MIDI RENDERING ONLY

This piece was inspired by Sam Beam’s music, although he is better known by his band name, Iron and Wine. Iron and Wine’s music always creates a comfortable, peaceful place for me, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to listen to and digest Iron and Wine’s music on a deeper and more active level. Beam’s use of arpeggiated guitar strumming, whisper-like voice, and harmonizations of melody are the catalyst for this piece. “An Open Letter to Sam Beam” allows me to accept vulnerability and simplicity through this music I have loved for so long. I hope that it creates a similar atmosphere for the performer and listeners.

An Open Letter to Sam Beam MIDI RENDERING

Performed by Teaching Artists for the Music in Schools Initiative through Yale School of Music.

Stepping Stones was composed for an 8th grade reed quintet created by Ethan Lippert and the Music in Schools Initiative through the Yale School of Music. As a former 6th-12th grade band director myself, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to write for a young chamber ensemble and incorporate my own experiences and pedagogical goals for students at this ability level. This piece reminded me of the many adventures I have had while hiking and fishing where I have had to step across rocks in order to cross a river or stream. Some of these trips may have ended with me falling in the water, but all of the trips were fun and memorable!

Stepping Stones - reed quintet

She Dared (2020) - for woodwind quintet plus piano - (12:20)

Commissioned by the Women's Wind Ensemble for the "She Can, We Can" Project

Dedicated to Rep. Patsy Mink (1927-2002)
_____

Program notes: In an interview with Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) from the documentary, Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority, Waters stated, “...when they were hiding on the issues and did not take them up because they didn’t think they would be politically popular, she dared to say the right things for poor people and for women. Those were not very popular subjects...” Patsy Mink (D-HI) (1927-2002) was a pioneer for equity and inclusion, with her most famous accomplishment being the enactment of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Not only was Mink the first woman of color elected to the House of Representatives, but she was the first Asian-American woman to serve in Congress. Her work included introducing over 400 pieces of legislation and serving in 13 terms in the House of Representatives. She was persistent, confident, and compassionate. She dared to make the United States more equitable for people like me, and I am grateful to Representative Mink for her determination.

All text spoken in “She Dared” is from various pieces of legislation introduced by Patsy Mink while she was in her official position as Representative. Because these texts were created by a federal government employee while she was in her official capacity, they are in public domain.

She Dared - woodwind quintet plus piano

Familiar (2019) - solo multiple percussion with speaking/humming

Performed by Alyssa Resh, Yale School of Music, February 2020

Familiar (2019) - Solo multiple percussion with speaking/humming

One of my greatest appreciations for living in the Midwest is the rich soundscape of a summer dusk. With fireflies shimmering in accompaniment, the living Earth provides a symphony using varying species of cicadas, crickets, and katydids, among other beings. I sense calmness, reflectiveness, and peace when taking the time to be still, be present, and listen deeply to this world.

Lyric Dusk (2023) - percussion sextet with fixed electronics

Second movement of "Sacred Spirits: Forces of Nature"

Marimba and harp duet

Score available through Bachovich Music Publications at www.bachovich.com.

For more information, please visit www.alexislamb.com.

Sacred Spirits  Forces Of Nature- Great Spirit Of The South- Earth

Third movement of "Sacred Spirits: Forces of Nature"

Marimba and harp duet

Score available through Bachovich Music Publications at www.bachovich.com.

For more information, please visit www.alexislamb.com.

Sacred Spirits  Forces Of Nature- Great Spirit Of The East- Fire

Spectrum is inspired by and written in the minimalist music styles of Philip Glass and Steve Reich. It is structured in a loose sonata form with an introduction, exposition, development, recapitulation, and coda. This composition was written with the intent of highlighting the beauty and versatility of the steel pan. This piece is dedicated to Clifford Alexis and Liam Teague for their unwavering efforts and advocacy for the steel pan throughout the world and for the work that they have done and continue to do with the Northern Illinois University Steelband.

A. C. Lamb - Spectrum - NIU Steelband 4.17.16 Concert

Program Notes for Flight of a Cuckoo:

“Never before did I realize that mental illness could have the aspect of power, power. Think of it: perhaps the more insane a man is, the more powerful he could become.” - Harding from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Flight of a Cuckoo is inspired by the 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey. The title is a play on words due to its direct reference to the cuckoo bird in flight, the bird call of a descending minor third, and the historical reference to people with mental illnesses. I was originally intrigued with the concept of “flight of ideas,” occurring when individuals speak/think rapidly and abruptly change from subject to subject. This piece hopes to explore some of the aural aspects of mental illness with the acknowledgement that no one experiences identical symptoms. In my writing this piece, I hope to empower individuals to talk about their experiences with mental health and encourage a dialogue about the many benefits these individuals can offer to our society. A big thank you goes to Danna Webber for allowing me to use excerpts of her personal writings for most of the spoken text.

Performers on this piece include: Elizabeth Milligan (flute), Zoe Hartenbaum (viola), David Floyd (bass clarinet), Joe Pazanowski (percussion), conducted by Eric Retterer

Flight Of A Cuckoo - nief-norf Summer Festival 6.20.17 Premiere

Alex Hecker's recording of (1,2), composed by Alexis C. Lamb.

(1,2) - solo Bb clarinet

"The North Star” serves as a historical and cultural tour of Minnesota’s main industries: logging, mining/shipping, agriculture, and manufacturing/technology. Inspired by traditional folk music, cultural records, state anthems, and binary computer and Morse codes, this work celebrates Minnesota and its important contributions to the United States, past and present. “The North Star” was composed for Zeitgeist, a Minnesota-based, musical icon.

Movement 1 quotes the melody from Minnesota logger Michael Cassius Dean’s, “The Falling of the Pine.” Movement 3 quotes the state song, “Hail! Minnesota,” composed by Truman E. Rickard and Arthur E. Upson. Both pieces are in public domain. Access to the sheet music was available through the Minnesota Folksong Collection and Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State (accessed in summer 2018 online).

The North Star - Zeitgeist Performance At Studio Z, 10.12.18

Music by Alexis C. Lamb
Text by Aiden K. Feltkamp
Musicians: Liz Hanna, Joy Wang, Madeleine Woodworth, Chloë Schaaf
Conducted by Hannah Goodwillie

Program Notes (written by Alexis C. Lamb)
Marsha P. Johnson was a black, transgender woman at the forefront of the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Johnson was heavily involved with the LGBTQ+ rights movement in New York following Stonewall, until her mysterious death in 1992. Johnson’s death was ruled a suicide, but the cause of death is still uncertain to this day. In the 50th anniversary year of Stonewall, Feltkamp’s text is a beautiful and heartbreaking homage to Johnson’s efforts that show the actionable changes made since 1969, but also that represents how much work there still is to do in our society for the LGBTQ+ community. Feltkamp’s words invite us to imagine new pathways forward.

Notes on the Text (written by Aiden K. Feltkamp)
This poem is the fourth in a set of eight titled “Trans Love & Life,” which follows the structure of Chamisso’s Frauen-Liebe und Leben and explores my early experiences as a transmasculine person. Chamisso's fourth poem in the set, “Du Ring an meinem Finger,” focuses on marriage, so I used the fight for gay marriage and LGBTQ+ rights as the starting point for “For Marsha (P. Johnson).” I feel a strong kinship with my transgender siblings, past and present, and I'm especially inspired by Marsha P. Johnson for her hands-on activism alongside Sylvia Rivera in the Stonewall Riots and on STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries). The details of the Stonewall Riots are not well documented, but one thing is clear: the driving force behind them was trans women of color. Too often the fight for LGBTQ+ rights leaves out transfeminine people or actively pushes them away; I believe they should be front and center, especially in regards to Stonewall.

For Marsha (P. Johnson)

Kenai - hammered dulcimer, guitar, and cello

Recorded by Alexis C. Lamb (dulcimer), Nicoletta Todesco (guitar), Valentina Črnjak (cello)

Recorded in CSMT Studios at Yale School of Music

Engineered by Alexis C. Lamb and Henry Birdsey

This piece is dedicated to my Uncle Dave for being the first person to introduce me to the hammered dulcimer. When my uncle gifted me his hammered dulcimer a few years ago, I knew I wanted to honor this gift with an unique composition. My goal for this piece was to playfully highlight the slight differences between duple and triple rhythmic patterns, as well as explore the combined wide range and nuanced sounds of the cello, guitar, and hammered dulcimer. Uncle Dave, I hope someday you are able to move up to the Kenai Peninsula, your dream home.

Kenai - Studio recording Winter 2020

“Enveloped” takes inspiration from the four elements of a sound wave, the ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) envelope. Each of the techniques utilized in this piece are intended to be a microscopic insight into the macro-level envelope. This piece is dedicated to Dr. Dave Hall and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Percussion Ensemble.

Enveloped - University of Nebraska Percussion Ensemble (Rehearsal Recording) 3.12.2020

"Tapestry no. 3" is part of a series of works that I am composing with images, connecting the horizontal passings of time with the verticalities of texture, timbre, harmony, density, and amplitude.

Performers include Max Mulpagano, Matt Peralta, and Sam Zagnit. Performed in Sprague Hall at the Yale School of Music, November 7, 2019.

Tapestry no. 3 (unedited) - contrabass trio as transition piece during stage setup

"Tapestry no. 2" is part of a series of works that I am composing with images, connecting the horizontal passings of time with the verticalities of texture, timbre, harmony, density, and amplitude.

Performance by the residents of the 2019 Westben Performer-Composer Residency:

Elizabeth A. Baker
Jacinta Clusellas
Erika Dohi
Ben Finley
Rebecca Gray
Iman Habibi
Nick Hon
Tova G. Kardonne
Davy Sumner
Justin Wright
Ben Zucker

Tapestry No. 2 - (Westben Performer/Composer Residency) 7.9.19

Alexis C. Lamb's new solo project, The Concord of Discord, combines spoken word with percussion and electronics. These pieces explore how everyday objects, ideas, and activities can lead us into considering "the bigger pictures" of our lives -- our families, identities, relationships, priorities, values, and philosophies.

This piece is dedicated to my wife, Danna. Thank you for giving me power. Thank you for giving others hope.

"Today I dress myself in symbols" was premiered for the 2020 ChamberQUEERANTINE virtual Pride Month festival.

Alexis C. Lamb as The Concord of Discord - Today I dress myself in symbols

Alexis C. Lamb's new solo project, The Concord of Discord, combines spoken word with percussion and electronics. These pieces explore how everyday objects, ideas, and activities can lead us into considering "the bigger pictures" of our lives -- our families, identities, relationships, priorities, values, and philosophies.

"Smokescreen" was premiered online during the Inside Out Steelband's Composer Spotlight series, featuring Alexis.

Alexis C. Lamb as The Concord of Discord - Smokescreen

Alexis C. Lamb (b. 1993) is a composer, percussionist, and educator who is interested in fostering communities of mindful music-making, particularly through the medium of storytelling. Her recent musical endeavors incorporate her love of research and oral histories into sonic commentaries that often enable the performers to offer their own improvisations and responses.

Composing music is a highly collaborative process, and Alexis views each of her compositions as a reflection of the specific collaboration for which it was written. One of her missions as a composer is to create safe musical spaces for vulnerable populations. By directly collaborating with and listening to our communities, Alexis can lend her musical voice to forge new relationships between diverse populations. As a result, collaborations can both tell an individual’s story as well as a dialogue between composer and concept/individual. Her compositions can be found on Innova Recordings, National Sawdust Tracks, and Evan Chapman’s self-published album, Caustics. She is originally from Denver, Colorado, and is currently based in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Alexis C. Lamb

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