In 2001, Nova self-released two albums in collaboration with guitarist Shane Yarbrough under the moniker AwRY,
The Orange Album and
Quiet B Sides. A short tour followed the release of the albums, after which the band dissolved. In 2002 and 2003, Nova wrote music for
Adam Rapp's play
Trueblinka (directed by Simon Hammerstein) and subsequently for Hammerstein's production of
Jean-Paul Sartre's
Men Without Shadows (
Morts sans sépulture). She began studying composition with Padma Newsome during this time. Then in 2004 she began touring in Sufjan Stevens' band to support his album "Michigan". In 2006, she released the album "Bring Me The Workhorse" on Asthmatic Kitty Records under the moniker My Brightest Diamond and was nominated for Female Artist of the Year in the
PLUG Independent Music Awards. The My Brightest Diamond albums "A Thousand Shark's Teeth" (2008), "All Things Will Unwind" (2011), and "This Is My Hand" (2014) were also released on Asthmatic Kitty Records. Nova became a Kresge performing arts fellow in 2012.
Collaborations Nova made significant contributions to the
Sufjan Stevens' album
Illinois in 2005, She made a guest appearance on the
Jedi Mind Tricks album
Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell in 2006 and on the
Vinnie Paz album
Season of the Assassin in 2010. In 2008 Nova sang as a background vocalist for
Laurie Anderson during five performances at The Rose Theater for the show
Homeland. She performed guest vocals on "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid" and "The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing" from the 2009 album by
The Decemberists,
The Hazards of Love, singing vocals for the part of "The Queen". She also performed with The Decemberists on their "A Short Fazed Hovel Tour" along with
Becky Stark from
Lavender Diamond. Nova performed in and wrote the song "Nine" for
Bryce and Aaron Dessner's multi-media performance
The Long Count with texts and images by
Matthew Ritchie.
The Long Count was performed at the
Krannert Center (2009),
BAM (2009), the
Holland Festival (2012) and the
Barbican Centre (2012). She performed vocals on Sufjan Stevens' 2010 album
The Age of Adz, notably taking the lead during a section of "Impossible Soul". In January 2012 Nova performed the premiere of the song cycle
Death Speaks by
David Lang with pianist
Nico Muhly, violinist
Owen Pallett and guitarist
Bryce Dessner. In 2015, Nova provided vocals for
Sarah Kirkland Snider's
Unremembered, and debuted her opera (co-written with Andrew Ondrejcak),
You Us We All, in the United States. In 2023–2024, Nova performed in
Illinoise, the stage adaptation of Sufjan Stevens'
Illinois; Nova performed as the "moth"
Barsine, playing guitar and providing vocals.
Compositions •
Letters from Charles: for yMusic. Performed at the
92nd Street Y in Tribeca. Performed March 2010. •
A Paper, A Pen, A Note to a Friend: for yMusic. Released on
Beautiful Mechanical (
New Amsterdam Records 2011). •
A Whistle, A Tune, A Macaroon: for yMusic. Released on
Beautiful Mechanical (New Amsterdam Records 2011). •
Skin and Bones: for yMusic •
From the Invisible to the Visible: for organist James McVinnie and violist Nadia Sirota commissioned by MusicNOW festival in March 2012. Released on the album
Baroque (Bedroom Community 2013) •
The Pyramid Songs : 3 songs for The Brooklyn Youth Chorus, first performed by the choir at Crossing Borders Festival at
BAM in New York, May 2012. •
Kings of Macedonia: music for brass quartet, drums and choir for Andrew Ondrejcak's play
Kings of Macedonia. She also performed in the play as the character The Whore in May 2012 at
The Kitchen. •
Phase 1 & III: music for marching band. Performed by
The Detroit Party Marching Band (2013) for the opening ceremonies of Art X. Funded by
The Kresge Foundation. •
The Pleiades: 5 songs for the Young New Yorkers' Chorus. Commissioned 2013. •
YOU, US, WE, ALL: Nova composed the music for a baroque opera designed and directed by Andrew Ondrejcak; performed in Antwerp, Belgium, May 2013. •
Titration: song cycle for acapella choir ==Discography==