Performed by the Tennessee Valley Festival Orchestra
Conducted by David Ragsdale

June 6, 2019
Trinity United Methodist Church Sanctuary
Huntsville, AL

This piece is a snapshot of Ray Bradbury's novel "Fahrenheit 451", a story about a dystopian American society. Inspiration from this piece came from the characters Beatty, the chief firefighter antagonist, and Clarisse, a sweet teenager who's love for life and nature wakes the protagonist Montag up to the realities of this dystopian world. These two characters are contrasted through drastic changes of mood in the piece.

451 Overture

I composed this piece as a response to Salvador Dalí’s art style, specifically his collage style in one of his most famous paintings, The Accommodations of Desire. The text is inspired by Dalí’s relationship with his wife Gala. This piece was made in collaboration with Jacob Hord on crotales, Jonathan Valenzuela on electric guitar, and Tristan Hipolito on vocals.
Text by German Lopez.

With much love, 
I adore you.
With much love, 
I cherish you.

With much love 
I'll make you my vase
and I'll be your table.

Just don't leave me
in this collage of our loving years;
just don't start my trepidations.

With much love,

Written for SYZYGY's second 24HC, the inspiration for the piece arose when a text came into our family’s group chat around 9pm that my oldest sister, Joanna, would be having a second child. In the drawing for names earlier that night, I drew a pianist and a percussionist. Dr. Hanlon granted an invitation to anyone composing for a pianist to use his toy piano. The decision to choose the toy piano and tambourine came shortly after the text was sent, followed by ten hours of composing and naps.

Toy Piano - Eliana Yi
Tambourine - Jacob Hord

Copyright © German Lopez 2017

Bibs And Rattles

During my younger years, I was curious about weather, especially Texas weather. A Day in April was inspired by the unpredictable weather phenomena that characterize Texas during the month of April. With short, yet calm, moments to wild passages, this piece has been described not only as a portrayal of weather but also as a depiction of life in Meadows during the month of April.

Violin I - Tristan Hipolito
Violin II - Harrison Schumann
Viola - Francis Ramas
Cello - Katelyn Petersen

Copyright © 2016 German Lopez

A Day In April

I love cacti. They’re green, a bit prickly, water-conservationists, and natives of the Americas. In many ways I can relate to one, so I wrote a piece inspired by these beautiful, tranquil plants and their alternately smooth and spikey appearance. 

Violin - Yasmine Bougacha
Cello - Drew Schindler
Piano - Sarah Klein

Copyright © German Lopez 2018

Cactus

Inspired by Clifton William’s wind ensemble piece Caccia and Chorale, Caccia takes a similar tone on the topic of materialism. The rapid chase-like quality of the beginning is juxtaposed by a melancholic moment, representing a plea for a return to altruistic values. A return to the chase negates that plea.

Oboe/English Horn - Audrey Yu
Viola - Christopher Sykora
Piano - Eliana Yi

Copyright © German Lopez 2016

Caccia

As part of the inaugural 24HC, I had the great fortune to draw not one, but two basses as my instrumentation. I took this opportunity to explore the capabilities of the double bass, with an emphasis on leaps from one string to another. The title came from what it might feel like playing this piece with a friend.

Double Bass - Cela Patras and Jeff Tullis

Copyright © German Lopez 2016

Cliff Divers

In my 8th grade science class, we had to give a presentation on a topic dealing with space. I decided to get creative with it and make snickerdoodle cookies in a microwave to represent how space is expanding everywhere in all directions, causing a redshift in our electromagnetic spectrum. While my explanation was on point, my snickerdoodle cookie looked less like a cookie and more like an irregular galaxy. Cookies aside, I have recently seen this theory as a metaphor for how our childhood relationships seem to shift away from each other as we grow older, much like how this piece shifts in tonality. It gets difficult keeping relationships strong, especially after high school. Nevertheless, just like the redshift theory, this process will not keep us from enjoying the stars with our friends anytime soon.

Horn - Elise Hawkes
Guitar - Ivan Aguayo
Harp - Zane Mallett

Copyright © 2018 German Lopez

Redshift

This piece was written in collaboration with my good friend Jonathan Valenzuela, having had its premiere on the Fall 2018 Emerging Sounds concert. Influenced by Britten’s guitar piece Nocturnal, Mañana St. is also inspired by poetry. I wrote this poem around the start of my senior year to reflect on certain moments that caused great anxiety and to remind myself that there is always a tomorrow.

Mañana St.

Ahora may be quite boring,
Ayer may have been a dud,
Pero all of these mistakes y regrets 
Will blow right away
With pollution’s aroma;

Time will pass y el tiempo se cambia:
From lluviar con tormentas,
To cold yet fair conditions.
If seasons don’t stop changing, 
Then one should not stop believing
In another day that isn’t hoy o ayer.

Cuando tenemos nuestra corazón llorando
Para cosas inadequadas
Para cosas inapropiadas
Gastamos lo que no tenemos;

Así que no preocupas,
‘Cause there’s always a time,
Always a place,
Always a hope;
Por lo menos tenemos un lugar
Donde nuestros errores and regrets disappear,

Welcome to Mañana…


Copyright © German Lopez 2018

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