As a compelling performer and composer with a delicate yet expansive style, Holly McMahon studies and works as a multi-faceted musician based in Boulder, Colorado. Throughout her life, she has worked with countless artists across several mediums, including film, theater, dance, and performance art. She continues to explore the use of new instrumentations and genres through her studies of music composition, music technology, and piano performance at The University of Colorado, Boulder. She is most well known for her works for solo piano, which typically feature carefully sculpted, running lines and evocative yet comfortable rhythmic textures that have been described as “lush” and “uniquely vibrant”. McMahon is also known for absurdist works, which provide unconventional representations of ordinary occurrences. As she creates atmosphere and dimension in her writing, McMahon’s music is uniquely vibrant and breathtaking, reminding listeners how beautiful, vulnerable, and humorous it is to be a human experiencing art.

McMahon performs Eight Miniatures at a church in downtown Denver

List of Works:

Large Ensemble

2025 Suite for Wind Band (10:25)

I. Heckled (2:30)

II. Grand Waltz (3:00)

III. Whenever You’re Ready (4:45)

Your Dad Misses You for orchestra (3:30)

Suite for Band, Orchestra, and Choir: If the Moon Were Made of Cheese for middle school aged musicians (5:35)

I. Where the Wishing Stars Are (1:15)

II. Cheese (4:20)

Chamber Music

2025 - The Snow Queen for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano (~50:00)

I. Overture (5:00)

II. Introduction and Mirror Scene (0:50)

III. Introduction to the Snow Queen (0:50)

IV. The Mirror Breaks (1:40)

V. Gerda’s Theme (1:45)

VI. Introduction to the Town and Rose Theme (1:50)

VII. Grandma’s Theme (1:30)

VIII. Kai’s Theme (1:00)

IX. The Snowflakes Attack Kai (1:45)

X. Kai Goes Skating (0:30)

XI. The Snow Queen Takes Kai Away (0:15)

XII. Gerda Begins to Look for Kai (1:00)

XIII. The Old Woman with the Flower Garden (1:20)

XIIIa. Tiger Lilys (2:15)

XIIIb. Morning Glories (1:00)

XIIIc. Snowdrops (2:00)

XIIId. Hyacinths (2:10)

XIIIe. Buttercups (2:30)

XIIIf. Daffodils (0:45)

XIV. The Crow Takes Gerda to the Castle (1:00)

XV. The Princess’ Castle (1:15)

XVI. Little Robber Girl (1:30)

XVII. Gerda is Cold (1:15)

XVIII. Lapland Woman (1:20)

XIX. Approaching the Snow Queen’s Palace (0:30)

XX. The Snow Queen! (3:30)

XXI. Gerda Finds Kai (0:30)

XXII. Reuniting (0:15)

XXIII. Returning Home (0:40)

XXIV. Grandma’s Theme Again (0:40)

XXV. Recap of Themes and Conclusion (2:30)

XXVI. Bow Music (3:30)

Four Miniatures on Conjunctions for string quartet (11:25)

I. Because (1:45)

II. But (2:30)

III. When (~2:00)

IV. And (5:00)

Spaces for Double Bass and Found Percussion in The TANK Center for Sonic Arts (1:00:00)

I. The Beginning for windchimes and double bass (5:30)

II. Inhale for solo double bass (10:00)

III. Like Water for river rocks and a concrete floor (2:30)

IV. Heavy for solo double bass (4:00)

V. Weightless for wine glasses and marbles (~5:00)

VI. Nocturne for solo toy piano (5:00)

VII. Exhale for solo double bass (6:30)

VIII. Check for chess set and double bass (9:00)

IX. Everything Falls Apart Eventually for the breaking of sticks (3:00)

X. The End for windchimes and double bass (10:00)

Pulse for string quartet (13:00)

I. Impulse Begins to Spread (1:45)

II. Atrium Contract (1:15)

III. Impulse Spreads from the AV Node (1:45)

IV. Ventricles Contract (1:40)

V. Repolarization (2:00)

VI. At Rest (5:45)

2024 - To Climb a Mountain for piano trio and ballet (~35:00)

I. Introduction/At the Trailhead (2:00)

Ia. Emergence of the Chipmunk (0:10)

II. Chipmunk Theme (1:20)

IIa. Into the Meadow (0:15)

III. The Caterpillars Have Teeth! (2:30)

IIIa. Emergence of the Butterfly (0:30)

IV. The Butterfly (4:00)

IVa. Chipmunk Appearance 2 and Into the Aspen Grove (0:30)

V. Building a Fairy Garden (2:45)

VI. Leaf Cutter Ants (2:35)

VIa. Chipmunk Appearance 3 and Through the Swamp (1:00)

VII. A Strange Clump of Dirt (2:50)

VIIa. To the Treeline (1:40)

VIII. A Conversation About Friendship and the Sky (2:00)

IX. Up a Scree Field/Recap of Themes (2:35)

X. Conclusion/At the Summit (2:40)

XI. Bow Music (2:25)

Wiggle for saxophone quartet (1:40)

A Wildflower Never Learns to Fall Apart for clarinet and piano (2:00)

2023 - Thunk for mezzo soprano and violin (1:30)

Some Things Keep You Awake for bassoon and cello (3:00)

2022 - Contradictions for body percussion duet

I. Part I (3:45)

II. Part II (5:00)

Clarinet Duet No. 2 (4:18)

Hypothesis for percussion ensemble (1:30)

2021 - Blue Umbrella for violin, clarinet, and piano (3:20)

Clarinet Duet No. 1 (4:00)

Opera

2024 The Earthworm Problem for soprano, mezzo soprano, tenor, baritone, and piano (9:45)

2023 The Pancake Opera for soprano and piano (7:40)

Other Vocal Music

2025 For a Tower of Cards for twelve performers and a deck of cards (undetermined)

2024 Anyone for any number of voices (4:15)

2023 She Flew Out for unaccompanied SATB choir (4:30)

Live/Fixed Electronics

2025 Shelter in Place for live electronics and dance (12:00)

2024 Death to Computer for computer parts and live processing (6:00)

Cactus Firma for fixed media (1:28)

2023 Now Irrelevant Noises for fixed media (5:37)

2022 Better Because of You for processing of solo piano (3:41)

Solo Piano

2025 Theme Song for The Ariadne Initiative (0:30)

2024 Eight Miniatures for solo piano

I. Gnomes on the Ceiling (0:43)

II. Fish (0:51)

III. Attempts to Skip Rocks (1:33)

IV. Something Not Broken (1:00)

V. Chalk on the Wall (0:38)

VI. Something Suspended (2:00)

VII. Something Close By (2:25)

VIII. Gnomes on the Ceiling (1:30)

Stuck in Shadows for solo piano and poetry (2:15)

Three Improvisation Stems for solo piano and dance (undetermined)

2023 - There are Hints of Juniper in the Sky After it Rains for solo piano (5:33)

Score for PINK for solo piano and film (2:34)

2022 - All the Shades of Pomegranate for solo piano (4:07)

Pine Tree Rag for solo piano (2:45)

Dream for solo piano (2:31)

Score for Dusphoros for solo piano (6:22)

Sonatina for solo piano (3:00)

2021 - Eleanor for solo piano (2:40)

Purple for solo piano (3:00)

Other Works for Soloists

2025 - Happy Birthday to Driveway for solo horn in F (1:20)

2024 - NKAT for solo fujara (4:20)

Cite Specific Trombone Pieces for solo trombone in various outdoor locations (undetermined)

I. At Dusk

II. In a Lake

III. In Snow

IV. Next to a Trail Marker

V. On a Large Boulder or Rock

VI. On a Mountain

VII. Under a Tall Tree

2021 - Water Music for solo guitar (3:00)

McMahon uses a mixing board as a synthesizer during a workshop at Neif Norf Summer Festival

McMahon workshops Four Miniatures on Conjunctions with a group of string players in Knoxville, TN

McMahon, bassist and composer Asher Dobrin, and composer Alan Mackwell pose in front of The TANK Center for Sonic Arts before McMahon’s capstone performance at her residency in Rangely, CO.