If you are interested in commissioning inquiries, contact Nailah Nombeko at: nailahnombeko219@gmail.com
Nailah Nombeko is a native New Yorker. Her music was performed all over the US in such venues as Symphony Space, Columbia University, The University of Kansas, The University of Kentucky, The International Double Reed Conference at the University of Colorado, National Sawdust, The Annapolis Opera and The Portland Opera. Internationally her music was performed in the Netherlands with soprano Marijke Groenendaal and in England at the Royal Northern College of Music. She’s also written for artists such as Kearstin Piper Brown, Karen Slack, Kara Dugan and Jennifer Sgroe.
Ms. Nombeko also received commissions from the Maryland Opera Studio, the Ethel Quartet, Intersection Music to compose a new work for Oboist Jared Hauser, Ex-Aequo’s “Changing the Canon” project, and Skaneateles Music Festival.
In 2022 Ms. Nombeko was among ten composers selected to participate in the National Association of Teachers of Singing composer mentor/mentee program. As a participant of this program she was commissioned to write a new work for countertenor which will be premiered in the summer of 2023. She also wrote music for the PBS Documentary “Buildings and Moods.”
Her most recent projects include writing a string quartet for the Overlook Quartet in honor of the life of Mary Eliza Mahoney. This is a joint project with the New York Times “Overlooked Obituary Series” commissioned by ACM and produced in collaboration with the Esopus Foundation, Ltd. In April of 2023 soprano Emily Albrink’s Album entitled “Force of Nature” is set to be released. This album features a song cycle “Facets of Womanhood” with music by Nailah Nombeko and texts by Mary McCallum. In the summer of 2023 her new work entitled "Fortitude" ,about the life of Harriet Tubman with texts by Alicia Haymer, was premiered at the Skaneateles Music Festival with soprano Kearstin Piper Brown.
Nailah Nombeko is a member of the African American Art Song Alliance, Vox Novus and the New York Women Composers. Her song “Nobody Knows” is published by E.C. Schirmer.
Reviews
"Piece for Oboe and Piano, is beautiful and invigorating-lyrical lines with staccato piano contrasting with legato oboe."
Mark Greenfest- Sound Word Sight
"…five short poems by Blake (1757-1827)... Beginning with "The Lilly" and closing with "The Sick Rose," these segments seem to reflect a life cycle: first upbeat but disruptive, then more pensive and hopeful. A restless but wondering middle section gives way to a reflective series of descending chord clusters; then the final poem, a rumination on death, is accompanied by a surprisingly sanguine musical tone."
Jack Crager- New Music for the 21 Century
"Nailah Nombeko imbued her violin/piano duo, Obscurity, with a brooding Debussy-esque Impressionism. It made no excuses for its straightforward ABA1 structure, song form an appropriate choice for so lyrical a work…
David Gunn-New Music for the 21 Century
Compassionate words from a loving mother to daughter receive kindred expression in Nombeko's heartfelt writing in “Be brave, be bold, be free!”
Ron Schepper-Textura
Click on the link to listen to "Short Songs to the Poetry of William Blake " performed by soprano Tiffany DuMouchelle and pianist Marcia Eckert.
"Short Songs to the Poetry of William Blake " performed by soprano Adrienne Patino-Dunn and pianist Marcia Eckert.