Ford Made in America

Chasing Light... premiere!

2008-10-16T20:58:00.025-04:00

Download Reno Nevada

The Reno Chamber Orchestra, led by Music Director Ted Kuchar, presented the premiere performance of Chasing Light… on Saturday, September 20, 2008, in Nightingale Concert Hall on the campus of the University of Nevada Reno. The orchestra’s ambitious program included Beethoven’s Overture to the Creatures of Prometheus, followed by two of my works, separated by some twenty-six years. “Chasing Light…” completed in 2007 and “New Morning for the World” for narrator and orchestra, written in 1982. This perspective provided the audience a broad quarter-century perspective of my music. The final work was Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor. The orchestra then repeated the concert on that Sunday afternoon.

The orchestra’s ability to navigate this challenging program was impressive and I was delighted by the spirit, energy and commitment they displayed. It was a special pleasure to hear principal oboist, Andrea Lenz give a beautiful performance of the extended solo in the third movement of Chasing Light.. Narrator Andrew Green’s sympathetic and dramatic narration of the texts of Martin Luther King, Jr., in New Morning for the World, was especially dramatic and compelling.

Following the concerts in Reno, I attended performances by the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Conductor, Lonnie Klein led his ensemble in two spirited performances of Chasing Light… Like similar ensembles in the Ford Made in America consortium, the Las Cruces Symphony is comprised of professional, semipro as well as some student musicians. The support for the orchestra by the community was phenomenal– their orchestra’s entire season is completely sold-out.

The Reno premiere of : Chasing Light...

2008-09-19T12:01:00.007-04:00

I've arrived in RENO this week for the premiere of “Chasing Light..! It's been a remarkable week of music making with the Reno Chamber Orchestra.

My week began with media interviews, a series of classes in the Music Department at the University of Nevada, (composition master class, a panel discussion with Music Director Ted Kuchar and UNR composition professors, as well as a meeting with music teachers from the Washoe County School District.

I look forward to the remaining rehearsals, and upcoming performances.

Here are a several photos of Thursday's RCO rehearsal:

May update

2008-05-09T12:35:00.005-04:00

We're working hard behind the scenes at Ford Made in America as we prepare the materials and ready the new web site for launch. We're thrilled that the commissioned work from the first round, Joan Tower's Made in America, won three GRAMMY® Awards recently.

Excitement is building across the country for the premiere of the new work for this round, Chasing Light... by Joseph Schwantner. Check out this map of all the orchestras performing this vibrant piece of music, and find a concert near you.

Be sure to also visit our YouTube and Picasa pages frequently, as they will be updated with lots of content once the performances start in the fall. Here are a few photos from the DVD shoot, which is in post-production as we speak.

Chasing Light...

2008-01-27T13:28:00.000-05:00

Chasing Light... for orchestra is now finished.

The work, cast in four movements, proceeds from one to the next without pause. The overall duration is approximately 17'

The instrumentation includes 2 flutes, (2nd doubles Piccolo), 2 Oboes, 2 Bb Clarinets,2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 C Trumpets, 1 Trombone, Piano, 1 Percussion, Timpani and Strings.

More details later.