Symphony for Brass (2018)
MVT. 1 | 2016
MVT. 2 | 2017
MVT. 3 | 2018
BRASS ENSEMBLE
(Approximate Duration | 5' 25’’)
ALLIED WITH PRIDE was inspired from my experience serving as a camp counselor at the Interlochen Arts Camp Institutes division in the summer of 2019. I recall being approached by the division leadership about the possibility of me overseeing a gender neutral cabin. I was initially unsure of the potential position because of my social standing being a cisgender straight male. I was further worried due to a general deficiency in my personal understanding of the social stigmas encompassing the LGBTQ+ community. I decided to take the position optimistic that I could gain a better societal perspective and hopefully give a positive experience to the budding young artists.
I am happy to say, that decision proved to be one of the best decisions I made during my time at Interlochen. The campers were tremendously insightful, caring, boldly artistic, and an inspiration to me and their colleagues. I am thankful for the plethora of knowledge gained from them in regards to the current matters surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. The amount of societal pressure they face every day is beyond unacceptable. No one should grow up or live in a world which they feel they can’t belong.
Friend and collaborator, Malcolm Jones, asked me to write an accessible work for concert band that could be featured as part of his dissertation in wind conducting. The project’s premise being a children’s book about a young student attending their first wind band concert. Given this audience, I could not think of a more appropriate subject to write about. The piece is meant to shine a light on this controversial subject and impart a sense of empathy for those living under these circumstances. It is my hope that this work can serve as a call to action for more ALLIES to rise in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
I am happy to say, that decision proved to be one of the best decisions I made during my time at Interlochen. The campers were tremendously insightful, caring, boldly artistic, and an inspiration to me and their colleagues. I am thankful for the plethora of knowledge gained from them in regards to the current matters surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. The amount of societal pressure they face every day is beyond unacceptable. No one should grow up or live in a world which they feel they can’t belong.
Friend and collaborator, Malcolm Jones, asked me to write an accessible work for concert band that could be featured as part of his dissertation in wind conducting. The project’s premise being a children’s book about a young student attending their first wind band concert. Given this audience, I could not think of a more appropriate subject to write about. The piece is meant to shine a light on this controversial subject and impart a sense of empathy for those living under these circumstances. It is my hope that this work can serve as a call to action for more ALLIES to rise in support of the LGBTQ+ community.