Instrumentation

Piccolo

Flute 1, 2

Oboe 1, 2

English Horn

Clarinet in E♭

Clarinet in B♭ 1, 2, 3

Bass Clarinet in B♭

Bassoon 1, 2

Contrabassoon

Alto Saxophone 1, 2

Tenor Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone

Trumpet in B♭ 1, 2, 3

Horn in F 1, 2, 3, 4

Trombone 1, 2

Bass Trombone

Euphonium

Tuba

Double Bass

Piano

Timpani

Percussion 1 (bass drum, tom-toms)

Percussion 2 (tam-tam, glockenspiel, suspended cymbal, wind chimes)

Percussion 3 (xylophone, chimes, snare drum)

Percussion 4 (vibraphone, marimba, crash cymbals, triangle)

Premiere

University of Colorado Wind Ensemble – April 20, 2017

Program Note

In conceiving of Embers to Ash, I was interested in both the physical and emotional meanings of these words. Embers are the smoldering remains of a fire, while ash is the powdery reside that remains after a fire, as well as being a pale shade of gray. However, both have double meanings: embers can also refer to slowly fading emotions, memories, or relationships, and ash can mean feelings of remorse, regret, and nostalgia. Ash is also a type of tree, something alive and growing. These definitions reminded me of the mythological creature of the phoenix, a bird that is cyclically reborn from the ashes of the fire in which its previous life had ended.  Embers to Ash is structured around these concepts: fire, decay, a gray-like stasis, and finally, a sense of rebirth and renewal. Embers to Ash was the winner of the 2016 CU Wind Ensemble Composition Competition and was premiered in Macky Auditorium in Boulder, CO on April 20, 2017.