Artist bio
Sally Gyngell is an emerging performer and future music educator whose practice celebrates the beauty of vocal harmony. With a background in musical theatre, she creates original works that combine storytelling, faith and experimental vocal techniques. Passionate about the importance of music education, Sally seeks to foster meaningful musical experiences that bring people together, encourage creative expression and highlight the unique power of collective voice.
Artist statement
I am what some may call an overthinker. My thoughts often run in a myriad of directions, questioning possibilities and imagining every potential outcome. When I encountered Elva Tiang’s poem “Dandelion”, I was immediately drawn to its reflective nature and the way it captured a thought process that felt deeply familiar to my own.
In setting the poem to music, I wanted to further explore this conceptual aim and express it through my love of vocal harmony. Drawing on techniques including non-diatonic harmony, counterpoint and modulation, I sought to musically represent the complexity, unpredictability and occasional chaos of overthinking. The resulting work is a composition for five voices and piano, developed through a collaborative process of experimentation and improvisation with my ensemble.
Working with the ensemble challenged me not only as a composer but also as a leader, providing valuable insight into the logistics of directing a vocal group and helping all of us grow in our harmonising skills. “Dandelion” will be performed by Anielle Saminaden, Journie Cotejo, Matisse Pearce and Melody Tough (voice and piano). Alongside the performance, I have produced a notated score that I hope to use with ensembles in my future career as a music teacher.