I was commissioned to write Saudade for American Repertory Ballet’s 2021 Season. The solo piano composition was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and was meant to continue where Repeat left off.
I entitled the composition Saudade, a Portuguese word that conveys a nostalgic longing for something that one does not know will return. I found that this word perfectly encapsulated the meaning behind the work, as it drew upon the ubiquitous longing for normalcy felt during the pandemic.
Ryoko Tanaka, a dancer with American Repertory Ballet, choreographed a dance work to my music, which premiered digitally in May 2021 and in-person at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in October 2021.
I entitled the composition Saudade, a Portuguese word that conveys a nostalgic longing for something that one does not know will return. I found that this word perfectly encapsulated the meaning behind the work, as it drew upon the ubiquitous longing for normalcy felt during the pandemic.
Ryoko Tanaka, a dancer with American Repertory Ballet, choreographed a dance work to my music, which premiered digitally in May 2021 and in-person at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in October 2021.
“Propelled by the big chords, rippling arpeggios, and lush sound of Wright’s romantic piano music, the work’s full-bodied, sometimes overwrought, choreography exudes strong energies”
- U.S. 1 Newspaper
Press
Global Newswire- Why a Student at a Leading NJ Arts and Communication School Was Selected to Compose Music for American Repertory Ballet ︎︎︎
Ballet Herald- An Interview with Haley Wright & Ryoko Tanaka: A Tale of Two Talents ︎︎︎
The College of New Jersey- From Tutus to TCNJ: How one student is using her passion for dance to find success ︎︎︎
TCNJ Magazine- Striking the Wright Chord ︎︎︎
U.S. 1 Newspaper- Dance Review: American Repertory Ballet’s ‘Emergence’ ︎︎︎