The four movements of this suite were created individually and compiled after completion. Each was born of the same challenge: write a concise, well-developed work that was approximately two minutes long and had three flats in the key signature. Some developed into other challenges. “Like Sunshine” was an opportunity for me to generate “pretty” music (which, as a rhythmically-driven composer, is very difficult for me), and “Like Prayer” was written and orchestrated in under 2 4 hours and inspired by watching the view of the sunrise over mountains from my parents home in Colorado . Overall, the four movements are programmed to loosely mimic a four-movement work, beginning with an Allegro and finishing with a glorious Finale. However, any movement can be performed individually, and the movements can be performed in any order.

CM4: Like Sunshine

CM3: Like Prayer

CM2: Like Longing

CM1: Like Aggression

Many thanks to Ari Streisfeld (violin) and Rachel Calloway(mezzo-soprano) for a fantastic reading session (all recorded surreptitiously by William Kenlon).

Loose translation of an even more loose transliteration:
May it be Your will, G-d, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, that You should lead us in peace and direct our steps in peace, and guide us in peace, and support us in peace, and cause us to reach our destination in life, joy, and peace. Save us from every enemy and ambush, from robbers and wild beasts on the trip, and from all kinds of punishments that rage and come to the world. May You confer blessing upon the work of our hands and grant me grace, kindness, and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us, and bestow upon us abundant kindness and hearken to the voice of our prayer, for You hear the prayers of all. 

Traveler's Prayer (Tefilat HaDerech)

Richard Viglucci, clarinet
James Moat, violin
Rachel Whelan, piano

Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano

when i look at any child
it is easy to believe in god

when i look at most adults
it is impossible to believe in god

and then there is you
god, yes, there is you

(P. L. Thomas)

Performed August 2016 at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City, MO by KC VITAS Chamber Choir. Directed by Jackson Thomas.

Too often composers rely on public domain poetry when choosing text. I too am guilty of this trend, and often find I feel disconnected from the meaning in the words when the poet is long dead. I was introduced to the poetry of Paul L. Thomas an immediately devoured every poem of his I could find. The simplicity of “god” struck me as incredibly thoughtful. The simple profundity of this short poem encourages multiple interpretations. I encourage listeners and performers to take whatever meaning they choose from this text and its setting. Paul L. Thomas is a poet and professor of education at Furman University in South Carolina. More of his poetry can be found at https://plthomasselectedpoetry.wordpress.com

Partner Dances for Horn and Piano (September 2016)

Katie Cooley approached me to write a work for solo horn and piano. In the spirit of her lively personality and dry wit, I didn’t want to write a piece that took itself too seriously. “Partner Dances” hearkens to Baroque dance suites and dance forms, but doesn’t quite follow the rules.

A bourée is a dance in double time, usually moderate in tempo. Its most characteristic feature is a quarter-bar anacrusis (pick-up).

Passacaglia are often in triple meter, and feature variations over a bass-ostinato. Passacaglia can be found throughout the history of Western music.

“Courante” means “running,” thus the courante often utilizes running and jumping in the traditional dance form. Musically, they are hopeful, in triple meter, and full of joy.

As a dance, the sarabande is lively and full of vigor, however, some of the most famous sarabandes in Western music are stately and more controlled. This sarabande is in the style of Bach or Handel.

The gigue (also known as “jig”) is an energetic dance in compound meter, and is often the final movement of a dance suite.

Performed 11/5/16 in WBM 119, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Katie Cooley, horn
Christi Zuniga, piano

Partner Dances for Horn and Piano

This three-movement concerto depicts an evening at a busy night market. Full of food stalls, tourists, and hawkers selling their wares, these markets are a staple throughout Asia. The ensemble represents the general mood and pace of the market. The soloist is
experiencing and interacting with the market sonically.
The first movement depicts the market from set up around 4 PM to the peak of business around 10 PM. Lively, but chaotic, these are the peak hours most nights as stalls sell trinkets, specialty foods, and everything including the kitchen sink. This movement takes inspiration from traditional Mongolian folksongs.
The second movement is sentimental and ballad-like. Inspired by the traditional song “Little Cabbage,” the soloist wanders the market during calmer hours, around 10 PM to midnight.
The final movement is loud and raucous, as the night owls hit the market after a night on the town, catching a final snack before heading home. Two unique perpetuum mobiles alternate and merge beneath sporadic woodwind leaps and big-band-infused jazz progressions.
Performed live on November 27th ,2016 at KHS Hall (Taipei, Taiwan) by SBO Wind Ensemble (雅頌合奏團) with Po-Fang Chang (saxophone)

STREET HAWKER

STREET HAWKER: concerto for E-flat alto saxophone and wind sinfonietta

My intention for this melody originally began as a work for mixed voice chamber choir, but I quickly realized the harmonic range, demanding rhythms, and melding textures wouldn’t translate nearly as effectively through voice. Now that the melodies have over-taken the words I’d previously ascribed, the text is no longer crucial, but the affect remains. These four instrumental characters feel a sense of need and longing for something that is either out of reach or never existed. At times, they seem to cross paths, moments of congruent emotion, but it’s more typical that each voice moves in and out of the spotlight. The piece behaves more like a folk tune, with “verses” and “choruses,” remnants of the original melodic vision.

From a reading session with Brooklyn Rider String Quartet, September 2014.

Longing Song

山水客 is an open-air teahouse in Maokong, Taipei, Taiwan. This work depicts three thoughts relating to my experience having Jinxuan Oolong tea on a rather overcast day at this establishment. The tea was brewed and enjoyed in the Gongfu Cha (功夫茶) style, which, in its rituals, encourages appreciation and respect for all aspects of the tea-brewing method and environment. This sonata for flute and piano aims to portray the soundscape and emotions admiring views, drinking tea, and walking in light rain though the mountains in Maokong.
The first movement, 山 (mountain), is a reflection of wonderment. To access Maokong, one must either drive through winding mountainous roads or ride a system of gondolas to reach the peaceful, teahouse-filled town. Not for the claustrophobic or acrophobic, these gondolas nonetheless offer exhilaration and spectacular views. Upon arriving in town, a system of walking trails and tight roads allow an even higher elevation to be reached. 山 explores the feeling of walking further and further (and thus, higher and higher) along these paths, stopping occasionally to admire the ever-shrinking cities down below.
Taiwan generally experiences temperate winter weather, but it is not unusual to be caught in a gentle afternoon rain on an otherwise cloudless day. The 水 (water) in the second movement refers to two contrasting studies of water: the misty mountain rain and the water poured from kettle to teapot to gaiwan (蓋碗) to cup. This movement embodies the idea of drifting clouds and flowing water (行雲流水), a component of the tea ceremony.
Because the written Chinese language is multi-faceted and open to interpretation, the character 客 can hold a variety of meanings dependent on its context. In the name of the teahouse, the character most likely means "customer," but outside of this usage, it could just as easily mean "visitor," "guest," or "traveler." I found myself to be a combination of all of these words in Taiwan. I was graciously welcomed into shops and homes as a customer and guest, I was approached on the street and helped by strangers as a visitor, and I made my way through in this lovely little island as a traveler, open to the joy and wonderment that travel and adventure can bring.
(Written May-June 2017)
Flute: Lisa Cella
Piano: Thomas Rosenkranz
performed and recorded at soundSCAPE in Maccagno, IT, July 2017

mountain • water • traveler(山水客)

Constellations for concert band (2018)
1. Hydra (2:45)
2. Virgo (2:15)
3. Ursa Major (2:30)

Constellations is a work for concert band consisting of three vignettes. Each movement musically portrays the three largest constellations in the night sky by area: Hydra, the water snake; Virgo, the harvest maiden; and Ursa Major, the large bear. 
In Greek Mythology, the Hydra was a fearsome, many-headed water snake. Fighting the Hydra is nearly impossible; when one head is cut off, two more grow in its place. The hydra was banished to the night sky when Hercules defeated the snake. I have imitated the slithery nature of this mythical beast with a rhythmic, swirling motive in ⅞ time, often played in multiple diatonic iterations across the ensemble, a multi-headed motive with a common serpentine origin. 
The constellation Virgo depicts Ceres in Roman mythology and Demeter in Greek mythology. Virgo is a symbol of harvest and agriculture, often depicted with arms full of wheat and grain. I have channeled this folk-like imagery with a pastoral passacaglia. Gentle duos throughout the band weave through this movement.
The third-largest constellation in the night sky is Ursa Major or “Big Bear.” My personal imagery of bears skews comedic: Winnie-the-Pooh, the Sleepytime Bear, Fozzie, Yogi Bear. The final movement is a light-hearted march, appropriate dance music for a big bear in a silly hat at a circus. 


Duration: 7 minutes 30 seconds
Grade: 3 ½ to 4 (asymmetrical meter [7/8], some solos [flute, clarinet, trumpet, saxes])



Constellations was commissioned by a consortium of bands organized by Eric Chrostoski. The ensembles are listed below in alphabetical order. My deepest respect and fondest gratitude is extended to the members of the consortium. Thank you for taking a chance on a young composer, and thank you for all the work you do to enrich the lives of your students.


Belleville West High School Symphonic Band, Michael Pond-Jones, Conductor
Boulder Concert Band, Silas Nathaniel Huff, Conductor
Carlyle High School Concert Band, Jamie Furlow, Conductor
Central Community High School Symphonic Band, Eric Chrostoski, Conductor
Goshen County School District, Jean Chrostoski, Superintendent of Schools
Highland Middle School Concert Band, Greg Allen, Conductor
Mater Dei Catholic High School Wind Ensemble, Blake Korte, Conductor
Mountain Range High School, David Evans, Conductor
University of Nebraska Campus Bands, Douglas Bush, Director
VIT High School Concert Band, Evan Bosaw, Conductor
Wesclin High School Concert Band, Rodney Washburn, Conductor

Recorded May 11, 2018 by CCHS Symphonic Band conducted by Mr. Eric Chrostoski.

Constellations for Concert Band

Commissioned by Choral Arts Initiative for the 2018 PREMIERE|Project Festival, Brandon Elliott, director
Full poem: http://plthomaspoetry.blogspot.com/2013/03/you-i-do-not-think.html
This work features the first half of P. L. Thomas’ poem “you (i do not think).” As the lines organically grow into a more complicated thought, more performers and more harmonies are introduced. The light, clipped text of the beginning and end contrast the fullness of the more gentle words. What I appreciate most about this and so many other poems by P. L. Thomas is its ambiguity. Though the text references “love,” there is nothing so concrete to specify romantic love. The speaker could just as easily be describing a friend they admire and set apart from others, one whose uniqueness is so natural that they cannot help but stand out. 

you (i do not think) (2013)
P. L. Thomas (b. 1961)


i do not think

i do not think of you
i do not think of you as other people
i do not think of you as other people do

maybe you
could not see
in my eyes
the you i love

who you have been
who you are
who you are becoming
who you are without me	

i imagine you
imagining yourself
disembodied to witness

the world of me
you chose to set aside
for you without me

Sung by Choral Arts Initiative ( Lauren Graham, Anna Kietzman, Stacy Oh, Lorraine Welling, Emmalee Wetzel, Jeffrey Derus, Herman Hope, Steven Olvey, Andrew Scher, Yngwie Zamarippa, Rachel Asmus, Adena Leigh Bentley, Carrie Dike, Jasmine Khorsandi, Kyrstin Ohta, Genie Hossain, Tim Cervenka, Nathan Diaz, Ashton Hackwith, Matthew Hazzard, and Marcos Torres), conducted by Brandon Elliott, director. Recorded live a St. Mark Presbyterian Church, Newport Beach, CA on June 15, 2018.

you (i do not think)

Water Phases is an exploration of different physical states of water in three movements. “Boil” is measured and moderate, featuring hockets and 16​th-​note runs that function between parts. Tremolos alternate between voices, as if bubbling vigorously. Occasionally, different voices seem to “boil over” and be overly energetic. “Ice” is a slower, more melancholic movement. Imagine a block of ice slowly melting slightly, only to refreeze. Some musical lines rush quickly downwards, as if they were droplets of water speeding along the edge of a frozen surface. “Steam” features elements of “Boil” as well as many repetitious upward phrases that are meant to emulate the rising of steam.

Performed by Maxwell Borah, soprano saxophone; Teylor Patak, alto saxophone; Eric Vasquez, tenor saxophone; and Landon Chang, baritone saxophone. Recorded February 25, 2019, Merrill Ellis Intermedia Theatre, UNT College of Music, Denton, TX.

Water Phases for Saxophone Quartet

Recorded October 14, 2019, Denton, TX. Performed by Morgan Horning, Samantha Dapcic (http://www.samanthadapcic.com), and Autumn Cappoci. Chris Poovey (https://chrispooveymusic.weebly.com/), recording tech and ProTools expert.


how (this)(2019) for SSA
Text:
how could i have known your heart
how could i have known your hurt
this, my words


Program notes:
While waiting for a delayed flight to board I found myself simultaneously bemused and frustrated by the buzz of indiscernible words through the PA system and in the multitude of conversations around me. I began considering words that had similar sounds, starting on the same consonant, similar vowels. By the time my flight was ready to board, I had scribbled the text for “how(this)” in various repetitive ways, noting the similarities between “heart” and “hurt,” hurt” and “word,” and “how” to both “heart and “hurt.” The work begins with crisp declamations of the individual words and transforms into blurred utterances of syllables by integrating cross-rhythms, yodel-like calls, and multi-layered texts.
Though most works including texts tend to serve the words and the poet, this piece challenges the assumption that texts must be clear for meaning to be evident. There is a sense of longing and pain throughout the course of the work without a total reliance on the clarity of the text.

how (this)

“小白菜” (“Little Cabbage”) is a Chinese folk song originating from the Heibei province near Beijing. The song is from the perspective of a young girl whose mother has died and whose father has remarried a woman with a son. The girl is given less food, shabbier clothes, and less attention than her brother, and she cries for her dead mother in anguish. My interpretation of this folk song fuses American jazz harmonies and stylings with the modal Chinese melody, evoking the melancholy and the delicacy of a human sadness: a lost and forgotten child, crying out for her mother.

Read November 22, 2019 by the UNT Concert Orchestra in Winspear Hall, Denton, TX conducted by Gaby Garzón.

小白菜 / Little Cabbage

Composer Rachel Lanik Whelan (b. 1992) writes lyrical, honest, narrative-driven music. Much of her work is written in collaboration with living poets; she has had the pleasure of setting the words of Paul L. Thomas, Katherine Cooley, and Jehanne Dubrow. A child of English majors, she strives to honor and elevate texts through melody, gesture, and repetition. Her music has been performed by Choral Arts Initiative (California), SBO Wind Ensemble (Taiwan), KC Vitas Choir (Kansas City), and she has opened for singer-songwriter Susan Werner at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Lincoln, Nebraska. Her instrumental music is an exploration in color and character and is full of delightfully unpredictable grooves.

Passionate about arts management and administration, she has worked as an administrator or intern for the Cortona Sessions for New Music (Cortona, Italy), Savvy Arts Venture (Columbia, SC), and the Lied Center for Performing Arts (Lincoln, NE). As an undergraduate researcher, she connected writers with student composers and coordinated music in celebration of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Press annual Book Prize. She received her master of music degree from the University of South Carolina, studying composition in addition to coordinating the New Voices student composer concerts and the Southern Exposure New Music Series.

She is currently a PhD student and teaching fellow in composition at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. Her current research and compositions involve exploring emotions and characters in music for voice. Her dedication to the performance of music by living composers is further evident in her work as Assistant Director for the non-profit concert series Treefalls: New Music in Spartanburg, South Carolina. A typical optimist, she's frequently inspired by the upsides of life: riding her bike on a sunny morning, solo travel, exceptional food, and talented, spirited friends. When not composing, she can be found in these activities. She occasionally performs on flute, piano, or voice. Her teachers in composition include Kirsten Broberg, Sungji Hong, Mandy Fang, John Fitz Rogers, and Jesse Jones. Her primary flute teachers have been Carolyn Cline Corbett and Laura Schulkind. To hear her music, purchase scores, or commission a work, please visit www.rachellwhelan.com

Rachel Lanik Whelan

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