Nay’s News August 2026
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I hope you are enjoying these summer days! I love enjoying all the Pacific Northwest has to offer during these warm and sunny months. I remain ever grateful that I get to do this thing I love so much...composing, performing, recording, connecting and collaborating through the magic that is music.
So much to share this month! Conductors are busy ordering scores for the fall and winter, I’m launching a treble choir consortium, there’s a jazz show in the works (!), a trending Lucente Skye song, and memories from recent adventures with California Choral Directors…
FEATURED SCORE
First up, featuring a score that was just ordered by another church choir. I’m SO glad "Love is Love (The Christmas Eve Song) is finding homes in schools and churches. This is a song about the beauty and joy of the holiday season, and a reminder to share love with refugees and houseless folks. Based on some feedback on the SATB version, I’ve edited it so it can be really accessible.
SEEKING TREBLE CHOIRS
FOR A COMMISSION CONSORTIUM!
I’m launching a Treble Choir Commission Consortium for a fun new a cappella / body & hand percussion piece called “SHE”! Rhythmically and energy-wise, it shares a similar driving, empowering vibe to Alexandra Olsavsky’s "What happens when a woman."
Quick turnaround on this one…. choirs need to join by August 20, and they’ll receive the score by September 1! Consortium Participation Contribution is $300–$500 per ensemble, and all choirs will be listed in the dedication on the score. Email me if you’re interested! I can send you a preview of the first 5 pages. It’ll be for Intermediate/Advanced SSAA ensembles.
UPCOMING SHOW
SAVE THE DATE!
FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 2026
West Linn, Oregon
Returning to my love of performing jazz with a new show fully devoted to the music of female jazz composers, played by an all-female band! Stay tuned for venue details and tickets.
LUCENTE SKYE SONG - ENERGY
TRENDING AT 17K IG REELS AND OVER 300K SPOTIFY STREAMS
This took me by surprise last month! A friend in the solo piano recording world let me know about it… I’m stunned and grateful that so many folks are engaging with and enjoying the song. I don’t really know how these things happen, but it has energized me - see what I did there - to return to composing and releasing Lucente Skye (my moniker for solo piano) music. Stay tuned for new releases very soon!
Stream/download Energy and all the songs on the Discovering Peace album HERE.
RECENT ADVENTURES
Last month I had a blast attending the California Choral Directors Association’s summer conference at ECCO. What a thrill it was for them to award my piece Summer Solstice with the Huessenstamm composition award, and then be able to share about it with them and hear them sing it! The whole experience was filmed and you can watch that right here:
I also had the opportunity to share my presentation “Creative Repertoire Solutions: Team up with a Composer” as an interest session. I was encouraged to film it and make it available after the conference, and then that is exactly what I did! You can watch that right here:
Thank you, thank you for being a part of my creative journey! I hope your summer days include joy, sunshine, and of course…. music!
With gratitude,
Naomi (Nay)