Judith Clurman Conducts 'Washington Women' With Essential Voices USA

Essential Voices USA, Judith Clurman, Music Director and Conductor, announces the release of WASHINGTON WOMEN, a new collection of choral songs by David Chase and Judith Clurman. It is scored for mixed chorus, piano and cello.

The texts are taken from speeches, opinions, and interviews of sixteen remarkable women from across the political spectrum, all of whom spent part of their lives associated with Washington DC - First Ladies, Senators, Congresswomen, Supreme Court Justices, Secretaries of State, Vice President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives: Abigail Adams, Madeleine Albright, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Shirley Chisholm, Hilary Rodham Clinton, Betty Ford, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Kamala Harris, Elena Kagan, Michelle Obama, Sandra Day O'Connor, Nancy Pelosi, Condoleezza Rice, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Chase Smith.

The singers of Essential Voices USA are joined by pianist Lee Musiker and cellist Raman Ramakrishnan. The recording, on Acis (APL27921), can be streamed on all platforms. The published score is available through Hal Leonard (HL00329483).

The World Premiere performance of WASHINGTON WOMEN took place on July 1, 2022, when six movement were performed on National Public Radio's Tiny Desk Concerts. Performances are planned during International Women's Month, in March, 2023.

WASHINGTON WOMEN was commissioned by Essential Voices USA, with funding from the Maury Newburger Foundation. Support for the project was also provided by The Billy Rose Foundation, the Shapiro-Levin Family Charitable Fund, The Tillett and Burke Family Fund, Michael Douris, Margery Rosenberg, and other individual contributors. The recording was produced and engineered by Silas Brown, who was assisted by Jeremy Kinney.

Watch a promo video here:

Listen to the new album here: