Nine Invocations: VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice) (2025) for alto flute, clarinet in B-flat (doubling bass clarinet), vibraphone, violin, viola, and cello
by Patrick Holcomb

Nine Invocations © 2025 by N. Patrick Holcomb. All rights reserved.

Performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Antonina Styczen, alto flute; Ian McEdwards, clarinet in B-flat and bass clarinet; Xin Yi Chong, vibraphone; Maya Irizarry Lambright, violin; Felix Veser, viola; and Miles Reed, cello) and Tim Weiss, conductor

Program Note:

Nine Invocations (2025) is a set of short pieces inspired by the Muses of Greek mythology. By the Classical period, the Muses—the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory—had come to be associated with specific arts and sciences. Each Muse provides inspiration to mortals pursuing activities within their respective domains. 

I wrote Nine Invocations in condensed work sessions between teaching classes at Hofstra University and completing the dissertation requirements for my doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. Each movement is based on a sonic image inspired by the associations of or the mythology surrounding a particular Muse. It was as though I channeled the Muses one by one, and each provided the impetus for an Invocation that led me to write at a much faster pace than I am used to. As I near the completion of my terminal degree, the piece’s subject matter is also a nod to my first composition teacher of my undergraduate studies, Dana Wilson, whose nine-movement piece Musings for horn and piano also evokes the Muses. 

The nine Invocations are as follows:

I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn): Described by Hesiod as the foremost Muse, eldest sister Kalliope governs eloquence and epic poetry. The mythic musician Orpheus is often identified as Kalliope’s son. One of the hymns attributed to Orpheus invokes the Muses and describes their roles as catalysts for mortals’ artistic and scientific pursuits. 

II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers): According to Plato, some grasshoppers after their deaths report to Terpsikhore, the Muse of dance, on the activities of mortal dancers.   

III. EUTERPE (Windsong): Some cite Euterpe as the inventor of the aulos, or double flute. Artistic renditions of the Muse of lyric poetry and music often portray her with a flute. 

IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody): According to some accounts, the Muse of tragedy Melpomene sings to mourn poets and other prominent figures after their deaths. 

V. THALEIA (Pastorale): Although she is usually cited as the Muse of comedy, Thaleia is also the patron of idyllic poetry.

VI. ERATO (Lacunae): The Muse Erato presides over erotic poetry. The sensual poetry of the legendary Sappho (dubbed the tenth Muse by Plato) survives only as fragments interspersed by tantalizing lacunae. 

VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry): Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry, is sometimes cited as the patron of geometry and meditation. She is often depicted with a serious, pensive demeanor. 

VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice): The Muse of history is Kleio, the Proclaimer. She is traditionally portrayed with a trumpet and a book or a scroll. 

IX. OURANIA (Infinite Tapestry): The night sky is the domain of the Muse of astronomy, heavenly Ourania.

Photo:

Steffen Heilfort, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped

Nine Invocations: VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice) (2025) for six players

Nine Invocations: VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry) (2025) for alto flute, clarinet in B-flat (doubling bass clarinet), vibraphone, violin, viola, and cello
by Patrick Holcomb

Nine Invocations © 2025 by N. Patrick Holcomb. All rights reserved.

Performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Antonina Styczen, alto flute; Ian McEdwards, clarinet in B-flat and bass clarinet; Xin Yi Chong, vibraphone; Maya Irizarry Lambright, violin; Felix Veser, viola; and Miles Reed, cello) and Tim Weiss, conductor

Program Note:

Nine Invocations (2025) is a set of short pieces inspired by the Muses of Greek mythology. By the Classical period, the Muses—the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory—had come to be associated with specific arts and sciences. Each Muse provides inspiration to mortals pursuing activities within their respective domains. 

I wrote Nine Invocations in condensed work sessions between teaching classes at Hofstra University and completing the dissertation requirements for my doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. Each movement is based on a sonic image inspired by the associations of or the mythology surrounding a particular Muse. It was as though I channeled the Muses one by one, and each provided the impetus for an Invocation that led me to write at a much faster pace than I am used to. As I near the completion of my terminal degree, the piece’s subject matter is also a nod to my first composition teacher of my undergraduate studies, Dana Wilson, whose nine-movement piece Musings for horn and piano also evokes the Muses. 

The nine Invocations are as follows:

I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn): Described by Hesiod as the foremost Muse, eldest sister Kalliope governs eloquence and epic poetry. The mythic musician Orpheus is often identified as Kalliope’s son. One of the hymns attributed to Orpheus invokes the Muses and describes their roles as catalysts for mortals’ artistic and scientific pursuits. 

II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers): According to Plato, some grasshoppers after their deaths report to Terpsikhore, the Muse of dance, on the activities of mortal dancers.   

III. EUTERPE (Windsong): Some cite Euterpe as the inventor of the aulos, or double flute. Artistic renditions of the Muse of lyric poetry and music often portray her with a flute. 

IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody): According to some accounts, the Muse of tragedy Melpomene sings to mourn poets and other prominent figures after their deaths. 

V. THALEIA (Pastorale): Although she is usually cited as the Muse of comedy, Thaleia is also the patron of idyllic poetry.

VI. ERATO (Lacunae): The Muse Erato presides over erotic poetry. The sensual poetry of the legendary Sappho (dubbed the tenth Muse by Plato) survives only as fragments interspersed by tantalizing lacunae. 

VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry): Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry, is sometimes cited as the patron of geometry and meditation. She is often depicted with a serious, pensive demeanor. 

VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice): The Muse of history is Kleio, the Proclaimer. She is traditionally portrayed with a trumpet and a book or a scroll. 

IX. OURANIA (Infinite Tapestry): The night sky is the domain of the Muse of astronomy, heavenly Ourania.

Photo:

Steffen Heilfort, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped

Nine Invocations: VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry) (2025) for six players

Nine Invocations: VI. ERATO (Lacunae) (2025) for alto flute, clarinet in B-flat (doubling bass clarinet), vibraphone, violin, viola, and cello
by Patrick Holcomb

Nine Invocations © 2025 by N. Patrick Holcomb. All rights reserved.

Performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Antonina Styczen, alto flute; Ian McEdwards, clarinet in B-flat and bass clarinet; Xin Yi Chong, vibraphone; Maya Irizarry Lambright, violin; Felix Veser, viola; and Miles Reed, cello) and Tim Weiss, conductor

Program Note:

Nine Invocations (2025) is a set of short pieces inspired by the Muses of Greek mythology. By the Classical period, the Muses—the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory—had come to be associated with specific arts and sciences. Each Muse provides inspiration to mortals pursuing activities within their respective domains. 

I wrote Nine Invocations in condensed work sessions between teaching classes at Hofstra University and completing the dissertation requirements for my doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. Each movement is based on a sonic image inspired by the associations of or the mythology surrounding a particular Muse. It was as though I channeled the Muses one by one, and each provided the impetus for an Invocation that led me to write at a much faster pace than I am used to. As I near the completion of my terminal degree, the piece’s subject matter is also a nod to my first composition teacher of my undergraduate studies, Dana Wilson, whose nine-movement piece Musings for horn and piano also evokes the Muses. 

The nine Invocations are as follows:

I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn): Described by Hesiod as the foremost Muse, eldest sister Kalliope governs eloquence and epic poetry. The mythic musician Orpheus is often identified as Kalliope’s son. One of the hymns attributed to Orpheus invokes the Muses and describes their roles as catalysts for mortals’ artistic and scientific pursuits. 

II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers): According to Plato, some grasshoppers after their deaths report to Terpsikhore, the Muse of dance, on the activities of mortal dancers.   

III. EUTERPE (Windsong): Some cite Euterpe as the inventor of the aulos, or double flute. Artistic renditions of the Muse of lyric poetry and music often portray her with a flute. 

IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody): According to some accounts, the Muse of tragedy Melpomene sings to mourn poets and other prominent figures after their deaths. 

V. THALEIA (Pastorale): Although she is usually cited as the Muse of comedy, Thaleia is also the patron of idyllic poetry.

VI. ERATO (Lacunae): The Muse Erato presides over erotic poetry. The sensual poetry of the legendary Sappho (dubbed the tenth Muse by Plato) survives only as fragments interspersed by tantalizing lacunae. 

VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry): Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry, is sometimes cited as the patron of geometry and meditation. She is often depicted with a serious, pensive demeanor. 

VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice): The Muse of history is Kleio, the Proclaimer. She is traditionally portrayed with a trumpet and a book or a scroll. 

IX. OURANIA (Infinite Tapestry): The night sky is the domain of the Muse of astronomy, heavenly Ourania.

Photo:

Marizavarzina, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped

Nine Invocations: VI. ERATO (Lacunae) (2025) for six players

Nine Invocations: V. THALEIA (Pastorale) (2025) for alto flute, clarinet in B-flat (doubling bass clarinet), vibraphone, violin, viola, and cello
by Patrick Holcomb

Nine Invocations © 2025 by N. Patrick Holcomb. All rights reserved.

Performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Antonina Styczen, alto flute; Ian McEdwards, clarinet in B-flat and bass clarinet; Xin Yi Chong, vibraphone; Maya Irizarry Lambright, violin; Felix Veser, viola; and Miles Reed, cello) and Tim Weiss, conductor

Program Note:

Nine Invocations (2025) is a set of short pieces inspired by the Muses of Greek mythology. By the Classical period, the Muses—the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory—had come to be associated with specific arts and sciences. Each Muse provides inspiration to mortals pursuing activities within their respective domains. 

I wrote Nine Invocations in condensed work sessions between teaching classes at Hofstra University and completing the dissertation requirements for my doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. Each movement is based on a sonic image inspired by the associations of or the mythology surrounding a particular Muse. It was as though I channeled the Muses one by one, and each provided the impetus for an Invocation that led me to write at a much faster pace than I am used to. As I near the completion of my terminal degree, the piece’s subject matter is also a nod to my first composition teacher of my undergraduate studies, Dana Wilson, whose nine-movement piece Musings for horn and piano also evokes the Muses. 

The nine Invocations are as follows:

I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn): Described by Hesiod as the foremost Muse, eldest sister Kalliope governs eloquence and epic poetry. The mythic musician Orpheus is often identified as Kalliope’s son. One of the hymns attributed to Orpheus invokes the Muses and describes their roles as catalysts for mortals’ artistic and scientific pursuits. 

II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers): According to Plato, some grasshoppers after their deaths report to Terpsikhore, the Muse of dance, on the activities of mortal dancers.   

III. EUTERPE (Windsong): Some cite Euterpe as the inventor of the aulos, or double flute. Artistic renditions of the Muse of lyric poetry and music often portray her with a flute. 

IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody): According to some accounts, the Muse of tragedy Melpomene sings to mourn poets and other prominent figures after their deaths. 

V. THALEIA (Pastorale): Although she is usually cited as the Muse of comedy, Thaleia is also the patron of idyllic poetry.

VI. ERATO (Lacunae): The Muse Erato presides over erotic poetry. The sensual poetry of the legendary Sappho (dubbed the tenth Muse by Plato) survives only as fragments interspersed by tantalizing lacunae. 

VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry): Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry, is sometimes cited as the patron of geometry and meditation. She is often depicted with a serious, pensive demeanor. 

VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice): The Muse of history is Kleio, the Proclaimer. She is traditionally portrayed with a trumpet and a book or a scroll. 

IX. OURANIA (Infinite Tapestry): The night sky is the domain of the Muse of astronomy, heavenly Ourania.

Photo:

GO69, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped

Nine Invocations: V. THALEIA (Pastorale) (2025) for six players

Nine Invocations: IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody) (2025) for alto flute, clarinet in B-flat (doubling bass clarinet), vibraphone, violin, viola, and cello
by Patrick Holcomb

Nine Invocations © 2025 by N. Patrick Holcomb. All rights reserved.

Performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Antonina Styczen, alto flute; Ian McEdwards, clarinet in B-flat and bass clarinet; Xin Yi Chong, vibraphone; Maya Irizarry Lambright, violin; Felix Veser, viola; and Miles Reed, cello) and Tim Weiss, conductor

Program Note:

Nine Invocations (2025) is a set of short pieces inspired by the Muses of Greek mythology. By the Classical period, the Muses—the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory—had come to be associated with specific arts and sciences. Each Muse provides inspiration to mortals pursuing activities within their respective domains. 

I wrote Nine Invocations in condensed work sessions between teaching classes at Hofstra University and completing the dissertation requirements for my doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. Each movement is based on a sonic image inspired by the associations of or the mythology surrounding a particular Muse. It was as though I channeled the Muses one by one, and each provided the impetus for an Invocation that led me to write at a much faster pace than I am used to. As I near the completion of my terminal degree, the piece’s subject matter is also a nod to my first composition teacher of my undergraduate studies, Dana Wilson, whose nine-movement piece Musings for horn and piano also evokes the Muses. 

The nine Invocations are as follows:

I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn): Described by Hesiod as the foremost Muse, eldest sister Kalliope governs eloquence and epic poetry. The mythic musician Orpheus is often identified as Kalliope’s son. One of the hymns attributed to Orpheus invokes the Muses and describes their roles as catalysts for mortals’ artistic and scientific pursuits. 

II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers): According to Plato, some grasshoppers after their deaths report to Terpsikhore, the Muse of dance, on the activities of mortal dancers.   

III. EUTERPE (Windsong): Some cite Euterpe as the inventor of the aulos, or double flute. Artistic renditions of the Muse of lyric poetry and music often portray her with a flute. 

IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody): According to some accounts, the Muse of tragedy Melpomene sings to mourn poets and other prominent figures after their deaths. 

V. THALEIA (Pastorale): Although she is usually cited as the Muse of comedy, Thaleia is also the patron of idyllic poetry.

VI. ERATO (Lacunae): The Muse Erato presides over erotic poetry. The sensual poetry of the legendary Sappho (dubbed the tenth Muse by Plato) survives only as fragments interspersed by tantalizing lacunae. 

VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry): Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry, is sometimes cited as the patron of geometry and meditation. She is often depicted with a serious, pensive demeanor. 

VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice): The Muse of history is Kleio, the Proclaimer. She is traditionally portrayed with a trumpet and a book or a scroll. 

IX. OURANIA (Infinite Tapestry): The night sky is the domain of the Muse of astronomy, heavenly Ourania.

Photo:

Елена Нечипоренко, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped

Nine Invocations: IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody) (2025) for six players

Nine Invocations: III. EUTERPE (Windsong) (2025) for alto flute, clarinet in B-flat (doubling bass clarinet), vibraphone, violin, viola, and cello
by Patrick Holcomb

Nine Invocations © 2025 by N. Patrick Holcomb. All rights reserved.

Performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Antonina Styczen, alto flute; Ian McEdwards, clarinet in B-flat and bass clarinet; Xin Yi Chong, vibraphone; Maya Irizarry Lambright, violin; Felix Veser, viola; and Miles Reed, cello) and Tim Weiss, conductor

Program Note:

Nine Invocations (2025) is a set of short pieces inspired by the Muses of Greek mythology. By the Classical period, the Muses—the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory—had come to be associated with specific arts and sciences. Each Muse provides inspiration to mortals pursuing activities within their respective domains. 

I wrote Nine Invocations in condensed work sessions between teaching classes at Hofstra University and completing the dissertation requirements for my doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. Each movement is based on a sonic image inspired by the associations of or the mythology surrounding a particular Muse. It was as though I channeled the Muses one by one, and each provided the impetus for an Invocation that led me to write at a much faster pace than I am used to. As I near the completion of my terminal degree, the piece’s subject matter is also a nod to my first composition teacher of my undergraduate studies, Dana Wilson, whose nine-movement piece Musings for horn and piano also evokes the Muses. 

The nine Invocations are as follows:

I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn): Described by Hesiod as the foremost Muse, eldest sister Kalliope governs eloquence and epic poetry. The mythic musician Orpheus is often identified as Kalliope’s son. One of the hymns attributed to Orpheus invokes the Muses and describes their roles as catalysts for mortals’ artistic and scientific pursuits. 

II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers): According to Plato, some grasshoppers after their deaths report to Terpsikhore, the Muse of dance, on the activities of mortal dancers.   

III. EUTERPE (Windsong): Some cite Euterpe as the inventor of the aulos, or double flute. Artistic renditions of the Muse of lyric poetry and music often portray her with a flute. 

IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody): According to some accounts, the Muse of tragedy Melpomene sings to mourn poets and other prominent figures after their deaths. 

V. THALEIA (Pastorale): Although she is usually cited as the Muse of comedy, Thaleia is also the patron of idyllic poetry.

VI. ERATO (Lacunae): The Muse Erato presides over erotic poetry. The sensual poetry of the legendary Sappho (dubbed the tenth Muse by Plato) survives only as fragments interspersed by tantalizing lacunae. 

VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry): Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry, is sometimes cited as the patron of geometry and meditation. She is often depicted with a serious, pensive demeanor. 

VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice): The Muse of history is Kleio, the Proclaimer. She is traditionally portrayed with a trumpet and a book or a scroll. 

IX. OURANIA (Infinite Tapestry): The night sky is the domain of the Muse of astronomy, heavenly Ourania.

Photo:

GO69, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped

Nine Invocations: III. EUTERPE (Windsong) (2025) for six players

Nine Invocations: II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers) (2025) for alto flute, clarinet in B-flat (doubling bass clarinet), vibraphone, violin, viola, and cello
by Patrick Holcomb

Nine Invocations © 2025 by N. Patrick Holcomb. All rights reserved.

Performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Antonina Styczen, alto flute; Ian McEdwards, clarinet in B-flat and bass clarinet; Xin Yi Chong, vibraphone; Maya Irizarry Lambright, violin; Felix Veser, viola; and Miles Reed, cello) and Tim Weiss, conductor

Program Note:

Nine Invocations (2025) is a set of short pieces inspired by the Muses of Greek mythology. By the Classical period, the Muses—the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory—had come to be associated with specific arts and sciences. Each Muse provides inspiration to mortals pursuing activities within their respective domains. 

I wrote Nine Invocations in condensed work sessions between teaching classes at Hofstra University and completing the dissertation requirements for my doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. Each movement is based on a sonic image inspired by the associations of or the mythology surrounding a particular Muse. It was as though I channeled the Muses one by one, and each provided the impetus for an Invocation that led me to write at a much faster pace than I am used to. As I near the completion of my terminal degree, the piece’s subject matter is also a nod to my first composition teacher of my undergraduate studies, Dana Wilson, whose nine-movement piece Musings for horn and piano also evokes the Muses. 

The nine Invocations are as follows:

I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn): Described by Hesiod as the foremost Muse, eldest sister Kalliope governs eloquence and epic poetry. The mythic musician Orpheus is often identified as Kalliope’s son. One of the hymns attributed to Orpheus invokes the Muses and describes their roles as catalysts for mortals’ artistic and scientific pursuits. 

II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers): According to Plato, some grasshoppers after their deaths report to Terpsikhore, the Muse of dance, on the activities of mortal dancers.   

III. EUTERPE (Windsong): Some cite Euterpe as the inventor of the aulos, or double flute. Artistic renditions of the Muse of lyric poetry and music often portray her with a flute. 

IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody): According to some accounts, the Muse of tragedy Melpomene sings to mourn poets and other prominent figures after their deaths. 

V. THALEIA (Pastorale): Although she is usually cited as the Muse of comedy, Thaleia is also the patron of idyllic poetry.

VI. ERATO (Lacunae): The Muse Erato presides over erotic poetry. The sensual poetry of the legendary Sappho (dubbed the tenth Muse by Plato) survives only as fragments interspersed by tantalizing lacunae. 

VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry): Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry, is sometimes cited as the patron of geometry and meditation. She is often depicted with a serious, pensive demeanor. 

VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice): The Muse of history is Kleio, the Proclaimer. She is traditionally portrayed with a trumpet and a book or a scroll. 

IX. OURANIA (Infinite Tapestry): The night sky is the domain of the Muse of astronomy, heavenly Ourania.

Photo:

Marizavarzina, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped

Nine Invocations: II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers) (2025) for six players

Nine Invocations: I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn) (2025) for alto flute, clarinet in B-flat (doubling bass clarinet), vibraphone, violin, viola, and cello
by Patrick Holcomb

Nine Invocations © 2025 by N. Patrick Holcomb. All rights reserved.

Performance by the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble (Antonina Styczen, alto flute; Ian McEdwards, clarinet in B-flat and bass clarinet; Xin Yi Chong, vibraphone; Maya Irizarry Lambright, violin; Felix Veser, viola; and Miles Reed, cello) and Tim Weiss, conductor

Program Note:

Nine Invocations (2025) is a set of short pieces inspired by the Muses of Greek mythology. By the Classical period, the Muses—the nine daughters of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory—had come to be associated with specific arts and sciences. Each Muse provides inspiration to mortals pursuing activities within their respective domains. 

I wrote Nine Invocations in condensed work sessions between teaching classes at Hofstra University and completing the dissertation requirements for my doctorate at the Eastman School of Music. Each movement is based on a sonic image inspired by the associations of or the mythology surrounding a particular Muse. It was as though I channeled the Muses one by one, and each provided the impetus for an Invocation that led me to write at a much faster pace than I am used to. As I near the completion of my terminal degree, the piece’s subject matter is also a nod to my first composition teacher of my undergraduate studies, Dana Wilson, whose nine-movement piece Musings for horn and piano also evokes the Muses. 

The nine Invocations are as follows:

I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn): Described by Hesiod as the foremost Muse, eldest sister Kalliope governs eloquence and epic poetry. The mythic musician Orpheus is often identified as Kalliope’s son. One of the hymns attributed to Orpheus invokes the Muses and describes their roles as catalysts for mortals’ artistic and scientific pursuits. 

II. TERPSIKHORE (Congregation of Grasshoppers): According to Plato, some grasshoppers after their deaths report to Terpsikhore, the Muse of dance, on the activities of mortal dancers.   

III. EUTERPE (Windsong): Some cite Euterpe as the inventor of the aulos, or double flute. Artistic renditions of the Muse of lyric poetry and music often portray her with a flute. 

IV. MELPOMENE (Threnody): According to some accounts, the Muse of tragedy Melpomene sings to mourn poets and other prominent figures after their deaths. 

V. THALEIA (Pastorale): Although she is usually cited as the Muse of comedy, Thaleia is also the patron of idyllic poetry.

VI. ERATO (Lacunae): The Muse Erato presides over erotic poetry. The sensual poetry of the legendary Sappho (dubbed the tenth Muse by Plato) survives only as fragments interspersed by tantalizing lacunae. 

VII. POLYHYMNIA (Sacred Geometry): Polyhymnia, the Muse of sacred poetry, is sometimes cited as the patron of geometry and meditation. She is often depicted with a serious, pensive demeanor. 

VIII. KLEIO (She Who Speaks with Ancient Voice): The Muse of history is Kleio, the Proclaimer. She is traditionally portrayed with a trumpet and a book or a scroll. 

IX. OURANIA (Infinite Tapestry): The night sky is the domain of the Muse of astronomy, heavenly Ourania.

Photo:

François de Dijon, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons; cropped

Nine Invocations: I. KALLIOPE (Orphic Hymn) (2025) for six players

Judhūr, créée dans le cadre du festival PULSAR, le 28 septembre 2025.

Instrumentistes : 

Laurent Flechier (clarinette)
Agnès Moyencourt (basson) 
Manon Roché (vibraphone)

« Judhūr » (racines en arabe) porte en elle ce mouvement de retour incessant : revenir à soi, revenir à la source. Comme si, loin du foyer, l’âme cherchait à se souvenir du sol qui l’a façonnée.

Judhūr

This short piece was written specifically for a young cello-pianist as part of a program called "In Good Hands" from Cascadia Composers which pairs up Northwest Composers with student performers. (c) 2020 Paul Safar

MoonlightAlchemy

Nordic Summer Ghosts

Angelo Silente

Praxema (2021)



Flute:  Andrea Escobar 
Recording Engineer Gonzalo Manco
Producer Andrea Escobar
Published by Elekramusic



Praxema is a piece dedicated to the flutist Andrea Escobar. in which  I've  attempted to capture a series of idiosyncratic gestures that  she played in her energetic and expressive improvisations.
A praxeme is a unit of movement and in the case of this work,  I developed a series of written figures and in parallel a repertoire of similar sound objects 

The composition process grew from small units to macroform in a slow process of accumulation/disposal of materials.


Praxema , for flute and electronics

Musicologist, pianist and composer based in France

Jorge Sad (1959) 
Compositor, docente , investigador en semiología musical, organizador de conciertos .
Realizó Estudios musicales  con Rick Anna, Jorge Rapp , Francisco Kröpfl y Marcelle Deschênes. 
Recibió su diploma de Licenciado en Composición Musical en 1988 otorgado por la UCA. Realizó estudios de semiología musical y composición

Realizó numerosas composiciones acusmáticas en diversos estudios del mundo  : LIPM ( Buenos Aires) , Studio de Composition et Recherche (U. de Montréal) , Laboratorio Phonos (Barcelona) ,  CCRMA (Stanford University, CA, US) , IIESMUMD ( U de Morón) , Musiques & Recherches ( Ohain , Bélgica) , LIEM ( Madrid, España) , Groupe de Recherches Musicales ( Francia). 

Ha recibido numerosas becas del Fondo Nacional de las Artes , de la Fundación Antorchas , del Ministerio de Educación Español , del Faculty Research Program de Canadá , de la Fundación Rockefeller , de la Fundación Phonos , del Mozarteum Argentino , del Fondo Argentino de Desarrollo Cultural y becas de viaje de la Cancillería Argentina en numerosas oportunidades.

Compuso piezas instrumentales y mixtas que fueron interpretadas por músicos de la talla de Edelton Gloeden,  Fernando Lopez ,  Javier Bravo Josetxo Silguero , Alessandra Rombolá , Elena Buchbinder, Juliana Moreno , David Nuñez , James Baker , Eduardo Moguillansky , Alejo Pérez Pouilleux entre muchísimos  otros.

Compuso música interactiva para las obras de la coreógrafa Margarita Bali, Zoom in Look Out  y Pizzurno Pixelado.

 Fundó y dirigió los grupos de improvisación con live electronics , Colectivo de Creación Sonora (1995/2000)  Gestualt Ensamble (2002/ 2006) Ensamble  Seres/Parlantes. (2014…) 

Fundó y dirigió el Instituto de Investigación en Sonido y Música por medios digitales ( IIESMUNMD) 1998 /2005 en la Universidad de Morón. 

Fundó y dirige el Festival Nuevas Músicas por la Memoria (2011 … sigue) 

Encargos del Musiques & Recherches , Fundación Música y Tecnología, Centro Cultural Rojas, Centro Cultural España Buenos Aires,  Ministerio de Cultura de la Nación GRM (París) .

Recibió primeros premios del Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires , del 3er Forum de Música Electroacústica (Córdoba) , de la Tribuna Internacional de Compositores ,  Premio Juan Carlos Paz , 2do Premio Xicoatl International Composition Contest (Salzburgo) , finalista en Concurso Internacional Métamorphoses d´Orphée , Premio Ochenta Mundos música electroacústica, Subsidio del Instituto Nacional de la Música para la producción discográfica.  


Sus obras son editadas por Babelscores y por el sello español Luscinia Discos.

Patrick Holcomb (b. 1996) is a composer based on Long Island. A member of Mensa since age nineteen, Holcomb seeks to write music that is both intellectually and emotionally engaging.  In his compositions, he makes frequent use of mensuration canons and ratios that govern recursive rhythmic and pitch relationships. He cites the time he spent studying Hindustani (North Indian) music and performing tabla and Indian harmonium under the guidance of Denise Nuttall (a student of Zakir Hussain) as one of his largest compositional influences.

Holcomb’s recent compositional honors include the 2022 ASCAP Rudolf Nissim Prize, a 2021 ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, a 2021 American Prize in Composition, and a 2020 BMI Student Composer Award. His solo piano pieces Rapture After Schoenberg and Kandinsky and Carousel After Milhaud and Archipenko were composed on the occasion of Harmony and Dissonance: Orphism in Paris, 1910–1930, which showed from November 8, 2024 through March 9, 2025 at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. In addition to concert music, Holcomb also composes for visual media. His score for the 1925 silent documentary Grass: A Nation’s Battle for Life accompanied the film during its showings at the Museum of Modern Art in October and November 2023 as a part of the series Iranian Cinema Before the Revolution, 1925–1979. His music has also been featured at the Aspen Music Festival And School (in 2025), the ARTZenter Institute Emerging Composer Grant Project (in 2023), the American Composers Orchestra EarShot New Music Readings (in 2022), June in Buffalo (in 2022), the RED NOTE New Music Festival Composition Workshop (in 2022), the Bowdoin International Music Festival (in 2021), the Brevard Music Center Summer Institute and Festival (in 2019), and Connecticut Summerfest (in 2017 and 2018).

Holcomb earned his PhD in Composition from the University of Rochester Eastman School of Music, which he attended as a Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull University Fellow, in 2025. He also received an MM in Music Composition and an MM in Music Scoring for Visual Media from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2021. Holcomb completed his undergraduate studies at Ithaca College, from which he graduated top of his class in the School of Music (now a part of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance) with a BM in Music Composition in 2018. His primary teachers included Claude Baker, Jorge Villavicencio Grossmann, Larry Groupé, Robert Morris, Eugene O’Brien, Evis Sammoutis, Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez, Tom Schneller, Aaron Travers, Dana Wilson, and Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon.

In addition to composing, Holcomb is also a passionate educator. He is currently Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music at Hofstra University.

Profile photo by Meredith Hart.
Header photo by Miggy Torres.

New tracks tagged #Classical Contemporary