These scores are examples of pieces I originally wrote for my own ensemble that I later re-arranged for vocal ensembles.
Beginning & End- the title track from my EP Moments (2021), I originally arranged it for voice, 3 horns, piano bass and drums. The piece is about the beginning and end of each day- when we are alone with our thoughts and can sometimes face discomfort when planning or reflecting on our day. When singing the piece with my band I felt it would lend itself well to vocal harmonies, and it became one of the first songs I re-arranged for a choir in 2022.
The live recording shown below is from a performance at the Canadian Music Centre from May 2025 after a week long residency where Raquel Marina and I workshopped our vocal ensemble arrangements with a 10 piece ensemble. (6 vocalists including myself and Raquel, piano, guitar, bass and drums).
Once More- Originally written in 2025 to play with my jazz quintet, I have since arranged it for vocal ensemble (as shown here) and for myself with piano quintet. (Piano and string quartet). The main theme of the song is a repeating 5 bar figure, where the voice is at parts in unison with the bass and at other times in harmony with it, and the piano and guitar arpeggiates from the bass/vocal line. I wanted the interplay of the voice between instruments and thought this was another piece that would lend itself well to other ensemble interpretations to explore even more options of interplay.
The vocal ensemble recording is from University of Toronto’s Vocal Ensemble Concert March 2026. The recording from my quintet is from a live performance at the Rex September 2025. The piano quintet version was recently recorded (not shown here) and will be released this fall.
Beginning & End Credits:
Alyssa Giammaria-composer/arranger/voice
Raquel Marina, Jacquline Teh, Laura Swankey, Jackson Welchner, Andrew Lowe- voice
Hannah Barstow, Julien Bradley-Combs, Andrew Furlong, Andrew McCarthy-band
Once More credits:
Alyssa Giammaria-composer/arranger/conductor
University of Toronto Vocal Jazz Ensemble directed by Christine Duncan- ensemble