Voices Rising

wind ensemble

duration 12'30”

Voices Rising is a personal reaction to the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the subsequent war. The music is not meant to be programmatic; I do not intend to depict images of the conflict itself. Instead, the music is an outpouring of my sorrow, frustration, and anger stirred up by the loss of life and a helpless guilt associated with a realization that I, as an individual, am powerless to change the situation.

This piece embodies my feelings resulting from this particular conflict at this particular time. The transition from sorrow to frustration to anger is portrayed by the gradual transformation of a simple, descending lament melody that is present throughout the piece. This melody, which is initially heard in its most serene form by the trumpets at the beginning of the piece, morphs into an increasingly dissonant, angular, and agitated statement by the end. Voices Rising was commissioned by James F. Keene and the University of Illinois Bands in 2007.  

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$200.00 USD - one score (PDF), one complete set of parts (PDF)

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