Movement III from my first symphony for wind ensemble, Verdant Anthology. Recorded by the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble.

Verdant Anthology: III. Heart Lake (2022)

Euphoric Dawn - performed by the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Gabriela Mora Fallas & Farkhad Khudyev.

Euphoric Dawn (2021)

Westward, Pointed Up (2023)

Grand Prismatic Spring

Iris of the Earth (2022)

Svatba! (2024)

Songs of Bulgaria: I. Svatba!

Songs of Bulgaria: II. Pesen na Naroda

Songs of Bulgaria: III. Bulgarski Tantsi

K2 is the fifth-place winner of the 10th Annual Austin Symphony Texas Young Composers Competition

Synopsis:

Located on the border between China and Pakistan, K2 stands as the second highest mountain in the world. It is regarded by many climbers as the hardest mountain on Earth to summit, claiming the lives of over a quarter of those who attempt it.

Unpredictable avalanches and fierce winds characterize the sheer cliff faces of K2, with the notorious “Bottleneck” being the most challenging stretch.

The second section of the piece briefly features the “dies irae” motif, which originates from 13th century Gregorian monks, and is attributed to death itself.

Screeching strings and rhythmically punctuated brass represent the grueling climb to the peak of K2, while the lush voice of the oboe speaks to the beauty of the towering mountain. Think snow, ice, frigid wind, and the feeling of ascending to the top of the world.

The final frontier lies above us like a vast blanket that extends billions of lightyears beyond the sights of our most powerful telescopes. The cold and expansive void of space carries a silent ambience that echoes loneliness and solidarity, but is a part of something much greater than ourselves.

In Skyward Ascension, music paints the picture of a towering rocket atop a launch pad, its tiny capsule completely isolated from the outside world. Within mere moments, a million pounds of thrust will lift the rocket from the chains of gravity, searing the ground with immeasurable heat and power. The pale blue dot of Earth will be left behind, to venture to a place where few have ever dared to go.

The lone voice of the clarinet speaks to the human soul, stark against the backdrop of cold and desolate space, while repeated punctuations in strings and percussion build the intensity and dread of the unpredictable. The light waltz in the middle of the piece represents the feeling of weightlessness and joy of floating in microgravity.

Venturing to space and returning safely home is a job only for the bravest of the brave. Destiny lies above us, and the clock is ticking. It is our calling to ascend toward the sky; toward the stars...

Skyward Ascension

Chase McCay (b. 2003) is an award-winning composer, arranger, trumpeter, and conductor from Austin, Texas. Hailed as "beautiful, honest, and alive," his music has been performed by esteemed ensembles such as the Austin Symphony Orchestra as well as concert bands, marching bands, chamber ensembles, choirs, and orchestras around the United States. He was also the first college freshman to have a work premiered with the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra.

Chase is currently pursuing a B.M. in Composition at The University of Texas at Austin, studying with Dr. Donald Grantham, Dr. Alyssa Weinberg, Dr. Russell Podgorsek, and Omar Thomas. He has also served as a professional music engraver for Farkhad Khudyev, Donald Grantham, and many others.

Chase McCay

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