Welcome to Emily Drum, a new voice in the Graphite kaleidoscope!
Featured pieces:
“The Power of Many” – A song brimming with positive energy;
“Womankind” – Diverse and dynamic feminine strength.
“Don’t be afraid to lean into your true self – your influences, passions, stories, taste, and unique voice. It’s the best guide to writing powerful music. “
Emily Drum is a singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, producer, and educator based in San Francisco, California. Fully self-taught, she has become a sought-after full-time vocal writer for ensembles of all kinds, from top collegiate a cappella groups to queer community choirs and beyond. Her catalog of self-published vocal arrangements has been programmed in over 50 countries worldwide.
In addition to her work as a vocal writer, Drum is a director and entrepreneur, bringing a multi-genre background that blends the accessibility of pop music with the artistic freedom and depth of choral traditions. “I don’t think the classical choral world has appreciated the pop vocal world enough and my mission is to change that,” declares Drum. “Though contemporary a cappella is typically about covering existing pop songs, it’s actually all about using a wide spectrum of the human voice while maintaining the memorability that is inherent in pop music. This informs the way I write any vocal music – using repetition and earworms to create memorability, using a wide range of vocal tone and style, and using pop song form to send clear and hard-hitting messages.”
“The Power of Many” (SATB choir with optional descant and piano; also for SSAA) is a song brimming with positive energy, a great tune, engaging piano, and easy-to-learn harmonies.Vocally, this piece may be approached in a singer-songwriter style, incorporating scoops and pop inflections, or with a more traditional choral tone. Ensembles are encouraged to choose the approach that best serves their singers and the expressive intent of the piece.
“The Power of Many” performed by the Sedona Academy of Chamber Singers under the direction of Ryan Holder, August 16, 2025, at First United Methodist Church of Mesa, Arizona.
Two truths, one lie:
- Drum learned to harmonize from standing next to her older siblings in church.
- Her first choral composition came from an impulsive middle-of-the-night email request she sent to her choir director during her senior year of college.
- She was rejected by her university’s composition program.
Scroll down to find the answer!
Drum notes “Womankind” as a really special piece of hers in the Graphite catalog. “It’s the first choral work I wrote in which I allowed myself to write in my true style, untethered to what I thought choral music should sound like.” Drum was inspired by an incredible text by 17-year old Taylee Heldt, and a prompt from mentor Jocelyn Hagen. “Starting with an idea before actually being commissioned with a specific assignment was rare and it really allowed for my ideas to flow freely.”
“Womankind” (SSAA choir and cajón) is rich with vivid nature metaphors, portraying women as a powerful and unstoppable force. Both the lyrics and the music aim to capture the diverse and dynamic nature of feminine strength. “I am not a game to win or a treasure you can catch / I am the mothers, the sisters, the partners, the daughters / I am queen to the highest land and to the deepest of the waters / I am womankind.” Practice tracks available!
Drum’s music bridges the worlds of choral and a cappella music through her collection of high quality, accessible arrangements that are authentically pop and choral, as well as her growing catalog of compositions that use the flare and accessibility that she learned from a cappella work. She is deeply passionate about bridging communities, bringing light to unspoken themes, and creating music that inspires, empowers, and connects singers and audiences alike.
Two truths, one lie REVEAL: #3 is the lie. Drum never applied to a composition program – she majored in Sociology.
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