W A L L S   O F   L I G H T (2009)

For Flute, Clarinet, Piano, Violin, Violoncello and Percussion

Awarded a 2010 ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award

Awarded the 2011 League of Composers/ISCM Composition Competition

Composed for the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble

 

Program Note:

“Walls of Light” (2009) is inspired by different kinds of light – flickering, fluttering, dancing, glowing, refracting and gradually shifting light. The work also owes its inspiration to Sean Scully’s series of paintings, entitled “Wall of Light,” which I saw at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The first movement explores flickering, fluttering and glowing kind of light, imagining a candle flame or light dancing upon a wall.

The second movement relates directly to Sean Scully’s series of paintings, which abstractly depict light as it shines on ancient Mexican stone walls. Scully divides the canvases into horizontal and vertical rectangles of different colors. This movement is inspired by the angular nature of the paintings, imagining refracted light jumping from one color to the next. The music is jagged but also lyrical, pushing and pulling the music in different directions while also offering a moment of peace when we may focus on a single rectangle, and explore the subtlety of Scully’s hues.

The final movement is inspired by a sunset, the many colors of the sky glowing and gradually merging from one into the next. The piece was composed for the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble of the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Recording:

Movement I:

Movement II:

Movement III:

Total duration: 7 minutes

 

 

 

Past performances:

- Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Aspen Music Festival and School) - July 13, 2009

- Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Aspen Art Museum) - July 14, 2009

- Musicians of the Tanglewood Music Center with Alexander Prior, conductor (Tanglewood, Seiji Ozawa Hall) - July 11, 2010

- Purchase College Contemporary Ensemble (December 16, 2010).

- Cornell University, Eric Nathan - conductor (November 16, 2011).