In the midst of the uncertainty of the COVID-19 Pandemic, I was extended the opportunity to compose a large-scale orchestral arrangement of three famous “Ave Maria” melodies by Giulio Caccini, Franz Schubert, J.S. Bach / Charles Gounod with original Latin text. Having never attempted something like this before, it was a huge undertaking for me and I spent countless hours studying orchestration, writing, editing, and LISTENING…most of all, it was an exploration of how to convey a musical message in the context of a full symphony orchestra. The end result is an incredibly dynamic and expressive piece that draws the listener in with the opening string textures and modulates through a variety of emotional colors as it rises to a dramatic climax in the third movement.
It premiered in 2022 with a live performance by the Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia (sonova.org), but has now been re-recorded on Jackson Caesar’s new album “’Tis the Season, Again!” which is available on all streaming platforms (Amazon, iHeart, Apple Music, Google Music, Spotify, Youtube). I look forward to promoting this arrangement to other orchestras for live performance and the opportunity to expand on this work into the next phase of my journey as a musical composer.