It's Awake! was written in August of 2025. I remember one of my favorite things to do as a kid was put on some music and imagine some kind of narrative for it - letting a movie play out in my head. Being someone who grew up on Disney's Fantasia, I suppose this was just something I couldn't help. Anytime I got the chance to go watch a performance, whether it was chamber music or a symphony, I'd always walk out with entire plot lines in my head. A musical story.
Having worked as an usher with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for two years, I had the privilege of seeing students hear an orchestra for the first time over and over again. Working school time concerts was one of my favorite things for that reason. I was able to relive the origin of my love for music over and over in the excited reactions I saw in the hall.
I decided to write this piece with that in mind, creating a vivid narrative that could provide a solid stepping off point for an audience to imagine a story with music:
You find yourself lost in a dark labyrinth. As you search for an exit, you knock over some heavy object. In the dreaded silence following this crashing blunder, you hear a monstrous grumbling. There's something down here with you, and now it's awake. What happens next, is up to you.
Instrumentation: Piccolo 2 flutes 2 oboes English Horn 2 Clarinets in Bb - Clarinet 1 doubles Clarinet in Eb Bass Clarinet 2 Bassoons Contrabassoon 4 Horns 3 Trumpets in C 2 Trombones Bass Trombone Tuba Timpani (4 drums) 3 Percussionists - Percussion requirements by part can be provided upon request. Harp Piano Strings
Listen: Coming soon.
If you are interested in performing this work, please email me at [email protected] for the score and parts.