Instrumentation

Flute

Oboe 1, 2

Bassoon 1, 2

Horn in F 1, 2

Violin I

Violin II

Viola

Violoncello

Double Bass

Premiere

Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra – February 9, 2018

Program Note

              Maranatha is an Aramaic word that can be translated two ways, either as a plea, “O Lord, come!” or as a celebration, “Our Lord has come!” Though scholars debate which usage is most accurate, the definitions work together to express a binary felt by Christians of the Reformation and of today: an intense longing for the presence of God and true justice and peace on earth, as well as a rejoicing in God’s past acts of mercy, love, and compassion. My work, Maranatha, explores this binary and the many ways it manifests itself in our lives today – the destructive forces of natural disasters alongside the astounding beauty of the natural world; incomprehensible acts of evil side by side with the bravery, compassion, and kindness we see displayed every day. Though the dark may be overwhelming, my Maranatha is a story of hope in the ultimate victory of goodness over evil.

Maranatha was commissioned by the Pro Musica Colorado Chamber Orchestra.