CBA Ode to Joy

Program Notes

Celebration Overture–East & West Written while still in high school, Celebration Overture–”East &West” is my first finished serious composi- tion. Originally intending it to be the first movement of my Symphony, I began work on the piece when I was 15 and finished it when I was 18. The premiere performance took place in December 2006 by the Curb Youth Symphony, conducted by Carol Nies. After this successful premiere, as well as nine other perfor- mances (including one by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra), I decided to transcribe the piece for wind ensemble; now that piece exists in both forms. The piece starts with a heroic theme played by the horns over fast running notes in the strings and winds; this is followed by a lively xylophone solo. A restatement of the theme in full instrumentation leads to a triumphant rallentando, resounding with the powerful clangor of the tubular bells. The next section intro- duces a slightly more melancholy theme, played by a solo trombone. This theme is repeated by the trumpets, clarinets and violas over a plodding rhythmic ostinato, using percussive textures that suggest some form of ethnic influence. After a brief reflection of earlier themes, a flurry of wind trills, horn rips, and cymbal swells leads into a cataclysmic final statement of the second theme, played by the full brass section over thunderous percussion. After this subsides, the violas and bassoons play a variation on the original theme, which is influences much by the harmonic language of Rimsky-Korsakov. Finally, the full orchestra plays a restatement of the original theme, which builds in intensity until the end of the piece. This piece is dedicated to Carol Nies and the Curb Youth Symphony. –Program Note by Christopher Lowry

Christopher Lowry Nashville native Christopher Lowry is emerging as one of the leading violists and most performed composers of his generation. His music has been performed by the Nashville Symphony, Nashville Philharmonic, Imperial Symphony, Austin Peay State University Symphony, Middle TN State University Symphony, Vanderbilt Wind Symphony, Blair Chamber Choir, “The President’s Own” US Marine Band, members of the Taipei Symphony and Seoul Philharmonic, New York All-State String Orchestra, Plainview Old-Bethpage JFK High School String Orchestra, and many youth orchestras from around the country. Lowry has won awards from The American Prize, the Alabama Symphony Call for Scores, BandWidth Music Festival Call for Scores, Missouri Composers Orchestra Project Competition, World Projects Composition Competition,

NAfME Composition Competition, Frank Van Der Stucken Award, Nashville Philharmonic Composition Competition, Anton Stadler International Basset Clarinet Composition Competition, among others. Lowry holds a BM degree from Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music and a MM degree from LSU, where he is currently working towards his DMA.

22 ODE TO JOY