In Memory of Jean Valentine (1934-2020)

Jean Valentine (1934-2020)

Jean Valentine (1934-2020)

On December 29 the American poet Jean Valentine passed away at the age of 86. Jean’s poetry has significantly and directly influenced my work for many years, perhaps more than any other non-musical artist that I have ever encountered. I am deeply saddened by her passing, and wanted to share some pieces that would not exist in their current form without her work. 

Over the past several years, Jean’s work haas consistently served as inspiration, comfort, and motivation in my music. In 2017, I set several of her poems in a song cycle, Under the Gold, performed first by Whitney Cleveland and Nevada Lozano in New York City and later by Christina Swanson and Sonya Belaya at the Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor. In 2018 her poem “One Foot in the Dark” inspired my trio for Sonya Belaya, Kellen Degnan, and Jasper Zientek (through a Detroit Composers’ Project commission), which I named after the text. In 2019, Perry Roth commissioned a new work for saxophone which nods to a line in one her poems “another frame dragging blue or brighter blue: strange lights:” Her words are more like music than not, capturing indescribable feelings so precisely it seems impossible that her english language is the same as mine. Reading her poems, for me, is like remembering a dream that is critical and vivid, yet unexplainable. Jean has said about her own work — “I am going towards the spiritual rather than away from it.” 

I feel indebted to Jean’s work and legacy and I have no doubt that I will turn to her work for years to come. Rest in peace, Jean (1934-2020).


Listen to the referenced works:

“In the Evening” from Under the Gold (2017), performed at the Kerrytown Concert House (Ann Arbor, MI) by Christina Swanson, soprano; and Sonya Belaya, piano.

One Foot in the Dark (2018), performed at the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, MI) by Jasper Zientek, viola; Kellen Degnan, cello; and Sonya Belaya, piano.

STRANGE LIGHTS for alto saxophone & piano Live Performance on January 11, 2020 US Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium (*Studio Recording Forthcoming*) Movements (Without Pause): I. Freely II. With Movement III. Slow Performed by Perry Roth, alto saxophone Elisabeth Tomczyk, piano Harriet Steinke, composer © 2020 Harriet Steinke

Strange Lights (2019), performed at the International Navy Band Saxophone Symposium (Washington D.C.) by Perry Roth (commissioner), alto saxophone and Elisabeth Tomczyk, piano. 

Rehearsal Recording taken on October 15, 2017 (NYC) Whitney Cleveland, soprano Alberto Nevada Lozano, piano © 2017 Harriet Steinke Text by Jean Valentine (b. 1934) “Under the Gold” “October Morning” “How have I hurt you?” “Woman, Leaving" from Door to the Mountain: New and Selected Poems, 1965 -2003 ©2004 by Jean Valentine. Published by Wesleyan University Press. Used by permission.

“Woman, Leaving” from Under the Gold (2017) rehearsal recording for the 7Songwriters Series (NYC), with Nevada Lozano, piano and Whitney Cleveland, soprano.

New (Remotely Recorded) Video of Six Miniatures for Guitar and Bass

Bassist Benjamin Clayton de Kock and guitarist Colin Davin made an excellent “quarantine recording” of the first movement of my piece, Six Miniatures for Guitar and Bass! I am happy that players are finding ways to still make music together despite distance and I am honored that these fantastic musicians learned my piece. Listen to a full recording of the piece here or purchase the score here.

Winner of "She Can, We Can" Composition Competition & Commission

I am excited to share that I was selected by the Women’s Wind Ensemble as one of four winners for their “We Can, She Can” 2020 composition competition. All winners are commissioned by the WWE to write new works for a concert in 2021 celebrating the 19th amendment. The works will each focus on a significant American woman or theme related to the history of women’s suffrage.

The Women’s Wind Ensemble is a chamber winds ensemble in North Carolina made up of fantastic players from the UNCG and Duke faculty. I am thrilled to create a new work for this special program!

Women’s Wind Ensemble (WWE)

Women’s Wind Ensemble (WWE)

Website Updates!

Thanks for visiting my site! I’ve made some major changes in hopes of both adding more content and work samples to my site and also making space to post updates about all of the projects I’m involved in - some of the changes include:

I’m looking forward to sharing more soon!

Performance of "One Foot in the Dark" at the Tanglewood Music Center

Although “One Foot in the Dark” was premiered in 2018, I was honored to receive such a sensitive and beautiful performance of the work by the Fromm players at the Tanglewood Music Center on August 11, 2019. Working with the players, Sonia, Christine, and Sam, was a very special experience for me and I was honored to have the work performed in the stunning and spacious Seiji Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood.

Cellist Sonia Mantell, pianist Christine Wu, Me, & violist Sam Pederson after the performance.