Composition Previews
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"Horizons” intends to demonstrate through music the beautiful imagery of nature in Atlantic Canada. The musical imagery expressed in this tone poem is largely inspired by the Acadian forest, Fundy National Park and other geographical features of Atlantic Canada. This tone poem is split into two movements: Sunrise and Sunset. “Horizons" aims to reveal what a sunrise and a sunset on the horizon would sound like in Atlantic Canada. In essence “Horizons” aims to create that picture in the listener's mind through music.
"Horizons" is a tone poem that seeks to encapsulate the breathtaking nature found in Atlantic Canada. Drawing its inspiration from the lush Acadian forest, majestic Fundy National Park, and the diverse geographical landscapes that define Atlantic Canada, this piece vividly translates the essence of these natural wonders into sound. The composition is divided into two movements, "Sunrise" and "Sunset," each crafted to convey the unique ambiance and colours of the Atlantic horizon at these times of the day.
In "Horizons," orchestral textures are pivotal in painting the auditory landscape. The intricate layering of instrumental timbres and dynamics is akin to the interplay of light and shadow across the landscape. The delicate whispers of the woodwinds evoke the gentle rustle of leaves in the Acadian forest at dawn, while the bold, resonant brass mirrors the dramatic hues that streak the sky at dusk. Strings weave throughout, like the constant ebb and flow of the tides at Fundy Bay.
Through "Horizons," listeners are invited to embark on an auditory journey that mirrors the experience of witnessing a sunrise and sunset on the Atlantic horizon. The orchestral textures serve as dynamic and integral components of the narrative, bringing to life the serene beauty and the vibrant tapestry of Atlantic Canada's natural landscapes through music.
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First Movement:
In many ways, this first movement can be summed up in one word: introspective. It is also a piece that reflects on landscapes of nature. A slow movement, it is essentially written around one main motif that is the driving force behind the movement. This motif becomes longer in the second movement eventually becoming the theme of the string quartet serving as a device to unify all of the movements.
Second Movement:
This movement is faster than the first, the melodies more fragmentary, more rhythmically driven. It is less introspective and more extroverted and restless. Exploring and expanding on the harmony of the first movement by exploring sound clusters, secundal, and quartal harmony, while also playing with tonality more than the first movement did. The idea of rhythmic cells are also briefly explored inspired by Aleatoric music. The movement ends with the serene sound of the first violin in solo combining all three motifs to reveal the theme of the string quartet.
The idea of thematic unity is a concept that is explored heavily with this string quartet and will be explored even more in the third and fourth movements.
A piece for guitar inspired by the pieces of Toru Takemitsu. A piece filled with vast harmonic and contrapuntal colors. It is also inspired by fantasy literature and philosophical topics such as mysticism as well as abstract paintings. This piece paints a landscape in the listener’s mind of a Tolkienesque type world set in a dreary mystical landscape. I found the guitar was the perfect instrument to shape the kinds of harmony, counterpoint, and colors needed to illustrate this mystical landscape.
An ambient minimalist piece for 4 marimbas. The piece is built upon different polyrhythmic patterns, which make a rather interesting soundscape as the final result.
A somber piece that explores the theme of life and death, mortality, and the unknown. Apiece that often varies in texture. Each instrument is its own character as if they were a character in a novel or film. They have their own personalities and eccentricities. This means that each line in the music is different, interesting, and of equal importance yet they complement each other, and the tone blends together in unity. The whole piece is filled with little motifs yet there is one motif that unifies the entire piece.
Lamentation for solo cello is a sorrowful piece that utilizes the powerful capabilities of the cello. A piece designed around making the cello sound as if it is a solo voice singing, in a cantabile fashion while also using extensive use of the molto legato technique on the cello as well.
A short piece for solo vibraphone that explores different moods that range from impressionist atmospheres to jazzy moods. It is also a piece that centers on feelings of inner peace and meditation.
A short piece representing many different textures and atmospheres as the title suggest should be played as if floating like moonlight in the clouds.
A piece for an interesting combination of instruments (flute, violin and vibraphone). This piece moves through many different and atmospheres. On a deeper level this piece is about a journey into the unknown, a search for spiritual meaning, a reflection upon life, and a search for something ethereal.
A short lyrical piece for piano that reflects images of nature, and traverses different landscapes and sceneries. The piece goes through different melodic and harmonic tones that exemplify the different landscapes. The left and right hand have equal importance often exchanging roles between melody and accompaniment, between arpeggios and melodic figures.