Nina Shekhar

2023-2024 Resident Composer
@ The Crossing

Building on its Resident Composer initiative launched during the 2022- 2023 season, The Crossing has named composer and multimedia artist Nina Shekhar its second Resident Composer for 2023-2024. Nina’s previous work for The Crossing was y-mas, a part of its 12-composer response to the pandemic, Carols after a Plague. The work is based on Nina’s experience as an Indian American trying to navigate Christmas carols as child. It is an enormously expressive and effective work that quickly became a favorite of singers and audiences of The Crossing.

Nina Shekhar’s work explores the intersection of identity, vulnerability, love, and laughter to create bold and intensely personal works. Nina has been described as “tart and compelling” (The New York Times), “vivid” (Washington Post), and an “orchestral supernova” (LA Times); her work has been commissioned by major orchestras and ensembles across the US. As Resident Composer, Nina will take part in the development of the premieres of other composers and will compose a new, substantial choral work for The Crossing, premiering in the 2024-2025 Season – a piano “concerto” for choir and piano, featuring Philadelphia rising star Dynasty Battles at the piano.

The Crossing’s first Resident Composer was Ayanna Woods, who has been central to a new partnership with Pennsylvania Girlchoir, sharing workshop weekends, creating new music with the young musicians, and culminating in new works. The partnership with the Pennsylvania Girlchoir will expand with Nina’s residency and is to include a new work for the Girlchoir. Both the Girlchoir and The Crossing will hold several workshops leading to the premieres of the commissioned works from Nina.