Compositions

View Vanessa's various compositions.

Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in Bb/A, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, timpani, violins I and II, viola, cello, double bass, and harp (mvt. 2 only)
Duration: TBA
Movements: 4
Composer's note: I began writing my first symphony in October of 2023. However, at the time, I struggled with composing for large ensembles and soon set the piece aside. In 2024, with newfound determination, I quickly completed the first movement, followed by the second a few months later. Currently, I am completing the third movement and intend to write a fourth. Inspired by personal struggles, this work contains many complex emotions, conveyed through various timbres, textures, and expressive melodies.

Instrumentation: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet in Bb, Horn in F, Bassoon, and Piano
Duration: ~3 ½ minutes
Movements: N/A (single movement work)
Composer's note: A Nature Walk in California was inspired by the beautiful nature I see and hear everyday as a resident of California. This piece was selected as a winner of the 2023 California Festival Composers' Competition.

Instrumentation: Piano
Duration: ~2 ½ minutes
Movements: N/A (single movement work)
Composer's note: I wrote Mélodie for solo piano for my partner, who is a pianist. It features various lyrical melodies, all of which convey the support he gave me during a difficult period in my life.

Instrumentation: Clarinet in Bb (or Cello) and piano
Duration: ~4 minutes
Movements: N/A (single movement work)
Composer's note: Completed in early May 2023, Canzonetta di mezzanotte (“Midnight Song”) is a work influenced by dark nighttime emotions. Originally composed for cello, it was later transcribed for clarinet for the 2023 University of the Pacific Composers' Concert, where it was premiered.

Instrumentation: Violin, Clarinet in Bb, and Piano
Duration: ~17 minutes
Movements: 3
Composer's note: Trio for violin, clarinet, and piano is a piece mainly inspired by personal challenges I experienced in 2022 and 2023. The opening melody of the first movement first came to me in 2019. However, at the time, I lacked the theoretical foundation to notate it properly. In 2022, I recalled the melody, and with a stronger knowledge of music theory, I was finally able to write it down as a piano piece. In 2023, I reimagined the work for violin, clarinet, and piano—an instrumentation I deeply admire for its rich palette of colors and timbres.

Instrumentation: English Horn, Clarinet in Bb, and Bassoon
Duration: ~13 minutes
Movements: 4
Composer's note: Reed Trio in F Minor is a piece heavily influenced by the challenges I faced in 2022. Initially, it began as a woodwind quintet piece; however, I later found that a smaller instrumentation best fit the contrapuntal nature of the work. Lyrical and expressive, this work captures a wide range of emotions.

Instrumentation: Flute, Oboe/English Horn, Clarinet in Bb/A, Horn in F and Bassoon
Duration: ~9 ½ minutes
Movements: 4
Composer's note: Four pieces for Woodwind Quintet is a programmatic piece influenced by the strong emotions that arise from fractured relationships. It features many distinct melodic lines and duets, all of which convey these complex emotions.