An Atlas of Joy

My main inspiration for this work came from the program this piece was curated in - Richard Strauss’s Four Last Songs and Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
When I found out that my piece would be programmed alongside these amazing works, I was not only super excited to hear my piece pitted against these two works, but I was immediately taken with the idea of life. The Rite is of course about birth and the regeneration of the earth, Strauss’s work is about looking back at a great career and life and anticipating death, so I thought it would be interesting to explore the idea of how good the middle bit is – life and the joys it entails. The work follows a sequence of moments that explore the idea of joy and what joy means. Sometimes it is loud and boisterous, sometimes more intimate, and personal.

Ultimately, I like the idea of this 10-minute journey encapsulating a survey of joy in its many iterations. 

The work is scored for a large orchestra and is structured as an Overture, in the vein of Shostakovich or Dvorak. I have attempted to give every section of the orchestra a moment to shine, with a particular focus on the soloistic capabilities of the wind section.

I aim for my music to be colourful, intriguing, and perhaps a little surprising.