Biography
- Born February 28, 1949, raised in Wilmington, North Carolina
- Graduated from New Hanover High School, 1966
- Completed a BA Harvard University, 1970
- Completed a BM and MM in Piano Performance and an MM in Composition
- Completed DMA in Composition, University of South Carolina Columbia
- Adjunct faculty University of South Carolina Columbia
- First listed choral work, 1982
- Adjunct faculty at Columbia College
- Composed Shacharit, 1989
- Revised Shacharit, 2005
- Organ and Percusion version of Shacharit
- Divides her time between Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina
Ouevre
- 12 orchestral works
- 31 solo/chamber music.
- 1 opera
- 12 works, including 4 choral/orchestral works
Compositional Style
- Spiritual and Mystical Expression: Warshauer’s works are often rooted in Jewish liturgical and mystical traditions. She frequently uses Hebrew texts, prayer modes, and themes of divine connection, aiming to translate spiritual experiences into sound.
- Environmental Themes: A passionate environmental advocate, Warshauer uses music to raise awareness about ecological issues. Works like Living Breathing Earth and Ocean Calling evoke the rhythms and textures of the natural world.
- Modal and Melodic Language: Her music draws from traditional Jewish modes (e.g., Ahavah Rabbah, Adonai Malach), but reinterprets them through a contemporary lens with rich melodic contours and chant-like phrases.
- Minimalist and Textural Elements: She often incorporates minimalist repetition, sustained harmonic fields, and subtle rhythmic development, creating immersive sonic environments.
- Rhythmic Freedom and Jazz Influence: Some of her works show a looseness of rhythm and phrasing, with hints of jazz-like flexibility and syncopation, especially in chamber and solo repertoire.
- Orchestration and Color: Warshauer uses orchestration as a narrative tool, shaping soundscapes that express both human emotion and the physical environment. Her writing is known for its warmth, transparency, and emotional immediacy.
Shacharit
Premiered by Hillel Festival Orchestra on April 3, 1989 at Columbia College in South Carolina.
Follows the Ashkenazi Orthodox Siddur and The Metsudah Siddur: A New Linear Prayer Book, Sabbath and Festival Prayers
Duration: 40 minutes
Orchestrated version available on Apple Music.
I. Baruch she-amar | 00:00
II. Kol han’shamah (Every breath/soul) | 6:51
III. Bar’chu (Bless) | 10:08
IV. or Chadash (New Light) | 15:08
V. Sh’ma (Hear/Listen) | 20:43
VI. V’ahavta
VII. Sh’ma II
VIII. Amidah and Kedushah (Sacred Prayer) | 25:59
IX. Kaddish (Sanctification) | 31:39
X. Oseh Shalom (Make peace) | 35:34
Score
I. Baruch she-amar | FULL SCORE | ORGAN/PERC
II. Kol han’shamah | FULL SCORE | ORGAN/PERC
III. Bar’chu | FULL SCORE | ORGAN/PERC
IV. or Chadash | FULL SCORE | ORGAN/PERC
V. Sh’ma | FULL SCORE | ORGAN/PERC
VI. V’ahavta
VII. Sh’ma II
VIII. Amidah and Kedushah | FULL SCORE | ORGAN/PERC
IX. Kaddish | FULL SCORE | ORGAN/PERC
X. Oseh Shalom | FULL SCORE | ORGAN/PERC
Performing Forces (Orchestrated Version)
Flutes 1, 2, 3 (Piccolo)
Oboes 1 and 2 (English Horn)
B♭ Clarinets 1 and 2
Bassoons 1 and 2
French Horns 1, 2, 3, and 4
Trumpets 1 and 2
Trombones 1, 2, and 3 (Bass Trombone)
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion 1, 2, 3, and 4
Organ
Violins 1 and 2
Violas
‘Celli
Basses
Soprano solo
Tenor solo
Chorus (S. A. T. B.)
Performing Forces (2015 Organ Version)
Organ
Percussion 1, 2, 3, and 4
Soprano solo
Tenor solo
Chorus (S. A. T. B.)
Recommended Reading
