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 James.David@colostate.edu 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