jess(i[ca]) mays
for chamber orchestra
Watch and listen to Escape Velocity perform my piano+violin work Duo, live at Timucua (Dec 2018).
BEAR premiered by Reggie Mobley, countertenor; Javier Caballero, cello; Sakura Myers, piano
Check out the footage of the premiere of my piece BEAR for Castle of our Skins: “Ain’t I A Woman” concert held May 26, 2018 at Hibernian Hall, Boston, MA.” The theme of the show celebrated African American artistry, and explored black feminism through different historic voices captured through music. Being the double whammy of both black and female, I tackled this very personal topic through a metaphorical lens – being the bear that must believe she can make the upward climb, no matter how daunting and treacherous the path ahead, and no matter how small she feels at it’s base. Huge thanks to Ashe Gordon and Anthony Green for featuring me in such a profoundly meaningful program.
Check out the reviews!
The Boston Globe
The Boston Musical Intelligencer
https://www.classical-scene.com/2018/05/29/aint-i-a-woman/
Here is a recording from Loon Lake Live Festival two years ago of my piece “On Shapes and Figures”. The memory of that trip to upstate NY, hearing my piece from the crowded corner of a tiny rustic synagogue…it’s very dear to me. I will forever be grateful for my time up in Loon Lake.
I am very excited (and in awe) to have been offered the opportunity to begin a new journey in NYC, managing the New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composer’s program alongside the brilliance and magic that is Program Founder and Artistic Director, Jon Deak.
About the Very Young Composers Program:
Very Young Composers (VYC) was developed by noted composer and former Associate Principal Bass, Jon Deak, to answer the question, “what is children’s music?” Working with Mr. Deak and Philharmonic Teaching Artists, public school children, with limited musical background, to compose their very own music for Philharmonic musicians to play – often for the full Orchestra. Students make every compositional decision and write every note, with Teaching Artists serving as mentors and scribes. VYC demonstrates children’s innate creativity, and provides a glimpse of the future of classical music.
Jessica Mays is a composer, pianist, and singer-songwriter currently residing in New York City.
Born in Denver, CO, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Composition and Theory from the University of Denver. She holds a Master’s of Music Composition from McGill University’s Schulich School of Music.
Mays’ music has been performed by numerous soloists and ensembles both locally and abroad, including the Playground Ensemble, Nebula Ensemble, the Lamont Symphony Orchestra, Montreal’s’ Ensemble Paramirabo, Ensemble Lunatik, Thin Edge New Music Collective, and many others. Her music was featured on Loon Lake Live’s 20th season in New York (2016). Mays was a featured composer and performer for the Cluster Music Festival 2013 installment titled “POP + NOISE.” She was also selected as a guest composer for The Labo de musique contemporaine de Montréal (2013). She has written arrangements for both large and small forces on variety of projects with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Her music has received praise from such major publications as the Boston Globe and the Boston Musical Intelligencer.
Mays currently manages the New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers (VYC) program alongside VYC Founder and Artistic Director, Jon Deak.
