V. The Problem With You

You’re horrible at sweeping the floor, and scrubbing dishes.
You’re horrible at choosing furniture and hanging pictures on the wall.
You’re a snob. And a radical positivist.
You believe everything you read, unlike me.
Everything in your life was handed to you by your rich parents.
You’re such a little princess.
You talk too much in the common space. Everyone thinks it’s odd.
Your apple pie is not as good as my grandpa’s.
Something’s wrong with it.
It’s suspicious how much you volunteer.
I can’t stand your nervous laugh.
You serve dinner late.
You only like unattractive men.
You must have no self-esteem.
Your boyfriend looks like a hobbit.
What will your parents think?
The only thing you’re good for it editing my manuscript.
WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING HERE?
You are your most repulsive when you tell jokes.
Thank you for giving me the space lately.
I know that, for you, not talking to me much be a sacrifice.

Dinner Party and The Problem With You, from “Cantos of a Narcissistic Roommate” was performed at Source Song Festival as part of the 2021 MNSong Composer Showcase. It was performed by Jacob Christopher, tenor, and Casey Rafn, pianist, via an online broadcast on August 6, 2021.

Chinese-born, US-based composer and pianist Lingbo Ma’s compositions have been performed in the US, China, and Europe. In 2018, she was commissioned by the Metropolis Ensemble. Her recent projects included one-act opera “In Loving Memory” with libretto by Hannah McDermott, “Two Gu Cheng Songs” which was staged and performed at Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam as part of their season opening project FAUST [WORKING TITLE] in September 2020, and music film “What’s next?”, which was composed, directed and shot by the composer herself, played by the award-winning Attacca Quartet and premiered at Juilliard’s Creative Associate Series in November 2020. Her song cycle “Cantos of a Narcissistic Roommate” was premiered at the Juilliard Liederabend concert in April 2021.

As a pianist, aside from traditional piano repertoire, Lingbo regularly performs and records her own works and works by peer composers. She is particularly interested in collaborating with singers. She proposed and promoted the “Vocal Music by Woman Composers” concert and lecture series during her undergraduate years with soprano Julia Cohen. The piano and voice duo has performed in various venues around Boston.

Lingbo attained Bachelor of Music degree with honors from New England Conservatory. She currently pursues her Master of Music degree at The Juilliard School, where she is a Morse Teaching Fellow, an Undergraduate Music Theory Teaching Assistant, and a Gluck Community Performance Fellow. Lingbo also serves as the composition mentor of the New York-based Opportunity Music Project. www.lingboma.com