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

I create music by combining AI music and samples with my own songs.

My favorite genres are dance music in general, rock, new wave, electric pop, etc. I listen to all kinds of music.

I listen to my favorite songs all day long.

*Notes*

*I use AI in some of the vocals and compositions, so please be careful if this bothers you (not all songs).

*I use Google Translate for languages other than Japanese, so there may be some mistakes.

*I do not use direct messages.

*I will only upload songs that I have registered on each site using Tune core.

*If the registration on Tune core is canceled due to copyright issues, etc., the uploaded songs will also be deleted.

Making music is the special kind of magic

✵ᴇɴʟɪɢʜᴛᴇɴᴍᴇɴᴛ✯ ❣ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ❥ ✶sᴏᴜɴᴅ ☫ᴠɪʙʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs☬☤♩☼❈❂🎨

Following his heart and spirit, Samadhi is unrestrainedly doing what he perceives. Known for his ability to immerse listeners in a rich and profound world of art. His creativity goes beyond conventional music, offering a unique, multi-sensory experience that combines sound vibrations, visual elements, and hidden messages.



Inspired by spiritual exploration and a drive for self-expression, Samādhi seeks not just to create music, but to manifest an entire multiverse of sensations that open new dimensions of perception for the listener. His work is aimed at expanding consciousness, breaking through the barriers of egoism, and moving toward a state of love, unity, and gratitude.



Samādhi views his art as a path to spiritual enlightenment and seeks to remind everyone that we are souls, united in the pursuit of self-improvement and betterment of the world around us. His philosophy is rooted in the belief that creativity is not only an act of personal expression but also a collective elevation that opens the door to a deeper understanding of reality and our place within it. 🙏🏼♥️🌌

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.

DX Radio is an up and coming musician from Salford, Greater Manchester, specialising in the creation of Electronica, Synthwave and Spacesynth. All comments are greatly appreciated!

VENEXUS

I am a musician, track producer for singers and entertainment music labels, special music events, studio recording and movie tracks.

Please note that my published tracks on soundcloud and youtube are Non-Profit protected samples for entertainment purposes.

Thanks to Soundcloud 'Germany' for giving me this space.

Copyrights Anubis Publishing ©2025
(on behalf of Elektra) - France

Born in Moscow, Russia, Denis Danilov (Andmagic) - designer, painter, composer and producer initiated his career in 2000.
From 2000 to 2008, he wrote the music for performances and films.
From 2009 he began to dedicate himself to his own productions and compositions.
 In 2012, he published his first EP "Babaco" on the label Fruits Records (Italy)
in 2014 second EP "Techtips vol.1" on the label "Diamond Records" (Russia)
in 2017 Music for the film Maxim Rapoport "Prophetic dreams of Mrs. Tropopar"

25.07.2024 Andmagic's new single "Let`s Go! (Radio Edit)" takes us on a fun space journey to the edge of our galaxy to meet friendly civilisations who will help earthlings to solve all problems with the help of the latest technologies of quantum teleportation and micromolecular nanosynthesis.

Resonance is a two-piece project not limited to a specific genre.

https://www.instagram.com/for_ma_ppl__?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

￼ I’ll add everybody back when they unblock me from adding people ￼

Journey of a Dragonfly for Orchestra

Robert Paterson Composer