WORKS LIST
(For inquiries about perusal scores and recordings not listed under “Scores and Recordings,” please email dawnsonntagcomposer@gmail.com.)
CHORAL – SATB
“Of Stars,” SATB, choir, cello. Premiere by Choral Arts Ensemble Portland, date TBD.
“Peace I Leave with You,” SATB choir, orchestra. Premiered by the Ensign Chorus and Orchestra, Seattle, WA., September, 2022
“Gott, Erhalte Uns,” text by Martin Luther; “Jesus, I Long for Your Blessed Communion,” text translated by Gracia Grindal; “Ljoset over Landet,” text by St. Olav Premiered October 29, 2022; commissioned for the Mindekirken (Norwegian Memorial Lutheran Church) centennial celebration, Minneapolis, Minnesota, John de Haan, conductor
The Road Not Taken for SATB choir and piano, text by Robert Frost. Premiered May 2019, Cleveland Chamber Chorus, Robert MacPherson, conductor.
“Snowflakes” for SATB, piano, text by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Premiere February 24, 2018, Kantorei Chamber Choir, Dr. Timothy Westerhau, Cathedral of St. John’s, Spokane, WA.
“Fiat” Lux for SATB and string quartet. Premiered April 2014, Hiram College, for the inauguration of President Lori Varlotta. Performed at the Wreath Laying Ceremony for James Garfield, James Garfield Memorial, Lakewood Cemetery, Cleveland, November 2015
“My Beloved is Mine” and “Rise up, my love” for SATB choir, erhu, zugheng, and marimba. Text by Dawn Sonntag, based on biblical passages from the Song of Solomon. Premiered March 2014 by the Orchid Ensemble with the Hiram College Chamber Singers
“Victimae Paschali Laudes,” SATB, choir, brass, and strings. Commissioned and premiered Easter, 2013 by Church of the Little Flower, Bethesda, Maryland. National Symphony, brass; Catholic University DMA student string quartet, Caleb Wenzel, conductor
“These are the Holy Ten Commands” for SATB choir, organ, and chamber orchestra. Commissioned by Gracia Grindal, Professor emerita, Luther Seminar. Text by Gracia Grindal (translation of Luther hymn)
Premiered October 28, 2012, by Valparaiso University Concert Choir, Christopher Cock, conductor.
“Covenant” for SATB and Organ, text based on biblical text. Premiered October 14, 2012. Commissioned for the 200th anniversary of the St. Peter Pikeland UCC, West Chester, Pennsylvania
Matthew Hill, conductor.
“A Clear Midnight,” SATB A Cappella. Text by Walt Whitman. Premiered by the Princeton Singers, June 29, 2012, Lehigh University Zoellner Center for the Arts, Steven Sametz, conductor. Performed for the ACDA National Symposium on Choral Music, Washington, D.C., June 30, 2012
“Blow Bugles, Blow,” SATB, piano, trumpet, text by Wilfred Owen.
“Jesu, Sweet, to Thee I Sing,” text anon., SATB choir and English Horn.
“There Will Come Soft Rains,” SATB choir, wind ensemble. Text by Sara Teasdale. Piano version premiered June 2010 by the Princeton Singers, Orchestrated version, Hiram College Choir and Wind Ensemble, November 2010.
“Echo” for SATB a-cappella, text by Christina Rossetti. Premiered July 2009 by the European-American Musical Alliance Composers’ Choir, Paris, France,
“Evergreen” for SATB a cappella; text by Dawn Sonntag. Premiered by the EAMA Composers Choir, Paris, France, July 2006
“Herren er min Hirte” for SATB choir, solo tenor, flute, violin, piano. Premiered by the Leif Eriksson International Choir, October 2008
“Entrust Your Ways to the Lord” (Befiehl Du deine Wege) for SATB choir, soloists, chamber orchestra, and organ, text by Paul Gerhardt, trans. Gracia Grindal. Premiered October 2007 by the Augsburg College Choir, 25th Anniversary, Luther College Reformation Festival, Saint Paul, Minnesota
“Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer Day,” SATB a cappella, text by William Shakespeare. Premiered May 2006 at Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis,
“Behold, A Host,” SATB choir and violin, text translated Gracia Grindal. Premiered April 2006 by the Sanctuary Choir, Norwegian Memorial Lutheran Church
Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dawn Sonntag, Conductor
“Gloria,” SATB A Cappella, 2008
“As Darkness Falls,” SATB A Cappella, 2008
“The Road Not Taken,” SSA, two flutes, piano. Text by Robert Frost. Premiered by the Ohio State University Women’s Glee Club, 2003, Dawn Sonntag, conductor
“An Old Song,” SATB a cappella, text by Theodore Roethke. Premiered May 2003 by the Ohio State University Chamber Singers. Dawn Sonntag, conductor
“Night Song at Amalfi,” SATB a cappella, text by Sara Teasdale. Premiered 203 by the Ohio State University Chamber Singers
“Shall We Gather at the River,” tune, text by Robert Lowry; SATB, flute, piano, handbells. Premiered at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill, Saint Paul, 2003
“The Lord is my Light,” SATB acappella. Premiered May 1985 by St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church Adult Choir, James Schierenbeck, conductor
CHORAL, SSA/SSAA
“Listening” for SAA, flute, piano. Amy Lowell, text. Commissioned by the North Florida Women’s Choir. Premiere May 2013 at the St. Augustine Arts Festival, St. Augustine, Florida
“Mizpah,” SSA, piano, text by Constance Fenimore Woolson.
Premiered October 2011 by the Hiram College Western Reserve Women’s Chorus, National City Christian Church, Washington, DC
“Winter Dawn,” SSA, piano, 2009
“Evening Song” for SSA chorus, piano, flute. Text by Sydney Lanier. Premiered May 2007 by the University of Minnesota Women’s Chorus (Carl Fischer, 2008)
“The Road Not Taken” SSA, piano, flute, text by Robert Frost, Premiered May 2003 by the Ohio State University Women’s Chorus,
“Alleluia,” SSAA, African drums. Premiered spring 2004 by Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill Sanctuary Choir, St. Paul, MN.
“Shall We Gather at the River,” SSA, or SATB, piano, handbells. Text by Robert Lowry. Premiered 2004 at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill, St. Paul, MN.
“We Three Kings,” SA, piano, flute. Premiered 2001 at Church of the Messiah United Methodist Church, Westerville, Ohio
OPERA
Clara: A Life and Death in Shadow (ca. 40 minutes), libretto by David J. Adams. Chamber opera based on the life and death of chemist Clara Haber, spouse of chemist Franz Haber.
For Life (ca. 36 minutes), libretto by Kermit Cole, co-founding editor, Mad in America (organization founded by Robert Whitaker). Premiere February 2022, Cleveland Opera Theater Operas in Place Festival
A critical view of the role of drug companies in mental health care.
Coal Creek (in progress), libretto by Dawn Sonntag. Based on the true story of the Coal Creek gold mining community in remote east-central Alaska
Scenes performed by ContempOpera Cleveland, Hartford Opera Theater, and Cleveland Opera Theater,
2018-2019
Evangeline (10 minutes – for solo soprano and piano), libretto by Dawn Sonntag. Based on the poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Premiere August 2017, Opera from Scratch festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Performance at Hartford Women’s Composers Festival, April 7, 2018
Verlorene Heimat (ca. 80 minutes), libretto by Dawn Sonntag. Based on the true story of East Prussian refugee family and the Jewish-Ukrainian girl they sheltered during the final months of World War II
Premiere April 2013 Hiram College. Cleveland premiere January 27-28, 2018, Cleveland Opera Theater.
Scenes performed by ContempOpera Cleveland, Hartford Opera Theater, Cleveland Opera Theater
INSTRUMENTAL CHAMBER MUSIC
Tieton River for flute, piano and cello. Premiered by the Oasis Ensemble, Oregon, March 2026
Sonata for Violin, Washington State Music Teachers Association Composer of the Year Commission. Premiere June 2021, Svend Ronning, violin, and Dawn Sonntag, piano
Tattler Creek for Flute, Violin, and Cello. Premiered July 2017 in Fairbanks and Denali, Alaska. Performance July 2017 in Eagle, Alaska,
Performances November 2017 at Cleveland Natural History Museum and July 2022, HERS festival, Cleveland Ohio.
Denali Reflections for string quartet
1. Teklanika
2. Upon Seeing Caribou Graze upon a Mountainside
3. Alpine Forget-Me-not
Premiere July 2014at the Fairbanks Arts Festival. Performed April 2015, Cleveland Composers Guild, July 2015, Cane Park Arts Festival, Cleveland, May 2016, Cascadia Composers Sounds of the Northwest
“O Love, How Great: Theme and Variations on a 13th Century Melody”for piano trio. Premiered March 2006 at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Marybeth Stroll, violin; Maryanne Casey, cello; Dawn Sonntag, piano
“Soaring” for violin and piano. Premiered May 2012 at the Cleveland Music Settlement,
“Baile Notturno” for cello and violin. Premiered May 2012 at the Cleveland Music Settlement. Performance July, 2022, Delgani Quartet duo
“Pas de Deux” for Euphonium and Piano. Premiered at the Cleveland Music Settlement, May 2011
“Rhapsody” for two pianos. Commissioned by the Cleveland Composers Society. Premiered July 2009 by Dawn Sonntag and Jesse Wong, Paris, France.
ORGAN
Fantasy on “What Wondrous Love” Premiered Olympia AGO Holy Week concert, 2025
Lenten Meditation on O Sacred Head, premiered Good Friday, 2026 Westminster Presbyterian Church
Prelude on “Holy, Holy, Holy”
Prelude on “Jesus, Refuge of the Weary”
ORCHESTRA
“Soaring” for string orchestra. Premiered July 2015 by the Fairbanks Community String Orchestra, Jennifer Drake, Conductor
“Elegy” for orchestra, premiered May 2006 at Central Lutheran Church, Dawn Sonntag, conductor. Performed May 2025, PLU Symphony Orchestra, Asiah Mayhar, conductor
ART SONG and VOCAL CHAMBER MUSIC
“Listen to the Wind” for voice, marimba, flute, violin, and string bass. Premiered July 2015 at the Fairbanks Arts Festival,
“Come Up from the Fields, Father” for voice and piano, text by Walt Whitman. Premiered April 2010 Northern Virginia Community College, Dawn Sonntag, soprano, Jonathon Kolm, piano
“Kentucky Belle” for narrator and piano improvisation, text by Constance Fenimore Woolson. Commissioned by the Constance Fenimore Woolson Society. Premiered February 22, 2013, Constance Fenimore Woolson Society Biannual Conference, Columbus, Georgia, Cheryl Torsney, narrator, Dawn Sonntag, piano
Song and Silence, seven songs for voice and soprano, texts by Sara Teasdale. Premiered 2005 at the University of Minnesota, Dawn Sonntag, soprano, Karen Murphy, piano
Hope Songs, song cycle for soprano, oboe, double bass, and piano, texts by Christina Rossetti. Premiered November 2010 at OMTA convention, Cleveland, Ohio, Dawn Sonntag, soprano; Margi Griebling Haigh, Oboe; Kent Young, cello; Randall Fusco, piano.
Three Poems of Marvin Bell:
“After Tu Fu” for voice, cello, and piano
“An Elegy for the Past,” for voice, cello, and piano
“The Mulberry Tree,” for cello and voice;
Commissioned by the Lindsay-Crane Center for Writing, Hiram College. Premiered April 2009, Hiram College. Dawn Sonntag, soprano; Christina Babich-Rosser, cello; Randall Fusco, piano
La Corona for soprano and chamber ensemble, texts by John Donne.
Premiered 2007, University of Minnesota,
Northern Lights Chamber Ensemble
Dawn Sonntag, soprano
Heidi Miller, conductor
“How Beautiful Upon the Mountains” for piano and high voice. Premiered August 2008, Trinity Lutheran Church, Carver, Minnesota. Composed on the occasion of the ordination of Rev. Dr. Holger Sonntag
“Set Me as a Seal” for piano and high voice. Commissioned for the wedding of my friends John and Catherine O’Brien. Premiered at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill, St. Paul, Minnesota
“Magnificat” for medium voice and piano. Premiere Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, December 2021
FILM
Music for the documentary film Action Arts. Produced by David Feinberg; premiered October 2007 at the Minneapolis Public Library
Music for the documentary film Voice to Vision, featuring victims of genocide, produced by David Feinberg, premiered September, 2008; broadcast on PBS