RAW
for chamber ensemble and audience

Allison Damon, trumpet
Derek Easterday, tenor sax
Andrew Tjandra, cello
Rachael Fasano, hammered dulcimer and percussion
Eric Peterson, percussion

CAPE FLATTERY
for WIND ENSEMBLE
Program Notes
Cape Flattery is a dramatic and beautiful place. It is the point of land at the northwesternmost
corner of the continental United States; to the Macah Tribe that inhabits the region, it is known as
“the end of the world.” The Macah have inhabited this place for about 3800 years and have lived
sustainably with nature that entire time. Recently, in June 2024, they were granted the rights to
return to a limited subsistence-level whale hunt – one of only two places in the US where this is
legal (the other is in northwestern Alaska). Environmental activists have protested this
allowance, but I think that this might be an example of how we can live in harmony with nature:
knowing how to live sustainably and in harmony with the land we are part of. At Cape Flattery,
there is a lighthouse that warns ships of the dangers there where the Pacific Ocean and the Strait
of Juan de Fuca meet – tempestuous winds, rocky outcroppings, heavy fog and choppy waters.
On a sunny day, the water sparkles, the spray from the waves glitters, the blue of the ocean is
startling against the green of the forest, and seals and whales inhabit the waters. On stormy days,
the waves crash against the rocky shores, the wind whips through the trees, and the view can be
hidden in a heavy mist. These images are the inspiration for this piece, my attempt to express my
love of one of my favorite places.
Cape Flattery Symphonic Poem begins with a burst of drama, presented by the brass, with bold
energy. Shortly, the energy withdraws and becomes melodic, contemplative, the woodwinds sing
and welcome the visitor. The emotion builds again, like a vigorous inhale, and then exhales in
relaxation again. As the winds whip up, a dark storm approaches, signaling danger, becoming
quite dark, and then it passes as quickly as it came. Then we experience the waves, as they ebb
and flow, splashing into the air, and then pulling back out into the sea again. Instrumental solos
weave in and out of the texture created by the piano and vibraphone. The waves grow in intensity,
becoming fuller and adding instruments until the entire ensemble is participating. Next, we
experience the playful, bouncy little creatures of the woods and sea: birds flitting, fish jumping,
otters diving. Finally, all of these elements converge in a final moment of joy and exuberance.

Cape Flattery Tone Poem for Wind Symphony

Synthwave sampler track for SYNTHDREAMS VGM Pack album.
Includes samples of all 15 tracks in the pack.
The perfect music for emotional moments, intense battles, and funny interactions for your video game!

SYNTHDREAMS VGM Pack (Sampler)

Sadness Protocol

Original big band arrangement of Ruder Buster from deltarune. Original music by Toby Fox. Arranged by Derek Easterday.

Ruder Buster for big band (midi)

RAW, volume iii

Project Unity is a composition written for classical orchestral instruments, choirs, organ, electric guitar and bass, and an 80's synthesizer.  With this instrumentation, there is both a sense of unity throughout the piece, but also unity within diversity. Each major ensemble (instrumentalists, choir, percussion, and electric instruments) is featured throughout Project Unity, and the choral feature is meant to have us ponder and reflect on why we need unity in the world. Why is it important?

Musically, there are 3 themes you will hear throughout the piece. The major
seventh chord is used frequently in the unity theme, moving by mediants and
conveying change and the beauty that we can find within it. The second theme is
spearheaded by the synthesizer and electric instruments and the third by the
choir.

Project Unity, LIVE

This is a fun, silly song that makes fun of the concept of Zen with the premise that the narrator's sense of "zen" is fragile and shouldn't be f*cked with. The song mirrors this dynamic by starting with a calm piano line that quickly evolves into an aggressive synth line. This dynamic is further reinforced with a spacey, trancey bridge followed by an especially aggressive ending. The song was spontaneously recorded in Ableton in a cabin near Nelson, BC and then mixed in Seattle, WA and Brooklyn

Don't Fuck With My Zen

Psalm 96 is a unique piece for choir (SATB) and orchestra. It does not utilize the entirety of the text, rather it has excerpts focusing on a few of the main themes. Psalm 96 is primarily in a minor key, with a few moments in major where we see God's light.

RAW

Rachael Fasano

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