By Francisco Salazar
Published by Special Arrangement with OperaWire
(Photo Credit: Catherine Hancock)
Executive Overview
In a major development for contemporary classical vocal literature, acclaimed Grammy-nominated baritone Will Liverman has officially announced a new, wide-ranging publishing relationship with Just a Theory Press. This strategic alliance debuts with the immediate release of three distinct musical works spanning four comprehensive editions, available now in both physical print and digital PDF formats.
At the center of this inaugural launch is Collected Songs, a landmark anthology that captures Liverman’s rapid evolution from a celebrated interpreter of the operatic stage to a deeply expressive and narrative-driven composer. The catalog highlights original compositions, fresh arrangements of traditional spirituals, and standout selections from The Dunbar/Moore Sessions—a project rooted in the rich literary traditions of Black American poetry.
Best known for breaking glass ceilings on the stages of the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and major international houses, Liverman’s pivot toward composition represents a significant artistic expansion. This new publishing partnership brings his distinctive voice off the stage and directly onto the music stands of studios, universities, and concert halls worldwide.
Detailed Chronology: From Pandemic Stillness to Published Score
The Genesis of a Composer
While the COVID-19 pandemic brought the global performing arts sector to a sudden, anxiety-inducing halt in early 2020, it also inadvertently provided rare spaces of stillness for artists accustomed to relentless performance schedules. For Will Liverman, this unexpected pause became the catalyst for a profound creative awakening.
Though Liverman had harbored a lifelong passion for writing music, formal composition had not been his primary academic focus. Confined by the imposter syndrome often experienced by performers crossing disciplinary lines, he admitted that he previously "didn’t feel [he] had permission to create."
The enforced isolation of the pandemic dismantled those internal barriers. Armed with the time and space to explore, Liverman began channeling his lifelong love of melody, text, and storytelling directly onto manuscript paper.
The Commission That Sparked a Movement
Liverman’s compositional journey formally began with a setting of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s evocative poem, "A Golden Day." Commissioned by acclaimed soprano Lauren Snouffer, this initial foray served as an artistic lightning rod.
Buoyed by the success of "A Golden Day," Liverman found himself increasingly drawn to the literary works of Paul Laurence Dunbar—one of the first influential Black American poets to achieve national recognition—as well as the writings of Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson, Dunbar’s brilliant former wife, poet, and political activist. This deep dive into late-19th and early-20th-century African American literature culminated in The Dunbar/Moore Sessions, a vital body of work that forms the backbone of his new catalog with Just a Theory Press.
The Launch: Three Works, Four Editions
The initial rollout with Just a Theory Press is meticulously organized to serve a diverse array of vocal ranges and pedagogical needs. Available immediately in print and digital downloads, the catalog breaks down as follows:
- Collected Songs – Volume 1 (High/Medium Voice and Piano): Tailored for higher vocal classifications, this volume features original art songs, dynamic spiritual arrangements, and selections from The Dunbar/Moore Sessions. Notably, it includes a lush, newly minted duet setting of the beloved spiritual "There Is a Balm in Gilead."
- Collected Songs – Volume 2 (Medium/Low Voice and Piano): Designed for lower-lying voices—including baritones, basses, and lower mezzo-sopranos—this volume shares thematic DNA with Volume 1 while offering unique keys and distinct repertoire. It includes powerful socio-political and historical works such as "A Tribute to Mr. JFK" and "Birmingham Sunday."
- Targeted Repertoire and Alternative Keys: Because many of the songs in Collected Songs are offered in multiple keys across the two volumes, performers enjoy exceptional flexibility in matching repertoire to their unique vocal timbres.
Supporting Context & Metrics: The Artistry and Impact of Will Liverman
A Trailblazing Performer Turning to the Pen
To understand the significance of Liverman’s compositional debut, one must examine his extraordinary trajectory as a performer. A native of Chicago and an alumnus of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, Liverman made history as the star of Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Terence Blanchard, which opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2021–22 season—the first opera by a Black composer ever staged at the iconic New York institution.
His subsequent Grammy nomination for that production, alongside his starring role in Anthony Davis’s X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, cemented his status as a vital voice in 21st-century opera. Yet, despite his triumphs interpreting the music of others, Liverman’s entry into composition positions him within a historic lineage of singer-songwriters who shape the future of the art form from both sides of the creative aisle.
The Significance of the Dunbar/Moore Canon
The inclusion of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Alice Moore Dunbar-Nelson’s texts within classical art song repertoire addresses a historic historical gap. For decades, standard classical vocal literature heavily favored European texts, often sidelining the rich literary contributions of Black American poets.
By setting these texts to sophisticated, highly accessible piano-vocal writing, Liverman is actively expanding the American art song canon. His music bridges the gap between traditional Western art song and the deeply resonant vernacular of the African American spiritual and poetic tradition.
Official Statements and Artistic Philosophy
In an intimate and revealing official statement regarding his transition into composition, Liverman reflected on the psychological and creative hurdles he overcame:
"Though I’ve always loved writing music, I never studied composition and didn’t feel I had permission to create. That changed during the pandemic, when space and stillness invited me to explore.
I began writing songs from a deep love of melody, text, and storytelling. I felt most fulfilled when combining those passions. A special joy in this project has been collaborating from the piano—returning to my first musical love. To shape these pieces from the keyboard, as both composer and performer, has made the experience deeply personal and creatively complete."
This return to the piano is central to Liverman’s compositional voice. Unlike composers who write abstractly for instruments they do not play, Liverman’s works are forged directly beneath his fingers at the keyboard. This tactile, organic approach ensures that the piano parts in Collected Songs are not merely accompaniments, but equal, conversational partners to the vocal line—crafted with a deep understanding of the collaborative dynamic between singer and pianist.
Future Outlook: What Lies Ahead for Liverman and Just a Theory Press
Expanding Pedagogical and Concert Reach
The partnership with Just a Theory Press marks only the beginning of a long-term publishing relationship. By making these works immediately accessible in both physical print and global digital PDF downloads, Liverman and the press have eliminated the traditional logistical barriers that often keep new classical music out of the hands of everyday musicians.
Vocal pedagogues, university music departments, and professional concert artists now have immediate access to repertoire that is culturally relevant, technically rewarding, and vocally idiomatic. It is anticipated that selections from Collected Songs will quickly become staples on competition stages, recital programs, and academic juries across North America and abroad.
The Next Chapter
As Liverman continues his high-profile international performing career—balancing upcoming operatic engagements with concertizing—his work as a composer promises to yield further publications. Whether through future volumes of art songs, expanded choral arrangements, or larger theatrical works, Liverman has firmly established that his creative voice extends far beyond the boundaries of the characters he portrays on stage.
Through his alliance with Just a Theory Press, Will Liverman is not only publishing a catalog of songs; he is actively authoring a new, inclusive chapter in the evolution of American classical music.
