Telling Stories Through Song

An Emerson grant recipient and music major, Carter has been developing an original choral work for Hamilton’s annual choir tour to Washington, D.C., in March 2027. Working with Associate Professor of Music Charlotte Botha, conductor of the Hamilton College Choir, Carter’s work combines composition, research, and a growing interest in the ways music can connect people to a particular place.

The project has evolved considerably since Carter and Botha traveled to DC in May to scout potential performance sites. Their initial proposal to the National Museum of Women in the Arts was denied due to the museum’s scheduling timeline, prompting them to explore other options. They are now looking at the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, which honors women who served in the Vietnam War. As the only war memorial in DC that recognizes women, it has become a place of remembrance for women who have served in military conflicts more broadly.                                           

Carter plans to write a program of three songs inspired by the three women depicted in the memorial: Charity, Hope, and Faith. Each piece will pair one of the figures with a poem by a different female writer, including poet Emily Dickinson, 12th-century composer and writer Hildegard von Bingen, and Ann Plato, one of the first Black women to publish a book in the United States.

“I hope that audiences can really internalize the connection between what they see and what they hear,” she said.

The project has also given Carter an opportunity to experiment with graphic notation, a form of musical notation that uses visual elements in place of, or alongside, traditional musical symbols. While the new compositions may not rely as heavily on graphic notation as her original concept would have, she hopes to incorporate visual elements into the final scores.

For Carter, those visual elements are another way to communicate the intention behind a piece. They can help performers understand not only what they are singing, but the broader ideas and imagery they are being asked to bring to life. 

That exploration reflects a broader goal of the Emerson project: encouraging students to turn curiosity into creative work. Carter meets with Botha weekly to discuss research strategies, develop ideas, and receive feedback on her compositions.

“Professor Botha has been just incredible throughout this whole process,” she said. “She asks all the right questions to stimulate my own curiosity and development of ideas.”

The experience has also helped Carter envision composition as part of her future. Writing for a vocal ensemble has challenged her to think carefully about the strength and limitations of the human voice while giving her room to experiment with her own style. 

“I am now able to experiment. I can challenge convention, develop my own unique style, and let my curiosity carve my path,” Carter said.