Two Poems of Kahlil Gibran

Resilience

Rustic and flashy, Pain Gain is a short violin solo that pays homage to Paganini. Written as a companion piece to a Paganini caprice, Pain Gain dazzles and delights with multiple stops and showy passages.

Pain Gain

Around the World for wind band is a sonic journey through time and space. In eight movements, the work travels from Asian influences to the works of Satie and Bartok, exploring aspects of different cultures.

Around the World II Kaiserhymne

Around the World V Tudor

Around the World VI Jig

Around the World IV Guitarra

Around the World III 6 Rue Cortot

Around the World VII Zen

Around the World VIII Bela

Around the World I Wu

Premiered, April 20, 2010

Laura McLean, Soprano; Christina Hughes, flute; Asako Furuoya, oboe; Sam Boutris, clarinet; Melanie Schultz, bassoon; Maria Rindenello Parker, harp; Wayne Shen and Li-Mei Liang, violins; Tony Parce, viola; Michael Unterman, cello.

Brown Hall, New England Conservatory

TNNM April 20, 2010

Two Poems of Kahlil Gibran: I. When My Sorrow Was Born

Two Poems of Kahlil Gibran: II And When My Joy Was Born

This piece follows a day in the life of a nymph.  He wakes up, and goes about his normal routine, frolicking and getting into mischief, until he discovers his shadow.  At first he is frightened, but his curious nature takes over, and he eventually comes to fall in love with his shadow.  He and his shadow dance and play, until the sun starts to set, and his shadow disappears.  The nymph goes home, saddened by the loss of his shadow.

Featuring Elizabeth Erenberg on flute, Samuel Chabrow, Nathan Ball, and myself on bowed piano.

Performed 4/13/10
NEC Contemporary Ensemble Concert

Nymphshadow

When I go outside after it has rained, I sense a new beginning.  The air is clear and fresh, it feels as though everything has been washed and is ready to start anew.  After the Rain marked a new beginning for me in my thinking and composing of music.  Up until this piece, I tended to write very linearly, but in composing After the Rain, I did not compose linearly at all.  Writing this way forced me to think more about linking the ideas across the piece and about foreshadowing ideas that would later develop.  This new way of writing was not only an incredible learning experience, but one which was so liberating that I will continue to use it.  After the Rain is my first work for orchestra.

Jessica Rugani

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks