Official site of composer Andrea Clearfield. Biography, list of works with audio, score samples, reviews and program notes, photographs, upcoming performances.
Scored for: flute, piano, percussion, string quintet Duration: 15:45 min. Premiere: August 22, 2018, Angelfire, NM at Music from Angelfire Festival: Emma Resmini, Flute; Ida Kavafian and Theodore Arm, Violins; Steven Tenenbom, Viola; Peter Wiley, Cello; Peter Lloyd, Double Bass; Anne-Marie McDermott, Piano; Gregory Zuber, Percussion, Jonathan Coopersmith, conductor. Commissioned by: Music from Angel Fire with the support of the Bruce E. Howden, Jr. American Composers Project. Published by: Angelfire Press
Contact Andrea Clearfield for score and parts:
Earth Door/Sky Door was commissioned by Music from Angel Fire, Ida Kavafian,
Artistic Director, with the support of the Bruce E. Howden, Jr. American Composers
Project. The work was premiered on August 22 and August 23, 2018 in Angelfire
and Taos, New Mexico by Emma Resmini, Flute; Ida Kavafian and Theodore Arm,
Violins; Steven Tenenbom, Viola; Peter Wiley, Cello; Peter Lloyd, Double Bass;
Anne-Marie McDermott, Piano; Gregory Zuber, Percussion, Jonathan Coopersmith,
conductor.
Akin to the Native American Dreamcatcher, the Tibetan sago-namgo
(translated as earth door/sky door) entices and captures negative energies
so that positive energies can pass through. It is used for blessing and protection –
closing the doors to that which does not bring the highest good.
In this chamber work, I focused on the creative process: how some doors open, others
close; how some ideas reveal possibility, others get left behind. It is an exploration of
creativity and its mysteries as well as more generally about life – what doors have opened
to manifest dreams, which ones have closed leading one to follow a new direction.
Musical doors may open into sound or silence, movement, spaciousness or surprise.
Some melodic passages are “caught” while others undergo development, leading to
propulsive rhythms or textures and colors. A humorous section features many melodies
striving to go through the doors at the same time, cut off by one of the instruments.
Certain musical ideas function as “seeds” or foundations upon which the piece is built
however only one of the melodies will open the sky door at the conclusion of the work.
With much gratitude to the Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts in Saratoga,
Wyoming for providing invaluable time and space to complete this work.
Earth Door/Sky Door
Scored for: flute, piano, percussion, string quintet
Duration: 15:45 min.
Premiere: August 22, 2018, Angelfire, NM at Music from Angelfire Festival: Emma Resmini, Flute; Ida Kavafian and Theodore Arm, Violins; Steven Tenenbom, Viola; Peter Wiley, Cello; Peter Lloyd, Double Bass; Anne-Marie McDermott, Piano; Gregory Zuber, Percussion, Jonathan Coopersmith, conductor.
Commissioned by: Music from Angel Fire with the support of the Bruce E. Howden, Jr. American Composers Project.
Published by: Angelfire Press
Contact Andrea Clearfield for score and parts:
See preview score pages:
Earth Door/Sky Door Score Excerpt
LISTEN
INTERVIEW WITH FRED CHILD ON PERFORMANCE TODAY
PROGRAM NOTES
Earth Door/Sky Door was commissioned by Music from Angel Fire, Ida Kavafian,
Artistic Director, with the support of the Bruce E. Howden, Jr. American Composers
Project. The work was premiered on August 22 and August 23, 2018 in Angelfire
and Taos, New Mexico by Emma Resmini, Flute; Ida Kavafian and Theodore Arm,
Violins; Steven Tenenbom, Viola; Peter Wiley, Cello; Peter Lloyd, Double Bass;
Anne-Marie McDermott, Piano; Gregory Zuber, Percussion, Jonathan Coopersmith,
conductor.
Akin to the Native American Dreamcatcher, the Tibetan sago-namgo
(translated as earth door/sky door) entices and captures negative energies
so that positive energies can pass through. It is used for blessing and protection –
closing the doors to that which does not bring the highest good.
In this chamber work, I focused on the creative process: how some doors open, others
close; how some ideas reveal possibility, others get left behind. It is an exploration of
creativity and its mysteries as well as more generally about life – what doors have opened
to manifest dreams, which ones have closed leading one to follow a new direction.
Musical doors may open into sound or silence, movement, spaciousness or surprise.
Some melodic passages are “caught” while others undergo development, leading to
propulsive rhythms or textures and colors. A humorous section features many melodies
striving to go through the doors at the same time, cut off by one of the instruments.
Certain musical ideas function as “seeds” or foundations upon which the piece is built
however only one of the melodies will open the sky door at the conclusion of the work.
With much gratitude to the Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts in Saratoga,
Wyoming for providing invaluable time and space to complete this work.