Written for the Women Composer's Festival of Hartford, Lasting Impressions honours an incredible musician whom I have long admired, Barbra Streisand. As a child, I was captivated by her confidence which was exuded in every note she sung and movement of her body. My respect for Streisand has only grown as I consider her struggles as a women in the music industry during a period when the concept of gender inequality was only becoming realized. Lasting Impressions is my embodiment of her confidence, fueling the energy and the unapologetic drama of this piece. The musical setting is a contemporary interpretation of classic musical theatre, principally inspired by Hello Dolly and other musicals that I grew up with.

 

After the introduction, there are three main segments in this piece. The first section encompasses a simple melody set over a rhythmic ostinato that bounces between players. From unison, an increasingly quirky harmony is born which is based on a recent fascination with 7th chords. The section comes to an unsettled finish, representative of an obstacle challenging Streisand’s momentum. The second segment moves into a slow, dramatic, and overly emotional ‘song’ in which Streisand sinks into her emotions as she finds the strength to continue her battle. There are soft glimmers of hope as the music brushes past some passing major chords. The third and final segment represents her rebirth. The melody from the first segment is brought back, this time embedded within a driving rhythmic ostinato in a darker harmonic setting. Throughout the piece, listen for chromatic ‘jazzy’ moments where I recall the improvisatory nature of Streisand’s vocals, particularly in songs like “Hello Dolly”.