21V - Chorus
Martín Benvenuto - Conductor 

Program Note:

Two Partsongs was commissioned by Martín Benvenuto and 21V, in honor of César Chavez and Dolores Huerta. I am currently fascinated with the concept of doubles and mirrors. Setting two different poets in two different languages to honor two different people came to me immediately. The first text I chose is the passage from Goethe’s Faust, in which angels tell him to recreate the world in a more beautiful way. I had to find an appropriate double to this text, which invites us to create a new world as we see fit. To double the Goethe, I have selected Rubén Darío’s De Otoño. In this poem, someone asks a tree why they are no longer happy. One can imagine Faust as the tree, completely apathetic to the new world they created. “Let the hurricane move my heart.”

Two Partsongs are brief settings of the text below. The Darío is for three-part treble voices, and the Goethe for double that. The settings are homophonic, in keeping with the tradition of partsongs.

I. De Otoño

Chris Castro is a composer, double bassist, theorist, and educator residing in Southern California. He is a recipient of the 2023 Fromm Music Foundation Commission from Harvard University and Chamber Music America's 2021 Classical Commissioning Award. His music has been described as "on par with Varèse" (anonymous CMA juror) and “at once celebratory and solemn” (San Francisco Classical Voice). His music draws from the rich tradition of Western Art Music, from Johannes Ockeghem's Missa Prolationum to John Coltrane's Ascension. As a new music advocate, Chris serves on the artistic advisory board for the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble, and will be premiering two solo double bass works written for him by Phil Acimovic and Linda Catlin Smith in the fall of 2024. Chris holds degrees from the Juilliard School (double bass and composition) and a PhD from the University of California, Davis in composition and music theory. He lectures for the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Upbeat Live series. He is an Assistant Professor of Composition at Chapman University. 

Website: https://www.chriscastrocomposer.com

Contact: crcastro36@gmail.com

Selected list of works:
Lines II - Missa Sine Nomine for Trombone, Electric Guitar, Accordion, Violin, and Contrabass (2025)
Missa Brevis for Bass Clarinet and Double Bass (2024)
Tumba for Alto Flute, Cello, and Well-Tempered Clavier (2024)
Lines for Flute(s), Percussion, Harp, Viola, & Cello (2024)
Forms & Doubles for Flute(s) and Viola (2024)
Two Partsongs for Treble Voices (2024)
Canções dos Desassossego (Songs of Disquiet) for Soprano and String Quartet (2023)
Á la tienne! for Speaking Pianist (2023)
Eight Pops & A Center Pop for Contralto, Viola, Cello, and Organ (2023)
Snow White & Rose Red for Storyteller and Orchestra (2023)
Two Songs & Two Doubles for Voice and Well-Tempered Clavier (2023)
Miroirs Obscurcis for Well-Tempered Clavier (2023)
1722 for Open Instrumentation (2022)
Fauxbourdon After Ellington for Open Instrumentation (2022)
Two Songs for the OPP (from Brooklyn Narcissus) for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble (2022)
Clock-a-clay for Piano Trio (2021)
Beethausenstro - Castockhoven for Two Pianos (2020)
La for Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, and Viola (2019)
Brooklyn Narcissus II for Soprano and Chamber Orchestra (2019)
Coyote Goes To The Sky & Birds Of Fortune: Two Stories for Storyteller, Flute, Cello, and Percussion (2019)
Sing High for Violin and Orchestra (2018)
Easy & Sad for Seven players (2018)
Choruses IV for String Quartet (2017)
IV - I for Two Pianos (2017)
Choruses III for Chamber Orchestra (2017)
Music for the short-film 'Postmodern Love' (2017)
A Drinking Song for SATB Choir (2017)
Brooklyn Narcissus I for Solo Soprano (2017)
Sing Low for Trombone and Ensemble (2017)
Choruses II for Violin and Piano (2016)
Ruines for Flute and Chamber Ensemble (2016)
Cavatine for Orchestra (2016)
Nocturne for Flute, Clarinet, Cello (2015)
Scherzo for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet (2015)
Cavatine for Solo Cello (2015)
Variations on an Original Theme for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (2015)
Choruses I for String Quartet (2015)
Storm Fear for Mezzo-soprano and Piano (2014)
Poseidon's Steeds for Women's Choir and Organ (2014)
Movement for Piano (2014)
Etude for Percussion and Electronics (2013)
Fantasy on a Theme of James Bassi (backwards) for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, and Cello (2013)
Maw for String Quartet (2012)
Brooklyn Hymn-Variations for Saxophone Ensemble (2012)
Song of Quietness for SATB Chorus (2012)
Hymn and Fuguin' Tune for Cello Duo (2011)
When Jesus Wept (After Billings) for Brass Quintet (2011)
Monolith (A Symphonic Sketch) for Orchestra (2010)
Kyrie for SATB Chorus (2010)
Burn Like Roman Candles for Big Band (2009)
Suite for Double Bass (2008)
Nothing for String Quartet (2008)
Essay for Orchestra (2007)