orchestra (2018)
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instrumentation
2 + picc. 2 + Eng. hn. 2 + bcl. 2 + contra / 4.3.3.1 / timp. 3 perc. / hp. piano / strings
details
Duration: 11 minutes
Commissioned by: Seattle Symphony
Premiere: June 14, 2018
Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA
Ludovic Morlot, conductor
program note
Significant Others draws its name from the familiar, gender-neutral term “SO,” often used to describe a romantic partner. But beyond romance, the phrase resonates more broadly: a significant other can be anyone—friend, colleague, mentor, or family member—whose presence shapes our well-being in meaningful ways.
This orchestral work explores the magnetic, mysterious ways we form bonds with others. While each relationship is unique, we are often drawn to recurring traits, temperaments, or energies in the people who populate our lives. The music mirrors this idea through a series of interconnected musical “scenes”—each distinct in mood and color, yet sonically interrelated. Motifs return in unexpected ways, evolving into new expressions while retaining their core identity.
Bright, rhythmic, and buoyant overall, Significant Others pauses midway for a tender, bittersweet meditation—an emotional pivot point that invites reflection. Subtle nods to Leonard Bernstein, with whose music this piece originally shared a program, are woven into the orchestration like knowing winks to an old friend.