICK HERE for upcoming SOLAS shows:
While recording with Solas, I fell in love again with the 1969 album ‘Tracks of Sweeney’ by Irish trad super-group Sweeney’s Men, and also – thanks to Sam Lee, the 1983 release of ‘Songs of the Irish Travellers’. I look forward so much to hearing this nest of Solas birds sing out the twenty (20!!) Solas years on the album “All These Years”. Look out January!
Thank you for reading, and for your continued support!
Warmly, Moira
www.moirasmiley.com
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www.moirasmiley.com
