Contemporary Portfolio
Julia is an avid performer of
contemporary classical music, working directly with composers to bring the sound of our generation to the stage. Dating back to 2021, Julia has performed 8 musical premieres by young composers and also routinely performs works by established contemporary composers in her recital repertoire.
The Sky With All Its Stars - 2024
January 18th Concert of music by Dr. Karim Al-Zand, the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University's composition professor. Julia performed 3 pieces, I Shall Forget You Presently, setting a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, and also Two Songs with poetry by Reg Huston.
Piano: James Palmer
I Shall Forget You Presently
Two Songs
Time Against Our Bodies -
2024
Premiered on April 25th, this 7-movement piece was composed by Daniel Knaggs, graduate of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, and it features his original poetry. These thought-provoking songs explore various stages of life and how time is constantly modifying our existence as well as our perceptions of ourselves.
Piano: Rachel Chao
Good Bones by Daixuan Ai -
2022
In collaboration during their summer at the Aspen Music Festival and School in 2022, Julia Holoman, Daixuan Ai, and Chris Vazan workshopped and premiered the three-movement song cycle Good Bones under the advisement of Christopher Theofanidis and Nico Muhly. Setting texts by Maggie Smith, the cycle explores the layered emotional depth of motherhood. Daixuan eloquently comments is "one of the most sophisticated, profound, timeless and shared human experiences, but it is rarely talked about in the world of art songs. What kind of world are we bringing the next generaion into right now?"
Piano: Chris Vazan
Recorded October 29th, 2022 - Movements I, II, V.
Recorded December 12th, 2022 - Movements I - V.
In Your Narrowing Dark Hours - 2022
Setting poetry by Louise Bogan, the 5-song cycle In Your Narrowing Dark Hours was written for Julia by Allen Anderson, emeritus professor of composition at UNC Chapel Hill. The piece was partially premiered at a live concert on October 29th, 2022 with movements I, II and V, and the cycle in its entirety was recorded December 15th, 2022.
I. Night
II. Evening Star
III. From Heine
IV. Dark Summer
V. Cartography
Piano: Mimi Solomon
Postcards from Alexandria -
2023
Chamber work for voice, piano, and viola written by Rice University
DMA student Victor Cui. Texts were translated to English from their
original Greek, written by Constantine P. Cavafy. Premiered
November 18th, 2023.
I. Life Cold and Vain
II. There Comes a Day
III. He is the Son
IV. Let the Pleasure
Eurydice - 2021
Born out of an ArtsEverywhere UNC grant project co-written with clarinetist Matt Svec, the "Intimiate Distance" interactive recital was created to highlight the challenges that musicians endured during the pandemic of trying to make music and maintain a sense of ensemble with the obstacle of social distancing. It was performed in a two-floor open space on the music campus of UNC Chapel Hill. Julia and Matt used the grant funds to commission UNC student composer Alex McKeveny to write a three-movement piece for string quartet, clarinet, and mezzo soprano. "The Flowers of Myself" is based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, using poetry by Hilda Doolittle.
I. You Have Swept Me Back
II. Such Loss is no Loss
III. The Flowers of Myself