Mythos: Vol. 1

Atlantic Coast Conference Band Directors Association (ACCBDA), James E. Croft Grant for Young and Emerging Wind Band Composers, 2019 Award Recipient. Weaved within the cultural history of mankind are tales that have served to peak curiosity, teach lessons, and inspire others. These tales have manifested themselves within each region's past, visual aesthetic, value system, sense of community, and tradition. They have also created vividly detailed depictions of beastly demons, supernatural forces, and celestial beings beyond our understanding. Through mostly word-of-mouth storytelling, cultures all around the world lay claim to creatures whose tales have a unique significance to those who inhabit their region of origin. This piece is the first in a series of works wherein a collection of movements are inspired by different fabled creatures from varied parts of the globe. It attempts to interpret the aura and scope of these creatures in order to translate the mythological into the musical.