Written: 2005-06/2023-25
Duration: ca. 33'
for orchestra (3 (dbl Pic.), 3 (dbl Eng. Hn.), 3 (dbl Bass Cl.), 3 (dbl C-bsn.); 4,3,3,1; timp +3; hp; kybd; strings)
Written for JoAnn Falletta and Mostly Modern Orchestra in honor of Mostly Modern Festival’s fifth season
For more information: https://robertpaterson.com/journey-of-a-dragonfly
Video: https://youtu.be/hZOVmC9R82M

PROGRAM NOTE
As a child, my parents vacationed at a summer cottage in Maine by a small lake. Often by myself, I would sit on a giant boulder and watch the lake and the wildlife for hours.

One day, a beautiful bright-winged dragonfly flew across the lake and hovered before me. I was startled and intrigued: its long, slender blue body glistened in the sunlight. Finally, it began to fly around the perimeter of the lake. It stopped every few minutes and hovered in place, almost as if waiting for me to follow it. I followed the dragonfly until sunset, imagining a world in which only the dragonfly existed, on its own terms, within its own world.

Years later, I hiked around the Niagara Gorge near Niagara Falls and explored Devil’s Hole Park. There is an opening on the side of a cliff called Devil’s Hole Cave. Interestingly, early Native Americans called it the Cave of the Evil Spirit and foretold subsequent disaster to anyone who dared enter the cave. The combination of the lake, the dragonfly, and Devil’s Hole Cave all came together and helped crystalize the idea for this work.

Journey of a Dragonfly begins as the sun rises; a foreboding darkness looms in the background, contrasting the Dragonfly’s graceful entrance into a world filled with the excitement of being alive. A gust of wind carries dandelion seeds skyward alongside butterflies and rainbow-colored wildflowers. Butterflies land on flowers before the Dragonfly ventures through a dark forest and emerges, only to be chased by five blackbirds. Weaving back and forth to try and escape, the Dragonfly flies into a narrow crevice as two of the blackbirds collide with trees. While still being chased, the three remaining birds retreat as the Dragonfly discovers a dark hole leading to a tunnel. The dragonfly speeds down the ghoulish tunnel and emerges at the end of the tunnel at the side of a cliff, hovering in place. It looks around in horror and sees a gigantic cavern and then Devil Town. After flying through Devil Town and witnessing tortured souls, a bomb factory, Attorney Alley, and the Devil’s Saloon, off in the distance, the Dragonfly sees Satan’s House on a hill and decides to explore. The Dragonfly enters the house and sees the Devil Child, the Devil Mother, and the Devil himself. Suddenly, the Devil Child catches the Dragonfly in a glass jar as the parents prepare dinner in the kitchen. The Dragonfly eventually manages to escape, only to be chased by the Devil Child and then by a group of hellish bats. After a chaotic chase, the Dragonfly finds the tunnel and speeds back toward the world above. Finally free, the Dragonfly finds a flat rock to rest. The tale concludes as the Dragonfly falls asleep, the sun sets by the lake, and the evening fades to black.

Journey of a Dragonfly was written for JoAnn Falletta and Mostly Modern Orchestra in honor of Mostly Modern Festival’s fifth season.

– RP

Movements:
1. The Lake: Sunrise
2. Dragonfly’s Entrance
3. Chase: Blackbirds
4. Descent Into The Underworld
5. Devil Town
6. Satan’s House
7. Trapped
8. Kitchen
9. Escape
10. Chase: Bats
11. Ascent To The World Above
12. The Lake: Sunset

Journey of a Dragonfly for Orchestra

Love me Blender

Finally finished! Been going good since the renovations concluded. So been full on producing some fun stuff. Talk about fun stuff....... spring is going on..... The smell of fresh air, rush in sunlight all the good stuff. .This song write itself quite easy. The finishing touches my goodness was a job! And out of my comfort zone bc It's a subject I have never written. So hoop you like it! Cheers ^^

Signs

Lights Down Low (Acoustic)

Title track from our title track from our debut album out now!

NEW ALBUM OUT NOW! LISTEN HERE!

QOBUZ - https://open.qobuz.com/album/gts6rx7sburra

SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/album/1kb6C7OYXgbehQhJ9sOZOo?highlight=spotify:track:7b2Gsa6jg7gHWIj0Hnc29A

APPLEMUSIC - https://music.apple.com/gb/album/too-broke-for-money/1843961534

YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@Slash66Music

SOUNDCLOUD - https://soundcloud.com/slash66

Lyrics - 

Too broke, too broke

Wallet’s empty, tank on E
But who needs cash when we’re wild and free
Skip the rent, burn the mail
Turn this night into a fairy tale

We don’t need your validation
We’re the broke-ass generation

I’m too broke for money, but I’m rich in friends
Living off pizza crusts and weekend plans
Laugh at the bills we’ll never pay
Who cares anyway

Too broke but still alive
Rowdy as hell, we’ll survive

Too Broke For Money

Prior

Lyrics written by Badtripp Inc/Geir Arne Moi,. copyright 1980-2025. Music made in collaboration with Suno., This one took a long time to coach forth from the AI Suno, maybe punkrock has become too quaint?! HERE'S THE LYRICS:

Go get a rope 
Go get a gun 
Go get some dope 
Tell me what to do

To kill my
Deathwish Deathwish 
Deathwish Deathwish 

Sex and drugs
And rock and roll
Just ain't got 
what it takes 

To kill my 
Deathwish  Deathwish  
Deathwish Deathwish

DEATHWISH

GRETA

This song is all about drug addiction, which is the inability to quit taking substances that make you feel good for a while but destroys you in a long run.

Just as the first line say " Had a taste, now I can't live without it"
followed by the second " Doctor said it bad for you but I still uh, uh, uh".

Soothing Poison

Uli - Ulysses, Penelope and Paul, The Pilgrim - The Myth Untold (pt.2) 

--------------------------------------- 

©Music composed and produced by Ulisses Nicolau Alberto Barros. (Uli) 
©Lyrics by Uli (@uli-virtual-band) 
Copyright 2025 - Uli @uli-virtual-band 

Mixing by: Uli and Rogério Vieira 
Mastering by: Uli and Rogério Vieira 

Lyrics in English 

----- Introducing the song ----- 

“Ulysses, Penelope and Paul, The Pilgrim – The Myth Untold, pt.2” is a musical work that weaves narrative, poetry, and faith into a maritime journey where wind, destiny, and divine promise collide. Inspired by Paul’s voyage to Rome as told in the Acts of the Apostles, the song also echoes elements of Greek mythology—not as spiritual equivalence, but as symbolic contrast between human wisdom and divine revelation. 

The presence of Ulysses (Odysseus) serves as a literary metaphor, not as an object of devotion. This music does not promote religious syncretism, but rather uses mythological references as narrative backdrop to exalt the sovereignty of the Christian God. Paul the Apostle is portrayed as the true pilgrim—not guided by oracles, but by angels of the Lord and the unshakable Word of God. 

Each verse is an invocation of faith that withstands the storm, of hope that does not sink, and of a promise that remains firm even when the ship breaks apart. The glory belongs not to man, nor to myth, but to the God who saves, guides, and fulfills His sovereign will. 

This song was composed for the exclusive glory of the Christian God, and its message is clear: faith in Christ is the anchor that sustains the pilgrim amid the chaos of the world. 

----- Lyrics ----- 

 

(Intro) 

  

(Soldier 1)  

"The wind is rising..." 



(Paul the Apostle)  

"Sirs, I perceive this voyage will bring harm and great loss — not only the cargo and the ship, but also the souls aboard." 

  

(Julius the Centurion)  

"Your advice is wise, Paul, but I have spoken to the ship owner.  He knows these seas well. The voyage will be secure — we'll land safely in Rome." 

  

(Soldier 2)  

"I'm not sure... but I feel we should listen to this man. Many call him holy — the Christians even say he's a saint. Some say he's a pilgrim, a bearer of divine messages — like Mercury himself." 

  

(Verse 1) 

 

"Have you never heard how cautious and wise Ulysses was in ancient Greece?  

He followed Circe's counsel, survived the sirens and Poseidon's wrath.  

What if this man named Paul has received divine counsel about our voyage—and what if it is his God's will to save us all?" 

  

(Verse 2)  

  

Had you heeded in Crete, we’d have spared this pain 

Now the storm is a beast, and the sea is its roar 

Yet take heart, my brothers, God’s promise will remain  

No soul shall be lost, though the ship breaks ashore  

An angel of the Lord stood beside me in the night  

Saying, "You’ll face Caesar, your mission will stand  

So let courage burn bright, let faith be your light 

For salvation will come by His sovereign hand" 

  

(Pre-Chorus) 

  

(Soldier 3)  

"The heavens thunder with Scylla's  rage  — can you not feel the signs?" 

  

(Julius’ cousin)  

"We are Romans! We bow to no omens — yet if the Unknown God Paul proclaims is true, He will save us!" 

  

(Paul the Apostle) 

"Yet even Ulysses bowed to prophecy — and lived to see Ithaca once more." 

  

  

(Chorus)  

  

Through raging seas His mercy will prevail 

The tempest roars, yet we will not fall 

His word is our anchor, steadfast in the gale  

And His promise of life will protect us all  

 

The storm may strike, yet His hand will save 

His truth will hold, unbroken and sure 

His promise stands, our hope secure  

And faith will guide us through every wave 



(Saxophone solo)



(Final of part 2) 

  

From the sea's fury to the redeeming shore, 

Ulysses and Paul — pilgrims of sea and soul. 

One with wisdom, the other with faith, 

To Penelope beloved, to redemption fulfilled.

Uli - Ulysses, Penelope and Paul, The Pilgrim - The Myth Untold (pt.2)

We recorded once two years ago. Here we are again with a new instrumental produced by Tim Sanders.
https://soundcloud.com/user-486905636

Tim Sanders - Guitars, Keyboards and Drum Arrangements 
Ron Snyder - Guitar
Richard Johnson - Bass

Triple Aces (Instrumental) -  T. Sanders, R. Snyder, R. Johnson (Produced by Tim Sanders)

American composer Robert Paterson is a true New Yorker—born and bred in Buffalo, he lived in Rochester and Ithaca for over ten years, in New York City for over twenty years, and now lives in Saratoga Springs, near the Adirondacks. Paterson’s colorful music embraces a wide variety of themes, everything from goddesses and online dating to mathematics and the environment. His music is filled with emotion and fierce rhythmic energy, marked by elegance, wit, and meticulous craftsmanship. Named Composer of The Year by the Classical Recording Foundation at Carnegie Hall, Paterson is the winner of the Alfred I. DuPont Award, and his opera Three Way won the Grammy® under Best Classical Producer of the Year. His music is often a Best of the Year pick on National Public Radio. His orchestral tone poem, Dark Mountains, regularly airs on NPR’s Performance Today. Three Way premiered with Nashville Opera, then BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), and across the United States. Minnesota Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, The Oratorio Society of New York, Buffalo Philharmonic, Albany Pro Musica, Albany Symphony, Musica Sacra, Austin Symphony, Vermont Symphony, and ensembles worldwide perform his works. Paterson gives masterclasses at the Curtis Institute of Music, New York University, the Aspen Music Festival, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and more. He is the Artistic Director and house composer for Mostly Modern Projects. Robert is a lifelong vegan and advocates for animals and the environment, celebrating the natural world with ground-breaking works such as his Triple Concerto, A New Eaarth, Listen, and I Go Among Trees.

Journey of a Dragonfly for Orchestra

Robert Paterson Composer