In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Sydney Guillaume.
Sydney Guillaume
Photo of Sydney Guillaume, used with permission
b. 1982
With his spirited, rhythmic, and passionate compositions, Sydney Guillaume captivates singers and audiences around the world. Guillaume is originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, graduated from the University of Miami in 2004, and currently lives in Portland, Oregon. He has produced a large body of choral compositions along with several instrumental works as well as film and documentary scores. Through his choral music, Guillaume promotes appreciation and understanding of Haitian culture by setting Haitian texts, including original poetry written by his father. Outside of his work as a composer, Guillaume serves in the choral community as the NW ACDA co-chair of World Musics and Cultures, and also works as a clinician, as a conductor of honors choirs, and he conducts the Imbroglio Sextet, a role he has held since 2013.
Suggested choral pieces:
- Dominus Vobiscum (Walton Music WJMS1123)
- Ego Sum (Walton Music WW1466)
- Kanaval (self-published)
For more on Sydney Guillaume, visit his website: https://sydneyguillaume.com/