Announcing a BOOK pre-order 👀
+ a lil love letter to physical media
UPCOMING SHOWS
August 21 / The Foundry / West Stockbridge, MA / Tickets
August 28 / Clermont State Historic Site / Germantown, NY (outdoor show with a stunning backdrop of the Catskills and Hudson River) / Info (free)
Hi you,
I am over the moon to announce that my first book of sheet music—the complete songs from IN OUR SOFTENING—is now available to pre-order! These beauties are almost done and will be shipped out around August 25.
Gosh this book means the world to me. In some ways, it feels like the closing chapter for In Our Softening, a body of music which truly changed my life. It’s bittersweet, but I’m also excited and ready to release this music into your hands!
Friends, this is more than just a book of sheet music… these are beautifully designed, bespoke artifacts that were made one-by-one in my hometown of Troy, NY. A true communal effort, every decision about this book was made with care with a team of dedicated artists.
But craftsmanship takes time and isn’t cheap. Nor should it be. So, I’m printing a very limited edition of only 50 books. Each book of 50 will be hand-numbered and signed by me, a small reminder that these books were made in the truest sense of the word. I hope to do a 2nd printing in the future, but of course there are no guarantees in this life. With that said, and without trying to sound too much like a marketing ploy, do consider purchasing sooner rather than later if you’d like to have one. I want you–my newsletter village–to have first access before I announce on other platforms.
As I write, the books are being printed and bound by Patrick Kiley at P.S. Hudson in Troy (just a few blocks from where I live), a delightful publisher that creates original work in close collaboration with authors and artists. The binding will be sewn and detached from the cover so that the book lays flat when open, perfect for piano-playing! They were designed by the brilliant Danielle Pham in Kingston, NY. And the cover was letterpress printed by Jason Hughes at Ready Mix Design + Letterpress, another artist based in Troy.
Woven in between the music, you’ll find the artwork of Tessia Bekelja (also based in Troy) as well as reproductions of the family photos that inspired the original cover art for In Our Softening. In this book, I’ve shared for the first time some of the gorgeous work that Tessia made during the initial process of identifying the visual language for the album.
I did the music engraving myself: a lengthy, complex process that required getting out of my own head on several occasions. I have to thank a team of wonderful pianists for their notes along the way: Michael Mizrahi, a pianist that I’ve looked up to for years; my incredibly talented student Martha Wasserbauer; and my OG confidante, and amazing pianist, Sonya Sutton (my mother).
Lastly, I need to thank my partner in life and art, Sam Torres. I almost abandoned this project a few times… This book wouldn’t be here had it not been for his unwavering encouragement and support.
I cannot wait for you to hold these books in your hands! My hope is that these piano pieces, and the book itself, will spark creativity and inspiration, and ultimately bring you joy, as they have for me.
This music began with me, but it’s yours now.
Why physical media?
I was telling an acquaintance about this project recently and she asked me if people still buy books of sheet music. Aren’t most people using PDFs? She didn’t mean to question the project. She was genuinely asking.
As someone whose work has always been predominantly time-based and ephemeral, I’ve been preoccupied with the importance of physical media for a long time. Why make a book like this—painstakingly, and at immense cost—when it’s easier than ever (and free) to simply share digital PDFs?
Sam and I listen to vinyl records. (I know, please bear with me for a moment.) Our collection is modest, but every record is there because we’ve chosen and purchased it, or because it’s been gifted to us. Meaning, each one holds immense value for us. Listening usually brings strong associations and memories. Often, we know the musician, or sometimes the record was part of a trade (one of mine for one of theirs). Some of them are records that Sam mastered. There are no filler albums. Nothing without a story. Records are simply too expensive to buy passively.
They’re also treasure troves of narrative and context. The cover art provides the first gateway in glorious large format. Liner notes, lists of production crew, credits, thank you’s, lyrics, photos, artwork. To look through the packaging is to hear the music through each careful decision the artists made. To hold the packaging is to be reminded that the music is part of a larger universe.
And then to actually play the record, one must take it off the shelf, remove the packaging, put it on the turntable… It’s a ritual. But wait, then you have to flip it at the appropriate time! Which means you have to be paying attention. All of this takes time and effort. The process forces you to be intentional about your listening and slow down.
I promise this is not a love letter to records specifically. The point that I hope I’m making is that from purchasing to playing a record, one has to actively choose to engage with the music. There are no middlemen deciding for you. No algorithms. No playlists stuffed with AI-generated fodder. No passive listening.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting one can’t have a deep relationship with art through digital means. But in my experience, the act of having a record occupy a place on my shelf means that I am committing to a longer-term connection with that music. Even if you forget it’s there, you have the potential to accidentally rediscover it in the future.
Gifts
But perhaps one of the most precious things about physical media is that it can be easily gifted and passed on. If you’ve been in this newsletter space for a while, you’ll likely remember that Lewis Hyde’s book The Gift has had an enormous impact on my creative practice. I reread it and reference it constantly.
Gifts can be anything—live music, for one—and they certainly don’t need to be tangible objects. But when was the last time any of us gifted digital music? Or a PDF? I’m not convinced it’s possible for digital artifacts to move in meaningful ways from one person to the next, especially at this stage of the internet.
Music often holds so much meaning, taking us back to a specific place and time, moving us in indescribable ways. What an exquisite thing it is to be able to pass that feeling on to a loved one, or a new friend. In this way, the gift continues on, further living into its potential.
I am humbled by those of you who will choose to have this book of sheet music take up space on your shelf, or your coffee table, or your piano. The pages are already so rich from the various hands that made them. Yours will add to their texture in ways I can only imagine.
My hope for this book is that it brings us into deeper community with one another. And may that community continue to expand through the gifting of this book to others, through the eyes that will see it, through the hands that will play its music, and through the ears that will hear it.
I’m grateful for you.
xoxo
sophia