All the Things I'm Not

Primal

This work was commissioned by Bruce Perkins in memory of his father, Douglas Davies Perkins (1931–2023), and he shared the following thoughts:

The original concept for UNDYING came from an old College song, Dartmouth Undying, which expresses the love of the ethos of a place frozen in time, where the love of learning and exploring is eternal. This always seemed at the core of my father’s belief system. He was a strong believer in a liberal arts education and the undying love of humanity that resulted from it. It is also a way of eternally remembering a man who spent his life in the service of others.

The work UNDYING is an affirmation of the belief that leading a principled life is paramount, and that a well-rounded liberal arts education is a direct and effective way to accomplish this.

The work opens with sighs – a response to the challenges of life, the loss of a father, the state of the world…  What follows is a journey through moments of glorious accomplishment interrupted by periods of frustration and impediment   the former grounded in learning from our collective histories and cultures; the latter caring not for timing, coming suddenly with great disruption or overwhelming slowly with an alarming power.

Ending with an optimistic sense of hope for a better future, there still remains a presence of this eternal back and forth as the music fades from perception. 

This work is also a meditation on how loved ones who have passed on still remain vibrant in our thinking, our dreams, our souls.

UNDYING (midi version)- Timothy Mahr

"Fields of Grain as Seen from a Train" is a work for concert band by Timothy Mahr based on the painting of the same title by early American abstract painter Arthur Dove.  It was commissioned by Tom Davis and his fine ensemble in Canandaigua, NY, which is where Arthur Dove was born.  The image for this page is the Dove painting.

This fine recording was produced in Japan by the Atsugi High School Wind Symphony, under the baton of Tetsuya Nakayama, one of the few true champions of my music.  They sound fantastic!!

I have always been intrigued by the different senses of speed one experiences visually when looking out at a landscape from a moving vehicle (say a band tour bus...).  Mountains on the horizon seem stationary, while the mid-distance structures and features move moderately across one's field of vision.  The gravel and plants at the shoulder of the road or train tracks is just a blur.  I carried this idea of multiple senses of time and speed into the composition of the work.

TIMOTHY MAHR:  Fields of Grain as Seen from a Train

Resilience
A fanfare for our times


When I was commissioned to create a brief concert-opening fanfare, I was impelled to write music that spoke to our times in the early months of 2025.  We are challenged by disruptions to the normal order of things and we all find ourselves needing to make personal decisions about how to move forward.  It is a time when we must remain strong.

Might one minute of music allow listeners to experience resiliency in the face of challenge?  This work begins in an almost carefree manner, only to be confronted by dissonant and aggressive materials that nearly overwhelm the piece.  The power of a unified response to this challenge, building across the performers first as a single pitch, eventually strengthened by octaves, overcomes the threat, and there is a return to a welcome and hopeful consonance.  

Resilience was commissioned by the Southeast Polk Wind Ensemble (IA), and their conductor Jacquelyn Meunier, who provided a dedicatory statement for the score that well describes Resilience: A fanfare for our times:

A celebration of perseverance, strength, and hope in the face of adversity. 
This piece honors the unwavering spirit of those who push forward, embrace challenges, and continue striving for a brighter future.

Recording by the Southeast Polk Wind Ensemble, Jacquelyn Meunier, conductor.

Cover Painting:  “Resilience” Acrylic on 9X12 canvas paper.  Timothy Mahr, created during the composing of this piece.


Timothy Mahr - RESILIENCE

ART SHOW
1. Celebrate Art!
2. Drawing: The Power of the Line
3. Ceramics: The Power of Shape and Heat
4. Animal Mashups: The Power of the Imagination 
5. Painting: The World of Color

When I was approached by Phillip Meyer to consider a commission from the 6th Grade Concert Band at Lisle Junior High School in Lisle, IL, we explored how we might make a very special project out of the experience. I had just retired and was exploring a long-time goal of painting, and this increased interest in art led to the idea of trying to musically depict an art show, with the hopes of collaborating with the visual arts students and community at the school.

As I began searching for materials, the idea of beginning with celebratory music to announce the opening of the ART SHOW made sense. I then worked at finding music derived from the process and product of drawing, working with clay, creating animal mashups, and the use of color, all units of study within the Lisle 6th grade curriculum. This was a very engaging, really fun composition to create!

ART SHOW is dedicated to the 6th Grade Concert Band and the 6th grade art students at Lisle Junior High School.
/s/ Timothy Mahr

Cover art: “The Runner” Timothy Mahr. Acrylics on paper, painted during the composition process of ART SHOW. Phillip Meyer was not only a valued member of the St. Olaf Band under my baton, he was also the captain of the St. Olaf College cross-country team that was the 2013 Division III National Champions.

A Glimpse of the Eternal

Aaron Perrine