Aurora

an orchestral fantasy for young players

for orchestra - 2011, ca 7 minutes

Premiered by the Northwest Indiana Symphony Youth Orchestra

 

Recording by the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen orchestra, conducted by Raul Gómez-Rojas:

excerpt 1: Peaceful, Hopeful

excerpt 2: Victorious, Climactic

 

Instrumentation - Full Orchestra

Pc, 2Fl, 3Ob, 2Cl, BCl, 2Bsn, CBsn. 4Hn, 3Trp, 2Tbn, BTbn, Tuba. Timp, 2Perc, Hp. Strings

Instrumentation can be reduced at the conductor's discretion. 

 

Awards

Northwest Indiana Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Composition Competition Winner.

Score Preview

Program Note

Aurora is a shamelessly cinematic work for orchestra that was conceived while I was on an overnight flight across the continental United States. Unable to sleep, I stared out my window for hours watching the slow arrival of dawn come up above the clouds - from the faintest glow of the red sky out of the darkness, to the great majesty of the sunrise. This piece is the musical response to that inspiring image. The title Aurora is taken from the poetic meaning of the word, referring to dawn personified as a supernatural, heavenly deity.