Dream Atlas

$120.00

Dream Atlas was commissioned by the University of Kentucky Percussion Studio.

I began to write Dream Atlas in the beginning of 2022 as sketches for Full Orchestra, inspired by a series of reoccurring dreams I had following the passing of my father in 2014. In the dreams, I would see vivid galaxies that brought extreme, yet confusing emotions to me, hence why I named each movement after "space-related" environments. Later in life I would find out these dreams were "Nocturnal Panic Attacks."

In the latter half of 2022, I began to adapt the themes I had developed into a Percussion Orchestra setting. I wanted the entire work to follow both the developing character narrative as well as the metaphoric development of a Nebula.

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The three movements are entitled:

I: A Sea of Stars | II: Approaching Nova | III: Breaking Nebula

I: A Sea of Stars is the first movement and the exposition of the piece. The movement jumps from motif to motif at a rapid pace as we explore being lost in the stars.

II: Approaching Nova is the second moment, offering a temporary contrast to the first and third. This moment is much more open and legato with a dramatic twist of energy and texture as it develops.

III: Breaking Nebula is the final movement to the piece, traveling through all the motifs I had used in the previous two movements. I wanted to depict an overwhelming joy and appreciation for life and the moments we have together on Earth. While the comfort of our dreams seems to be a compelling distraction from reality, I have yet to find anything more beautiful than the people who I share my waking moments with.