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Nativity

SATB Chorus, Soprano solo and cello, c. 10’ (2025)

This work was commissioned for The Crossing – Donald Nally, conductor.

Motherhood is many things: chaotic, filthy, wondrous, frightening, joyful, painful. But the realities of new life on earth are largely missing – or at least heavily sanitized – from the stories told of the birth of Jesus in the Christian tradition. This contrast came into striking view for me during my first Christmas season after giving birth to my daughter.

I wanted to include the true realities of childbirth, motherhood, and newborn life in all their base splendor in a piece of Christmas music, and “Nativity” by poet Esther Margaret Ayers captured those perfectly. I hope I brought something of the birth experience to life in the music.