Read the online report on this killing of Elijah.  the Wiki is stunning. This music is an act of justice that keeps this gentle soul alive..

As a brainchild collaboration between Maestro Jung-Ho Pak, violin sensation Randall Goosby and composer John Wineglass, this work commissioned by the Cape Symphony serves as a direct tribute to not only the life of Elijah Jovan McClain - a 23-year old African-American massage therapist and amateur violinist from Aurora, Colorado who died six days after a violent encounter with police and paramedics on August 30th, 2019 but to the lost lives of many people of color at the hands of those who are entrusted 'to serve and protect'.

#elijah for Solo Violin and Orchestra (2021)

The natural beauty of Big Sur is sacred to many.  This sanctity was shared by Wineglass, who formed many of the themes for his tone-poem 'Big Sur: The Night Sun" while in residence on the grounds of the Glen Deven Ranch and other areas such as Pfeiffer Beach.  The beautiful impressions and warm enlightenments that affected him while on retreat became the root - and soul - of this magnificent work.  The first of four total movements sets the mood for the tone-poem as a whole: the "Mystery of the Night Sun" is divided into three distinct sections, opening with two talking drums, a native flute player, and an Ohlone-Chumash vocalist all contributing in an improvisational manner.  The second section (sub-titled "Path to the Night Sun") begins with the pulse of the timpani and talking drums, and reflects the spiritual experience that Wineglass had while taking a walk during the night at Glen Deven Ranch, where he was transformed by the deep power of a risen full moon.  The third section ("Rise of the Night Sun") is marked by an intensifying brass chorale, with winds and strings joining in a climactic revealing of the full glory of the risen moon ("The Night Sun Revealed"). 

The second movement, appropriately named "Rushing Waters", opens the listener to the loveliness of the crashing waves along the California coastline.  The motivic ideas from this section were derived from student examples:  children from the BSLT children's camp with Bach Festival violinist Edwin Huizinga contributed their ideas, which Wineglass then included  into the completed work.  The second movement pairs well with the third, "Pfeiffer Beach - A Secret Revealed", where a path through the trees opens to an unexpected view of the Pacific Ocean, revealing the overwhelming beauty of the hidden creation by God.  The presence of God and the admiration of beauty are central themes not only to this tone-poem, but to Wineglass himself, and as such his music offers praise and celebration to both.  The fourth movement, titled "The Return" was inspired directly by the brilliant writings of Robinson Jeffers, in particular from the poem of the same name, which Wineglass discovered while on retreat down in Big Sur one year ago.  The movement begins and opens with the Ohlone-Chumash vocalist, reflecting the peoples who preserved and cared for this great land. 

Dr. Tom Samra

Big Sur: The Night Sun

(®Emmy Award-Winning Composer) has performed on five continents, before every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan and with several ®Oscar and ®Grammy-Award Winning artists, including Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Jamie Foxx to name a few. With commissions from the likes of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music w/Maestra Marin Alsop to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, The Washington Post describes his concert-hall work as having ‘iridescent colors in the world premiere of a beautifully crafted suite’ while Marvin Hamlisch congratulates the occasion by commenting ‘… with a name like Wineglass, it had to be good.’
 
John received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition with a minor in Viola Performance at The American University and later received his master’s degree in Music Composition: Film Scoring for Motion Pictures, Television and Multi-Media at New York University, studying with Justin Dello-Joio of the Juilliard School. 
 
As a recipient of three (two consecutive) ®Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series, and three ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards, Mr. Wineglass holds seven ®EMMY nominations.
 
In 2014, John arranged all of the string arrangements and performed w/the electric-acoustic violin on the ©GRAMMY-nominated gospel album and DVD Withholding Nothing (LIVE) by William McDowell.  He also finished string arrangements on MOTOWN’s latest Christmas album in 25 years which won a 2015 ©DOVE Award featuring award-wining artists like Indie Arie, Neyo, Babyface, Toni Braxton, The Temptations, Smokie Robinson and Gregory Porter.

#elijah for Solo Violin and Orchestra (2021)

John Wineglass - Award Winning Composer

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