Music for the Galactic Palace (2017)
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Instrumentation: Piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, two trombones, bass trombone, tuba, percussion (snare drum, wood block, suspended cymbals, tam-tam, glockenspiel, triangle, xylophone), timpani, harp, strings.
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Description: I have always loved the grand orchestral scores that back epic adventures throughout the universe. The Galactic Palace represents my love of science-fiction’s cinematic experiences and is my attempt to convey a grand building orbiting a distant planet in a faraway galaxy. The piece has a sweeping cinematic feel to it, something akin to Star Wars. It starts with a concentrated, intense sound for the might of the Galactic Palace, that fades into a more tranquil middle section. In this slower section, I explore the idea of crafting a melody on one pitch, which, as it moves around the orchestra, paints different colors in the music. The piece then rebuilds itself to where it began, showing the majestic nature of the Galactic Palace once again. Huge thanks to the Augustana Symphony Orchestra for putting this performance together!