Composed: 2023-2024

Length: c. 26 minutes

Orchestration: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, percussion (1 marimba, snare drum, timpani), 1 harp, and strings

A labor of love

One Christmas, after we opened gifts, and everyone went over to eat breakfast, I stayed behind and stared into the pine tree in our living room. Filled with a gratitude that was underexpressed by material presents, I had this daydream that I would someday write an orchestral work as a gift to my parents to say thank you for my life and to show them how much I love them. Family is everything to me, and so by extension, this work became an offering to my entire family.

The preservation of fire

I have an intense fighting spirit. I used to be very argumentative as a kid, especially in times when I felt an injustice was being served. Whether it was arguing in baseball about who got to the base first, or defending a vulnerable classmate that was outmatched by a bully, the fighting spirit came out in an instant.

I've also had my own struggles in life, and I know first-hand how important having hope is for people during dark times. Symphony No. 1 embodies that fighting spirit and the eternal hope that things will always get better. If this work had lyrics, they would vigorously proclaim, “Always keep fighting!” Simply put, this work expresses the passion, optimism, and triumph of the human spirit.

My compositional approach was driven by a desire to infuse modern, familiar rhythms and sounds into orchestral music. I believe that to keep this art form evolving and relevant, we “must repeat the thought and aspirations of the times,” as Gerswhin once said. Mahler’s perspective, “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire,” also deeply resonates with me.

Learn something new

I am a self-taught musician, unlike most composers before me; and I wrote this symphony on my electric guitar, also unlike most composers before me! I actually wrote the doom metal music of Seanaldinho as a means of generating themes for use in this eventual symphony. If you listen to both projects - though very different styles of music - you'll immediately recognize certain themes for yourself.

I learned so much about composition, harmony, and arranging for an orchestra. I had so much fun playing with modulations. Maybe too much at times, but it really opened my eyes to the possibilities of music. In fact, numerous principles and concepts I've picked up are applicable to any creative endeavor.

I love how the cross-pollination has expanded my mind in unexpected ways! For example, what I learned about acoustic resonance has served to improve my understanding of engineering a good rock mix, whereas my experience with recording rock music has given me a leg up on how to choose and position mics in a classical music hall and capture the room. Another example is that the treatment of melody as a major force in classical music has led me to focus other projects around the central idea being expressed and how the supporting elements, implied or otherwise, should be treated in relation.

I can't wait to write the next one.