Smoulder

Smoulder (2019) was commissioned by a consortium of conductors and ensembles led by Brant Stai of Sherwood High School, with: Matt Howe, Cathedral City High School Symphony Band; Lars Campbell, Clackamas Community College; Jennifer Brooks, David Douglas High School; Dwayne Corbin, George Fox University; Nicholas Budge, Gresham High School; Joan Paddock, Linfield University; Jason Nitsch, Memorial High School Band; Jeremy Zander, Mountainside High School; Adam Morrell, Union High School; Danh Pham, Washington State University Bands; Todd Zimbelman, West Salem High School; and Ashley Alexander, Westview High School. Smoulder was premiered by the Sherwood High School Wind Ensemble at the Oregon Music Educators Association Conference on January 17, 2020 in the Hult Center for the Performing Arts (Eugene, Oregon). Due to the changing climate, devastating forest fires are increasingly common. Though the surface fire is doused, they can smoulder underground for up to a year and, given the right conditions, they can reignite. Climate change is one of the top issues among America's youth and there is a growing discontent with inaction on this front. With this in mind, the piece unfolds through a brooding arch form. I wrote this piece to honor the young performers who will deal with these complex issues for the rest of their lives. Smoulder was awarded the 2021 Alex Shapiro Prize in the 40th annual Search for New Music by the International Alliance of Women in Music and recognized as a finalist for the 2020 National Band Association William D. Revelli Composition Contest.