Credits: https://bignoise.org/shows/2026-2027/sweeney-todd
Fall 2026, I served as the Associate Conductor for Big Noise’s production of Sweeney Todd.
This was overall the hardest musical endeavor that I’ve taken on (so far!). Not being part of rehearsals and learning the show only through orchestral rehearsals and tech required an immense amount of preparation beforehand. Not only that, but this score is Sweeney Todd. With many time signature changes, interesting harmonies, and uneven phrases, this was a score worth tackling.
Some of my favorite parts of the score are Epiphany, especially with the offbeat brass accents out of nowhere representing Sweeney’s rage, Worst Pies leading the tempo changes and accents, and Kiss Me with it’s bells/trumpet counter harmony line.
Some of my least favorite parts are the switch between 2+3 and 3+2 in the 5/8 sections in Ladies in their Sensitivities, and the final Judge death with a ¼ bar out of nowhere and cueing all the instruments for the fall into the chute.
Similar to Les Mis, this was a piece where tempos needed to be ingrained into the soul. A lot of the work was internalizing where each song lives and how to move from one piece to another. It is very helpful that a majority of the leitmotifs come at the same tempo so you have baselines of where to start.
Some samples of conducting below!
(Soon)
