2023 Prize Winner:

Art Songs

Amaranthine by

S. Andrew Lloyd

In 2023, the Endowment asked artists to respond to the call for art songs.

S. Andrew Lloyd won the inaugural commission of an art song cycle and was sung by international opera soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen at its world premiere at Carnegie Hall on April 9, 2024.

Devotional Poetry: Taking inspiration from poet Francis Thompson

The source of the title and lyrics for Amaranthine (which means “eternal” or “undying”) is the 1890 poem “The Hound of Heaven,” the most celebrated work of English author Francis Thompson. This poem is a quasi-metaphysical reversal of traditional devotional poetry where the believer seeks peace, comfort, and refuge in God’s embrace. In Thompson’s poem, the protagonist seeks instead for a hiding place, hoping to avoid becoming prey to the relentless “hound” of God’s eternal love, even while reluctantly comprehending that the divine conquest is inevitable and, ultimately, good. Lloyd’s heartfelt setting—a monodrama in which God’s voice is alluded to but not verbalized—includes cyclic musical references across the movements, connecting them symbolically in infinite circles.

For this work, Lloyd wove a contemporary musical texture from threads steeped in the Romantic late- and post-tonal traditions of Britten, Strauss, Wagner, and other opera composers.

Watch: "I Fled Him"

Watch a short excerpt from the premiere of Amaranthine, composed by S. Andrew Lloyd, sung by Rachel Willis-Sørensen at Carnegie Hall, April 9, 2024.

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From a Mentor's Perspective

Chair of vocal faculty at The Juilliard School, Darrell Babidge, shares his experience shepherding world-class soprano, Rachel Willis-Sørensen, to the place where she premieres at Carnegie Hall with the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts.

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Rachel on CBS New York

Rachel Willis-Sørensen appeared on CBS New York to celebrate and preview her debut solo recital in New York.

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Andrew on EWTN News Nightly

Andrew was interviewed by Catholic news source EWTN to share how Amaranthine was influenced by Catholicism and the English poet Francis Thompson.zxz

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Concert Program

View the concert program notes from the Carnegie Hall world premiere.

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Additional Press

May 28, 2024

“Arts Partners with BYU for NYC Vocal Masterclass: Acclaimed Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen Mentors BYU Graduate Students in Manhattan,” BYU College of Arts and Communications, by Rebecca Packard. Read the article.
May 8, 2024

“Exploring Contemporary Latter-day Saint Art: Materializing Mormonism at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Mormon Life Hacker. Read the article.
April 26, 2024

“‘I just sing whatever I can get my throat around’: Rachel Willis-Sørensen might be the greatest American soprano right now who doesn’t sing much in America.” Parterre Box, by Kevin Ng. Read the review and interview.
April 26, 2024

“BYU Alumni Accomplishments, Winter 2024,” BYU School of Music. Read the article.
April 15, 2024

“The Center for Latter-day Saint Arts awards the Ariel Bybee Endowment,” Utah Public Radio, by Caitlin Keith. Listen/read the interview.
April 15, 2024

“From singing in a Subway restaurant to Carnegie Hall, this Latter-day Saint opera star is on a mission,” Deseret News, by Lottie Elizabeth Johnson. Read the article and watch performance excerpts.
April 8, 2024

“Soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen on Debut Carnegie Hall Recital,” WNYC, All of It, by Kousha Navidar. Listen to the interview.
April 4, 2024

“Rachel Willis-Sørensen and The Center for Latter-day Saint Arts Present World Premiere of Amaranthine at Carnegie Hall,” Provo Music Magazine, by Michael Luce. Read the article.
April 3, 2024

“Tamar Sanikidze to perform at Carnegie Hall in April,” The Daily Texan, by Sarah Cooley. Read the article.
April 1, 2024

“New piece by Mormon composer draws inspiration from Catholicism,” Our Sunday Visitor, by Katie Yoder. Read the article.
March 31, 2024

“Celebrating the Savior Through Music: Andy Lloyd’s Story,” Latter-day Lights: Inspirational Stories for Latter-day Saints. Listen to the podcast.
March 14, 2024

“Rachel Willis-Sørensen to Make Carnegie Hall Debut,” Opera Wire, by Francisco Salazar. Read the announcement.

and Art Songs

On the concert recital stage, Ariel performed and recorded lieder and art songs, including premieres of works written for her. To advocate for new concert music, the Endowment commissions cycles of art songs by LDS composers and poets.