Gilda Lyons, composer
Watch Erin Freeman’s interview with Gilda Lyons above
Gilda Lyons, (b. 1975), composer, vocalist, and visual artist, combines elements of renaissance, neo-baroque, spectral, folk, agitprop Music Theater, and extended vocalism to create works of uncompromising emotional honesty and melodic beauty.
The premiere of A New Kind of Fallout—Lyons’ mainstage opera inspired by the life and work of environmentalist Rachel Carson, written with librettist Tammy Ryan, and commissioned by Opera Theater of Pittsburgh—was described as “powerfully effective” (Pittsburgh Stage Magazine), “haunting” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) and “spot-on at re-creating the atmosphere of the early '60s” (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review).
As composer and vocalist Lyons’ works and performances are available on the Clarion, GPR, Naxos, New Dynamic, New Focus, Roven Records, and Yarlung Records labels. Laura Strickling’s Grammy-nominated 2021 release of Lyons’ Songs of Lament and Praise (Yarlung) was described by Opera News as “plaintive… florid… quietly devastating.” Other recent recording projects as composer include the release of Lyons’ works by Quince (Motherland); and entelechron (The Folk Tune Project); Lindsey Goodman's tour de force performance of Lyons' Chrysalis (reach through the sky); and Sing for Hope’s release of Lyons' Hold On (An AIDS Quilt Songbook).
An active vocalist and fierce advocate of contemporary music, Lyons has commissioned, premiered, and workshopped new vocal works by dozens of composers; this season she appears on the rosters of Brooklyn Art Song Society, Lyric Fest, and New Mercury Collective. As vocalist, her collaboration with Laura Ward (Naxos), was described by Opera News as “winning delivery, full of character.” “Gilda Lyons's clear soprano compels admiration” writes David Shengold of Opera, UK of her performance in Hagen’s “Shining Brow” (Buffalo Philharmonic/Falletta/Naxos).
Current projects as composer include new works for soprano Caitlin Lynch, Lyric Fest, Musica Viva NY, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Quince, Wintergreen Music Festival, soprano Laura Strickling, and pianist Nic Gerpe. Recent premieres include Lyons’ to know about space, commissioned by Trio Triumphatrix, presented on Voices of Ascension’s ‘Voices of the New’ series; and Sourdough: Rise Up, a chamber opera commissioned by Resonance Works Pittsburgh released on Decameron Opera Coalition’s ‘Tales from a Safe Distance.’ Recent projects include performances by Quince on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s MusicNOW series, curated by Missy Mazzoli; Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek on the Locrian Chamber Players series; Mirror Visions Ensemble on the Bargemusic Masterworks series; and Chautauqua Opera; Chautauqua Symphony, Stuart Chafetz, conductor.
Lyons currently serves as Co-Chair of the Composition Program at Wintergreen Music Academy and as Assistant Professor of Composition at The Hartt School. She is the Executive Director of the Richard P. Garmany Chamber Music Series, Founding Director of The Phoenix Concerts, New York's "intrepid Upper West Side new-music series" (The New Yorker), and serves on the Board of Advisors of Composers Now, the Steven R. Gerber Trust, and Sparks & Wiry Cries. Lyons served as Composer-in-Residence of Chautauqua Opera in the 2019 season. In 2021, she returns as composition faculty for Connecticut Summerfest.