Kevin Day, promising composer

The Willamette Valley Chamber Music Festival flew by in three weekends with three different musical programs Aug. 3-18 at three different wineries (Appassionata Estate, Archery Summit and Sokol Blosser) near Portland. In tandem with artistic directors/musicians Sasha Callahan’s and Leo Eguchi’s creative programming, which ranged from Haydn’s Lark to Isabella Leonarda’s 400-year-old music, 28-year-old composer-in-residence Kevin Day put his exuberant stamp on the WVCMF’s eighth season.

His approachable demeanor, upbeat teaching with JOY (Junior Orchestra of Yamhill County) and natty burgundy suit left big impressions during his 10 days in Oregon, as did his five festival pieces. They included the 2-minute jam-packed demanding “Variation V,” based on the fifth variation of the “Andante Cantabile” movement of Beethoven’s String Quartet in A Major; world premieres of “Transit” and an arrangement of Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion,” both with soprano Catherine van der Salm; and “Essence of Being,” the subtitle for his fifth string quartet. The most astounding – “Birds in the Cathedral,” a West Coast premiere — was also the most challenging, said Eguchi, who holds down the string quartet with the cello. “The incredibly slow tempo (32 beats per minute) combined with the extremely high delicate harmonics, and the instructions for little to no vibrato, makes for an incredibly delicate and stunning texture – but one that requires immense amount of control and ensemble technique.”

Callahan, an accomplished violinist, credits Day with “introspective, reflective music. It feels so personal and vulnerable, creating space for performers and audience alike to reflect and contemplate. But his rhythmic, driving music is also so compelling, like a window into his quicksilver mind.”

With a mother who gifted Day with a melodic sense through her gospel singing and a hip-hop-producing dad who imparted rhythm, Day has a “very natural, lyrical sensibility,” Callahan said. “He’s so fluent in so many different musical languages, I think part of what makes Kevin stand out is his ability to `code switch’ among these languages in a way that feels integrated and genuine.”

Day “clearly grew up with songs in his ears from the beginning,” Eguchi added, “but his recent experience of writing and rewriting opera has honed his skills.”

Following is a question-and-answer session with Kevin Day conducted by email in late August after the WVCMF when Day was taking a break at his home in San Diego. Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity and flow.

Oregon ArtsWatch: Tell me about your musical family: Your father was a hip-hop producer, your mom a gospel singer. And where did you grow up?

Kevin Day: Both my parents were musicians and immersed in gospel music at their church. They would take me to their praise team rehearsals as a kid, and through their music-making, I got interested in how to create it. I was born in Charleston, W. Va. in 1996, and I grew up in Arlington, Texas, after my parents moved there when I was only 1 year old.

(Note: Day lives in San Diego and is finishing up a Phd. in Composition from University of Miami Frost School of Music.)

OAW: Explain the strains of gospel and rap/hip-hop in your music?

KD: Elements of gospel, jazz, and hip-hop come through my musical harmonies, melodies, and motivic ideas. Rhythm takes a key role and is a big part of my composition process. My contemporary music as a composer is a fusion of these and other genres from my upbringing.

OAW: You said you were moving toward composing pieces for strings and voice. Why is that, and what are some of them?

KD: I’ve always loved chamber, orchestral and vocal music. I was in choir from kindergarten through sixth grade and singing was a big part of my childhood. Being a 28 year old now, I feel this pull to go back to those choral roots, and that has taken form through writing chamber music featuring the voice, as well as writing my first commissioned opera, where I write for many voices. Examples of some of my chamber or vocal pieces include “Transit,” “The Essence of Being” (aka “String Quartet No. 5”) and “The Mind is like Water.”

(Note: Day has written six string quartets.)

OAW: “Birds in the Cathedral” is gorgeous and unusual. Tell me about the process of writing that. You said it was a homage to your former partner?

KD: Yes, “Birds in the Cathedral” (the subtitle of my sixth string quartet) was written after being inspired by my experience visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. It’s an homage to my former partner and friend Daniel Reeves. In my time with Daniel, I learned about his love for architecture and his passion for music. This meditative and introspective work brings those two loves of his together in a beautifully compelling way. This piece is unlike most of my musical works. It begins so softly and sets the stage for a meditation on life, grief, and cherishing ones we hold dear. It has become one of my favorite works, and my way of ultimately letting go and moving forward.

OAW: You compose a mean bass line. Was that because you played the tuba?

KD: I started playing the euphonium in the sixth grade and the tuba in the tenth. Both have profoundly impacted how I compose music

OAW: What do you teach when you are the composer-in-residence? Do you only work on your pieces? At WVCMF did you do anything different from other residencies?

KD: There was no studio teaching involved in this residency, but we did do some community outreach and visited area schools to work with orchestral students, as well as played a concert for the Tualatin Public Library. We rehearsed my works throughout the week and also got to enjoy a bit of Oregon wine country. This residency was relaxed and enjoyable compared to other residencies I’ve done. Sasha, Leo, Eve (Callahan, WVCMF co-founder) and the whole WVCMF/winery staff really did a phenomenal job putting this together and making me feel welcome.

OAW: Why do you think you were a good composer to arrange Piazzolla’s “Oblivion.”

KD: I have listened to Piazzolla’s music since I was young, and “Oblivion” happens to be one of my favorite works of his. His music revolutionized the tango and brought it to the wider world. He remains one of my favorite composers to listen to. So, when asked by the festival to write this arrangement, I was thrilled to do it, and I did my best to capture the essence and soul of his music.

OAW: Do you compose on the piano? If not, how? And when and how did you realize you could compose?

KD: I usually do not compose at the piano, except in the case of the opera I am currently composing. Most of the time, I just hear ideas in my head and then go straight into Finale (music software) to compose the music. Through working on my opera, the piano has become a bigger part of my process. I realized I could compose when I was about 8 years old. My dad got me a laptop with music-production software that allowed me to create music and taught me the basics of composition. I had no idea I would be writing notated music years later, but my beginnings as a composer were writing tracks with my dad.

OAW: Where do you get your ideas for composing? You said they came pretty randomly.

KD: My ideas often do come in random moments, and I try to write them down as quickly as possible. Because I listen to so much music, I always have music in my head in some way. I consider myself a spontaneous composer.

OAW: How long have you been playing jazz piano? Do you perform? How does jazz fit into your composing?

KD: I’ve been playing piano since I was 9 years old and started learning jazz around age 14. It is one of my passions, and I love performing and collaborating with friends. I’ve been featured on some commercial records and hope to complete and release my first jazz project in the coming years. Jazz and improvisation have become an integral part of my composition process.

OAW: Who are your compositional influences?

KD: I have LOTS of influences spanning different time periods. What comes to mind now is composers like Mahler, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Piazzolla and Ravel. I’m also inspired by jazz greats John Coltrane, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, and Billie Holiday. Newer composition influences include Tania Leon, John Mackey, Jennifer Higdon, Takashi Yoshimatsu, Kamasi Washington and Kendrick Lamar.

OAW: How do you fit in with other “new music” composers? Tania Leon (she’s not that young), Steven Mackey (he’s 68, I think), Stewart Goodyear, Gabriela Frank, Jessie Montgomery, cellist Clancy Newman, violist Kenji Bunch, etc. Feel free to compare your music to other “new music” composers not mentioned here.

KD: I’m a contemporary composer that tries to strike a balance between tonality and atonality, while also exploring sonic and rhythmic complexities within various genres. I feel honored to be part of this renaissance of Black composers (both in the band and orchestral worlds). Overall, I’m always trying to listen and adapt, continuously trying to find new ways of self-expression through this artform.

OAW: What kinds of music do you listen to, other than classical?

KD: My playlist includes lots of pop, rap, latin, jazz, and indie alternative music. In moments when I am working or need to be calm, I listen to ambient music to help manage my anxiety. I try to stay on top of new music that comes out, but I also find myself coming back to the same songs over and over again.

OAW: Tell me about the opera you are composing and the challenges of that?

KD: My upcoming opera (and my very first) is entitled Lalovavi (pronounced Lah-low-vah-vee) and is commissioned by Cincinnati Opera and the Mellon Foundation. It is an Afrofuturist grand opera created by me and librettist Tifara Brown that is about a young heroine named Persephone, who goes on an epic adventure to discover the home that she was taken from as a child and finds out the truth about her past and ultimately her destiny in saving the people of Atlas, a dystopian authoritarian city that is ruled by a leader named Titan. Our title, Lalovavi, comes from the Black American language known as Tut and Lalovavi is the Tut word for “love.” In Lalovavi, this idea of love is challenged, as we go on this journey of self-acceptance with Persephone. This will be the very first opera in history to feature the Tut language, in tandem with English. For me, this is a big undertaking and so the challenges have been in learning how to effectively write for opera singers and orchestrate in a way where the voices can come through clearly. It has been an eye-opening experience, and I’ve enjoyed our workshop process so far. I’m grateful to our team at Cincinnati Opera for the work they are doing to make this production a reality. I can’t wait to share this music with the world soon.

(Note: “Lalovavi” will premiere June 19, 2025 at Cincinnati Opera.)

OAW: Do you think that Black Lives Matter has been enough of a “reckoning” to better expose Black musicians’ work?

KD: Though we’ve made some positive strides on this front, we still have a long way to go. “The reckoning” now should be towards continuing to spotlight and champion marginalized voices, and work towards greater equity in our field. There are so many talented Black artists out there doing amazing things, and I believe that more will be inspired to create as more representation occurs. I do have hope for the future, and I’m excited to see greater change happen in the world of classical music. I’m honored to be part of that change.

OAW: What did you like about Oregon, besides the wine?

KD: I loved the mountains, countryside, and the vast number of trees in Oregon. I visited the Portland Japanese Garden and had a beautiful experience there. I loved how peaceful it is and there’s so much I want to explore when visiting again. The people I met were also very nice and welcoming. Definitely hope to come back in the future.

(Note: A commemorative bottle of pinot noir was bottled at Appassionata Estate called “Transit” in honor of Day’s world premiere, “Transit.”

OAW: What’s next?

KD: Hopefully rest, lots of rest. I’m happy to be in demand as a composer, though once I get through the projects I have remaining, I look forward to taking some time off to enjoy life and create moments of peace.

Angela Allen

Kevin Day, promising composer

Talking about growing up with gospel and hip-hop, composing string quartets and opera, playing tuba, and the spontaneity of composition with this year’s WVCMF composer-in-residence.