Winter Unending, Invincible Summer
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for large wind ensemble (c. 7'30")
Dedicated to the Dr. Holcomb and the Fredonia Wind Ensemble, Winter Unending, Invincible Summer was composed during the Spring of 2015 for a reading with the Fredonia Wind Ensemble and then later revised during the summer. The title of the piece borrows from a quote by French author and philosopher Albert Camus, “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” It is this sense of endless perseverance and inner strength that inspired this piece, which was composed as a tribute to people who suffer from depression. Mental illness is often overlooked in many cultures and viewed with a negative stigma. People tend to believe that the sufferer is merely weak and not actually suffering from a legitimate biochemical imbalance. Throughout my life I’ve had close friends who I have watched battle with depression, and I believe them to be some of the strongest people I’ve ever met. The piece is meant to depict a narrative of a transition from a cold, lonely winter that thaws and brings the listener someplace warm. |
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Performance by the Encore Wind Ensemble, conducted by Jerry Luckhardt.
