SYMPHONIES – 1. Into the Light

SYMPHONIES, a four-movement suite, was composed for the Eastman Wind Ensemble in 2022 to commemorate the Eastman School of Music’s Centennial.

I have so many fond memories of my time as a member of the Eastman Wind Ensemble under the direction of Donald Hunsberger during my years as an Eastman student in the early 1970s.

With those memories in mind, I was excited to contribute a new piece for the EWE when my great friend, Mark Scatterday, the current director of the ensemble, asked if I would write a new composition in honor of the Centennial.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve written numerous pieces for the EWE at Mark’s suggestion, and for this special occasion, we decided on a four-movement suite titled SYMPHONIES.

This new piece was composed during the pandemic, a time when I began to feel hopeful about the future and the uplifting power of music. I’ve always been a “melodic” composer, and this work, SYMPHONIES, is filled with melodies set against rich harmonies and exciting rhythms.

• The first movement, Into The Light, is my musical expression of energy, joy, and perseverance over the darker emotions I experienced during that challenging period.
• The second movement, Valse Macabre, evolved from thematic ideas inspired by techniques I developed during my studies with Sam Adler in the early 1990s. This waltz gradually took shape.
• The third movement, Reverie, includes elements from a program suite I composed in 2007. It was inspired by a peaceful summer walk in the Colorado mountains with my wife, Jill. Surrounded by wildflowers and the serene sounds of nature, it was one of the most meditative experiences of my life, and this movement reflects that.
• The final movement, Things To Come, is my expression of hope for the future. A short motif played after the fanfare introduction reappears in various forms throughout the movement. Although the “dark side” emerges briefly, it is overcome by the strength of a chorale and a bold, sonorous treatment of the initial motif.

I am always inspired by the talented young musicians of the EWE and am honored to have had the opportunity to compose for them, thanks to Mark Scatterday.

— Jeff Tyzik

This suite is sold by movement.