Canciones de Monteverde
Year
2020
Length
7'00"
Category
Chamber
Arrangements
String Quartet
String Quintet or String Orchestra
Commission
Michigan Tech University
Premiere
May 22, 2020
Juventas New Music Ensemble
Program Note
In December 2019, I journeyed to Monteverde, Costa Rica, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. After a long day traveling from Boston, I woke before sunrise to meet a local naturalist. Over the next five hours, binoculars in hand, we saw over 50 species of birds. Birdwatching revealed that a rainbow was hiding in plain sight. I was in awe of the naturalist’s talent to notice the slightest movement or flash of color. Of course, not all birds were looking to camouflage. For those looking to strut their stuff, nothing was more recognizable then their signature songs, weaving in and out of the cloud forest symphony.
Canciones de Monteverde is built on musical interpretations of seven calls, a small sample from five hours in one of nature’s most melodious halls. The birds represented are the Collared Trogan, Lessons Mot Mot, Green-crowned Brilliant, Black Faced Solitaire, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, Red-billed Pidgeon and Grey-breasted Wren.
Writing this music in spring 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, was a bittersweet endeavor. An avid traveler, I find unending joy meeting new people, learning about their cultures, and exploring diverse ecosystems. Staying at home for months on end has been an exercise of memory and anticipation. This piece recalls one perfect morning. I hope that it reminds you of your own grand adventures.
Performance History
- June 17, 2025: North/South Consonance, Christ & St Stephen's Church, New York, NY
- July 21, 2024: Juventas New Music Ensemble, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, Brookline, MA
- April 14, 2024: Bronx Arts Ensemble, University of Mount Saint Vincent, Bronx, NY
- September 24, 2023: Juventas New Music Ensemble, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Newburyport, MA
- September 23, 2023: Juventas New Music Ensemble, Multicultural Art Center, Cambridge, MA
- July 22, 2023: Bronx Arts Ensemble, Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY
- June 3, 2023: Leadlights Ensemble, Bennett Park, New York, NY
- May 24, 2023: Leadlights Ensemble, Word Up Community Book Shop, New York, NY
- March 15, 2023: Bronx Arts Ensemble, National Arts Club, New York, NY
- October 9, 2021: Tuuli String Quartet, Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, Houghton, MI
- June 27, 2021: Juventas New Music Ensemble, New England Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA
- June 25, 2021: Juventas New Music Ensemble, New England Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA
- June 13, 2021: Juventas New Music Ensemble, New England Botanic Garden, Boylston, MA
- May 22, 2021: Juventas New Music Ensemble, live broadcast on YouTube
