Recording by Shea Socrates, Kyle Marker, and Steven Prevett

It Waits Beyond the Window was commissioned by my good friend Shea Socrates in April of 2020 and is loosely inspired by a recurring childhood nightmare that I experienced as child. This nightmare included waking up within the dream and seeing a woman's bloody, grotesque face pressed up against the bed-side window and hearing her scream with rage at the top of her lungs until the nightmare finally ended. I musically convey common tropes of nightmares, such as trying to run away but not getting anywhere, false "wake-ups" within the dream, and a sense of calm only to be interrupted by sudden terror through a balance of consonant and dissonant harmonies, varying melodic material, a wide range of dynamics, tempos, meters, and articulations, and the use of extended techniques.

Sheet music available here: https://www.ianlestermusic.com/store/p23/It_Waits_Beyond_the_Window_%282020%29_-_for_Guitar_Trio.html

Copyright © 2020 Ian Lester

It Waits Beyond The Window - for guitar trio

A native Michigander whose music has been described as "high energy", "innovative" and "very thoughtful and concise" (International Tuba and Euphonium Association), Dr. Ian Lester (b. 1994) is an award-winning composer, euphonium player, and teacher holding a Doctorate degree in euphonium performance and Master’s degree in composition from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, where he also previously received his Master's degree in euphonium performance. Ian received his Bachelor’s degree in euphonium performance and pursued additional composition studies at Oakland University in Michigan. Ian’s works have been performed and recorded by soloists, chamber ensembles, wind bands, and brass bands at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Fort Myer, and many universities and recital halls around the world. Notable achievements include winning the 2016 U.S. Army Band Tuba-Euphonium Composition Competition, receiving the 2018 Oakland University's Outstanding Student in Composition award, winning the 2018 North Texas Euphonium Quartet Composition Competition, the 2021 Mirari Brass Quintet Call for Scores, and the 2022 UMKC Composition Competition, being selected to attend the 2021 Julius String Quartet EMERGE Solstice Composition Workshop, along with winning both the inaugural 2023 North Texas I.T.E.A. Chapter Composition Competition and the 2023 I.T.E.A. R. Winston Morris Award for excellence in tuba/euphonium ensemble composition.