JOYCE SOLOMON MOORMAN was born in the campus hospital of Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. Her childhood was spent in Columbia, South Carolina, where she attended segregated public elementary and high schools. She earned the B. A. degree from Vassar College, the M. A. T. degree from Rutgers University, the M. F. A. degree from Sarah Lawrence College, and the Ed. D. degree from Columbia University. In 1990 she was a finalist in the first Detroit Symphony African-American Composers’ Competition. Her compositions have been performed by Lilan Parrot, Triad Chorale, Wilson Moorman, LonGar Ebony Ensemble, the Woodhill Chamber Ensemble, the Brooklyn Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble, After Dinner Opera Company, Sandra Billingslea, the Plymouth Chorus and Orchestra, the Cygnus Chamber Ensemble, the Moravian Philharmonic, the Afro-American Chamber Music Society of Los Angeles, the Richmond County Orchestra and Louise Toppin.
PIANO
• THEME AND 12 VARIATIONS*
• PIANO SUITE*
• A YOUNG WOMAN’S IMPRESSIONS OF NEW YORK CITY
• A SUMMER AFTERNOON IN SOUTH CAROLINA
• PIANO SONATINA*
• THE BACKYARD*
. WHEN WE COME
.
PERCUSSION
SOLO FOR A SEATED PERCUSSIONIST (HIGH HAT, SNARE DRUM, CYMBAL, WOODBLOCK, WIND CHIME, SLEIGH BELLS
FLUTE
3 PIECES FOR FLUTE*
VOICE AND PIANO
• AMERICAN HEARTBREAK (SOPRANO)
• ISLAND (SOPRANO)
• THE SOUNDS BEGIN AGAIN (BASS OR SOPRANO)
• COAT OF MANY FIBERS (SOPRANO)
• DANSE AFRICAINE (SOPRANO)
• DRUM (SOPRANO)
• SORROW’S BRIDE (MEZZO SOPRANO)
• CAGED (SOPRANO)
• RISING (SOPRANO)
• OH SCION (CONTRALTO)
• SOWETO'S MOURNING MOTHERS (CONTRALTO)
CELLO
ELEGY*
SOLO VOICE
Shape of the Invisible (Soprano)
CHAMBER MUSIC
• TRIO FOR OBOE, BASSOON AND PIANO
• ONE DAY IN...(PIANOS AND PERCUSSION)
• JACK IN THE BOX (OBOE, CLARINET, CELLO)
• TRIO FOR FLUTE, GUITAR AND DRUMSET
• REMEMBRANES’68 (STRING QUARTET)
• RACE RIOT, 1964 (TENOR SAXOPHONE, TRUMPET, DRUMSET, SIREN)
• THE BOXING MATCH (4 FRENCH HORNS)
• OVERTURE FROM SING MY PEOPLE (2 PIANOS)*
• ONLY A LITTLE WHILE (SOPRANO AND PERCUSSION)
• JAZZ SONATINA (FLUTE, PIANO, DRUMSET)*
• CELEBRATION 2020 (BRASS QUINTET
• DREI BESONDEREN KLANGFARBEN (BASSOON, CONTRABASS, MARIMBA)
• A SETTING OF FIVE POEMS BY LANGSTON HUGHES (TENOR, BASSOON, FRENCH HORN, XYLOPHONE)
• CLARINET QUINTET
• SONATINA FOR FLUTE, CELLO AND PIANO+
• AMONG THE SNOW-CAPPED PEAKS(PERCUSSION, PIANO, STRING QUARTET)
• AN ERA (WOODWIND QUINTET)
• OCEANA (FLUTE, BASS CLARINET, CONTRABASS, PERCUSSION)
• DANCE OF THE STREETS (SOPRANO, CLARINET, CELLO, PIANO, DRUMSET)
• JAZZ QUINTET FOR BRASS QUINTET
• FANTASY FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
• ORCHESTRAL SUITE FROM ELEGIES FOR THE FALLEN (WOODWINDS, BRASS, PERCUSSION)
• JAZZ CONCERTINO (FLUTE/VIOLIN SOLOIST, ORCHESTRA)
• THE SNOW STORM (WOODWIND QUINTET AND STRING QUINTET)
• RACE RIOT (REV.)
CHORUS
• SING MY PEOPLE (SOPRANO, TENOR, BASS, SATB CHORUS, CHAMBER ENSEMBLE)
• IN TIME OF SILVER RAIN (SATB CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA)
• DREAM VARIATIONS (SOPRANO, SATB CHORUS, FLUTE, PIANO, DRUMSET)
OPERA
• ELEGIES FOR THE FALLEN
COMPUTER MANIPULATED SOUNDS
• IMAGE
• 8:45 AM
• THE BIRDS (CD AND 2 PIANOS)
ORCHESTRA
• THE SOUL OF NATURE,
• A TONE POEM FOR VICTIMS OF RACISM AND HATRED
• THE SNOW STORM (REV.)
• CAPE COAST CASTLE(GHANA)
• SUMMER (PIANO CONCERTO)
MUSIC samples
Discography
1998-A Tone Poem for Victims of Racism and Hatred-Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra-Vienna Modern Masters Music from Six Continents Series
2021-3rd movement from A Summer Afternoon in South Carolina-Maria Thompson Corley-Soundscapes II: Piano Music by Women of African Descent
2022-Jazz Quintet and Celebration 2020-Rose City Brass Quintet-Disquiet
2022 Piano Suite-Rochelle Sennet-Bach to Black vol.2-Albany Records