The Utah Symphony’s Dawn To Dust release features three new world premieres. Find out about Augusta Read Thomas’ work EOS (Goddess of the Dawn), A ballet for orchestra and watch/listen to a preview from the Utah Symphony:
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| Photo © by Anthony Barlich |
My catalogue includes 45 additional works for orchestra or orchestral concerti, and I conceived most of my orchestral and chamber works as suitable for dance. I stand at the drafting table as I compose and fully embody the sounds by dancing (though, trust me, you do NOT want to see me dance!), scatting the music, singing the music, playing it at the piano, and feeling the flow, impulse, and inner life of the line, whether that be slow and timeless or jazzy and driving or capricious and fleet-footed. When an orchestra member asks me a question, I usually sing the answer.
Although my music is careful and precise in its notation and structure, I like my music to have the feeling that it is an organic creation being self-propelled on the spot, as if we listeners are over- hearing an improvisation. I try to imbue the music with my own physical and mental sense of caprice, an improvisatory spirit, and a joy in a diversity of characters and colors.
EOS exhibits a kaleidoscopic variety of rhythmic syntaxes, radiant colors, and resonant harmonic fields. I work hard to present a very clean and thoughtful technical control of materials and orchestration. I hope my efforts result in unique compositions—always luminous and never muddy. I am honored to be part of this spectacular project with the Utah Symphony and thrilled to share EOS with you.
—Augusta Read Thomas
Dawn To Dust
World Premieres of Three Works Commissioned by the Utah Symphony
Utah Symphony
Thierry Fischer, Music Director
DAWN TO DUST contains live recordings of three significant and adventurous works by leading composers Augusta Read Thomas, Nico Muhly, and Andrew Norman. World-renowned percussionist Colin Currie performs on Andrew Norman’s “Switch.”