Original Music

Romantic / Contemporary

The Boston University Tanglewood Institute's Young Artists Wind Ensemble performs "Blue Shades" by Ticheli during the 2014 summer season with conductor H. Robert Reynolds.

"Blue Shades" | Frank Ticheli

2010

Alexander Boissonault, violin
Warren Hagerty, violoncello
Wei-Ling Chuang, clarinet/bass clarinet
Julian Clarkson, alto/baritone saxophone
Ryan O'Connell, piano
Brian Falatko, percussion

Recording by Colin Shay (http://soundcloud.com/colinshay)

Moon Cycles

The word “grace” has many meanings. To some, it is a way to carry oneself. To others, it has strong religious connotations. Yet to others, it is a type of simple elegance. Regardless of background, I believe this word carries a common theme of peace to those who hear it. In writing this work, I wanted to draw on all backgrounds of the word in hopes that everyone can identify with the music and feel their own personal “grace” while experiencing the piece.

A little background on the timeline of this work, as it is extremely important:

The piece was commissioned by the Lincoln County (North Carolina) High School Honor Band. Initially, I tried to take the piece in several other directions but found the music going nowhere. Eventually, I felt drawn to the title Grace and proceeded in that direction. The music flowed and I was surprised how quickly I was able to complete the work. I delivered it on April 21, 2015. They had their first rehearsal that evening, and I arrived two days later to rehearse the work and ultimately premiere it on April 24. At the premiere, I gave the above description to the audience and we had a very powerful premiere.

I flew back home to Baltimore on Saturday, April 25. That night, I watched as my home city was ripped apart by violent protests as a result of the death of Freddy Gray while in police custody. The National Guard was called in and I witnessed the unthinkable – armored National Guard vehicles patrolling the streets and enforcing curfews. I grew up in this city – I met my wife here and many of my close friends still live here. I was overcome with emotion as my city seemed to unravel before my eyes.

I was scheduled to conduct the Connecticut All-State Band the following weekend. I had sent them my program months ago, but called Monday morning in hopes that I could make a last minute change. They obliged, and we put "Grace" in the folder. On Saturday April 2nd (exactly one week after the violent protests began), I conducted the second performance of "Grace." It was one of the most emotional performances I have ever conducted and the group received a standing ovation in the middle of the concert. I will never forget this span of two weeks. It reminded me how music really can help to heal.

While the piece is largely original material, conductors will quickly notice the appearance of "Amazing Grace" just before measure 88 (alto saxophone solo). I prefer not to explain this to the audience ahead of time since it is not the focus of the piece. It is much more effective if the melody emerges without being expected. In my mind, it is one of the most sincere moments in the work and sets the tone for the rest of the piece, ending in a final “amen.”


Grace - Wind Ensemble (Grade 4)

2015

Composed for the New Juilliard Ensemble

University of Texas at Austin New Music Ensemble
Dan Welcher, conductor
Shih-Yen Chen, clarinet

Kheir - Fantasy for Clarinet and Sinfonietta

Performed by members from the Hartford Independent Chamber Orchestra

Topography

2016

Composed at the Tanglewood Music Center

Christina Hughes, flute
Naho Zhu, bassoon
Paul Torrisi, trumpet
Addison Maye-Saxon, trombone
Claire-Chung Lim, piano
Heather Thomas, Amy Semes, violins
Leonardo Vásquez, viola
Lucas Button, violoncello
Charles Paul, contrabass
Max Grafe, conductor

La grue des sables (Tanguy Responses II)

2015

Composed for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival

Jordan Koransky, Natsuki Kumagai, violins
Mary Ferrillo, viola
Francesca McNeeley, violoncello

The Palace of the Windowed Rocks (Tanguy Responses I)

Friendship Concert - Music of Joe Russo

Joseph Russo - Friendship Trio, mvt.1 (live)

Max Grafe writes music characterized by "jagged declamations and muffled filigree" (Gramophone) with the aim of striking a distinctive balance between the stylistic immediacy of modernism and the dramatic power of romanticism. Max’s music has been commissioned and programmed by a wide range of ensembles—including the New York Philharmonic, the New York New Music Ensemble, Quince Ensemble, ensembleNEWSRQ, and Duo Entre-Nous—and has been featured at numerous music festivals across the country, including the Tanglewood Music Center, the Resonant Bodies Festival, and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. Current and upcoming projects include collaborations with Hypercube and pianist Benjamin Hochman. Max is a founding member of New York-based composer collective ICEBERG New Music, which recently concluded its sixth annual season in collaboration with Decoda Ensemble and poet Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz. Max’s music appears on commercial recordings by the New York Philharmonic, Quince Ensemble, Duo Entre-Nous, pianists Jenny Lin and Mika Sasaki, and harpist Emily Levin.

Max has received several of the most prestigious awards available to emerging American composers, including a Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a William Schuman Prize from BMI, two consecutive Palmer Dixon Prizes from the Juilliard School, and a Morton Gould Young Composer Award from ASCAP.

Max is a member of the music faculties at Montclair State University and the Kaufman Music Center. He received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Juilliard School in 2018, a Master of Music degree from Juilliard in 2013 and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in 2011. Further studies have taken place at Mannes College of Music, the Freie Universität Berlin, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and the Tanglewood Music Center.