This piece is based on a juxtaposition of a tree in autumn, whose ability to ‘let go’ of its leaves in autumn (represented by the guitar) inspires a person to try let go of his/her past (represented by the violin). The flute represents both the wind and the will of the person to let go. It is the moving force in the piece that carries the music along, blowing the leaves off the trees and forcing the person to keep moving forward. The piano chords from the beginning then return (this is the ‘renewal’), where the tree has let go of all its leaves and is bare, and the person has finally let go of the past and is free.
Maria Johnston is a fourth year Music student in TCD. She began playing the guitar and piano in her early teens. Although Maria had been expected to go to art college, she decided to shock everyone by applying for music in Trinity. They all told her she would fail; her parents thought she had gone mad. But, by some miracle, Maria proved them all wrong by getting a place in the course. Now she spends her days writing music in the hope that someone in the film industry might hear it and love it enough to make her a successful film composer.

Let Go Let Fall Renew (Maria Johnston) — Node Ensemble 2014

Node Ensemble