Composer
Deborah composes concertos, solo harp works, chamber works, musicals and song cycles. She’s primarily a composing performer, but more and more of her works are being performed by other soloists with ensembles around the world. Her concerto “Soñando en Español” is being performed by more and more harpists, both with symphony and in its chamber ensemble version for 8-piece ensemble. You can see a more complete list of her compositions here: (coming soon).
For a more comprehensive list of composing projects click here to the Projects Overview Page.
Chamber Ensemble & Harp Soloist “New Blues”
Sydney Australia • Soloist Eleanor Turner
Deborah Henson-Conant – Composer, Coach & Performer
The videos below are of DHC conducting soloist Eleanor Turner with chamber ensemble at the World Harp Congress in Sydney, Australia in July 2014.
… and conducting her “Soñando en Español”
Harp Concerto ~ “Soñando en Español”
with New Orleans Philharmonic & Soloist Eleanor Turner
Deborah Henson-Conant – Composer & Conductor
DHC is collaborating with U.K. soloist Eleanor Turner to complete “Soñando en Español” for publication both for orchestra and for chamber ensemble. The videos below are of DHC conducting and Turner as soloist with the New Orleans Philharmonic in June 2014.
Published Harp Ensemble Works include:
- “Baroque Flamenco” – Commissioned by the American Youth Harp Ensemble – for 2 or more concert harps (with optional lever harp part) [Buy This]
- Off She Goes & She’s Gone – for two harps (pedal or lever) – [Available through Harp Stores]
Unpublished:
- New Blues for 2 Harps & Orchestra
- Three Holiday Carols for 2 Harps
1 Woman Musicals, Operas & Song Cycles
What the Hell are you Doing in the Waiting Room for Heaven?? – For singing actress & harp or piano
The Frog Princess – For narrator/singer and orchestra
2 Person Musicals
The Golden Cage
An Original Two-Person Musical by Deborah Henson-Conant
This chamber musical was first performed in the late 70’s and is now being revised again for production.You can hear a set of musical excerpts that basically outline the story below.
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE described the show this way:
“It’s not exactly your conventional woman-meets-man story. Consider: Birdman is blown by a storm to a mountaintop, where he meets the ultimate housewife in her golden cage carved into a 500,000-foot-high granite cliff. Weary of his wanderings, the half-man, half-bird schemes to take possession of her home.
He rips the bars from her cage, coaxes her to the top of the mountain and … pushes her to her death.Then he gloatingly takes up residence. A safe home at last! But wait – now he is the one who can’t get out.”
15-Minute Excerpt Compilation
This is a 15-minute demo compilation of “The Golden Cage” by Deborah Henson-Conant that includes excerpts from each song and segments of dialogue to give a quick overview of the arc of the show and a taste of the music and lyrics.
