898 Hildegard

for Orchestra 2 Flutes - 1 Oboe - 1 English Horn - 2 Clarinets in Bb - 2 Bassoons - 2 Horns in F - 2 Trumpets in Bb - 1 Trombone - Timpani - Percussion - Piano - Harp - Full strings Duration: 10 minutes 898 Hildegard was originally written for SATB chorus and orchestra, and was commissioned by the Genesee Valley Community Orchestra to honor their founder, Sister Virginia Hogan, through the verse and melody of Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179). The title is borrowed from the name of the asteroid in our solar system, 898 Hildegard, thus connecting civilization's ancient cosmos with the one that it continues to discover. I used fragments of her chants "O Vis Eternitatis" and "O Gloriosissimi Lux Vivens Angeli," that focus on eternity and angels. I listened to recordings of these chants on the Hildegard Society website (www.hildegard-society.org) and transcribed the performances in order to learn how these chants are presented rhythmically. After studying the intricate details of both chants, I intertwined fragments of the original chant material with my own variations throughout, melding it together into a composition that not only displays my compositional style, but also highlights these beautiful chants by Hildegard von Bingen. 898 Hildegard was first premiered in Rochester, NY June 3-4, and later revised for premiere by the Las Vegas Philharmonic and Las Vegas Master Singers April 1, 2017. The orchestra version was written for the University of Rochester Orchestra under the direction of Rachel Waddell and premiered April 21, 2022.