Ocean of Life for mixed voices, wind orchestra, and electronics
Description
My newest and perhaps most daring symphonic composition to date will be composed for mixed voices, a small wind and percussion orchestra, and live electronics. This work is the culmination of my experiences over the past decade in writing for chorus, symphonic winds, and electroacoustic forces.
Text and Inspirations
The primary text is Walt Whitman's "As I Ebb'd with the Ocean of Life," one of his most celebrated and emotionally challenging poems. The text examines Whitman's frustrations of expressing anything when faced with the power and beauty of nature. During 2020, this poem was a powerful statement for me as mis/disinformation continued to rage unchecked while the voices of artists and musicians often felt muted and distant. This new work will attempt to express these frustrations while also capturing a sense of the natural world. In four movements based on each stanza of the poem, my composition will move from serene to violent, joyous to fearful, and cataclysmic to whimpering energies. As we emerge from a time of disease, paranoia, and social unrest, I hope my work will respond to these pressures with passion and optimism for the future.
Commission Details
Duration: 15-20 minutes
Performing forces:
Amplified SATB voices (as few as as eight singers)
2 flutes, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet, 1 alto saxophone, and 1 bassoon or bass clarinet
2 trumpets, 1 horn, 1 tenor trombone, and 1 bass trombone or tuba
Piano, string bass, and 3 percussion
Live electronics (computer with Abelton Live Lite software, basic audio interface, stereo speakers)
Difficulty: appropriate for skilled undergraduate singers and instrumentalists
Membership: limited to 20 institutions
Commission Fee: $300 per institution (contact [email protected] for invoicing and contract)
Participation Deadline: January 1, 2022
Anticipated Completion: March 2022
Commission Benefits
Bound 11x17 score with personalized inscription on title page for each conductor/ensemble
Parts provided in PDF format
Exclusive performance rights until May 1, 2023
Composer will travel to consortium premieres based on funding and availability
Composer will provide at least one personal interaction with the conductor/ensemble (i.e. up to two hours of video conference rehearsal, written/oral feedback on rehearsal recordings, invited virtual lecture/masterclass, etc.)
Previous works for chorus, symphonic winds, and electronics
Pilgrim Soul for chorus, solo clarinet and live electronics (text by William Butler Yeats)