Stress Fracture - horn choir
Stress Fracture delves into the darker side of the performing arts, and the effects a conservatory environment can have on an artist's psyche. What begins for most as a burning passion can quickly turn into just another step to get through on the way to a degree. The focus can shift from wondering why a piece of art exists to how it exists, overanalyzing the theory until the sight of the forest is lost to the trees. For some, this path is walked with ease; for others, it leads to a breaking point that pushes them away from the arts as a lifestyle; others still don't end up on either end of the spectrum, and instead wind up with one foot in and one foot out, uncertain where their future as an artist lies.
The Mandalorian - brass ensemble
The main theme from Disney's Star Wars series, "The Mandalorian"
Arranged for:
5 Trumpets
4 Horns
3 Trombones
Euphonium &
Tuba
Rumor of A Secret King - Horn choir
"This piece is about power in flux. The skittering rush of a rumor through a crowd is rendered in nonsense syllables; a long, lyrical line is overlaid, using text that evokes Handel’s Zadok the Priest, the traditional coronation hymn, replacing the jubilation of Handel’s anthem with ambivalence and anxiety. A new world is a promise and a threat: What will become of us?" - A. E. Jaques
Though in translation to an instrumental arrangement the text itself is lost, this rythmically driven piece still reflects the original intention. With articulated ostinato patterns layered with long, lyrical phrases and plenty of Mackey's trademark tension and release figures, "Rumor of a Secret King" is a masterpiece in contrast.