Twice Removed (for three female voices - SSA) was written for the Juice ensemble for the Cheltenham Composers Academy 2018. The piece is a dramatic setting of a new text by the poet and playwright Helene Grøn. The piece explores the themes of loss, the loss of people, the loss of innocence and yourself leading to a feeling of disconnection from the world and from who you once were – therefore being twice removed. The text is split between the inner feelings of a woman and her outward conversations as she tries to conform with society, essentially creating two voices from the text that act in juxtaposition to each other. The third voice, sung by the alto, captures words from text of the inner voice sung by Sop 1 creating another inner voice with darker more pointed thoughts.
The three voices come together as one at the end, 'Just tired, Yes from work' showing that all layers of this woman's thoughts know deep down that she must conform to society and project an image of being fine.