Dancing on Air

ensemble wind ensemble
written spring 2024
duration 5 minutes

Commissioned by Dr. Tim Mahr, Dr. Henry Dorn, and the St. Olaf Band

purchase

Score and parts available for purchase from Murphy Music Press.

program notes

Music has an uncanny ability to suggest motion, be it through rhythmic motives, melodic contour, harmonic shifts, timbral affects, or any combination thereof and beyond. Nonetheless, helicopter string quartets notwithstanding, music tends to be created while mostly stationary. The idea of ‘dance music’ - that is, music that so strongly suggests movement that it actually inspires people to move - is a remarkable illusion, yet one that seems strikingly ubiquitous.

As its title would suggest, Dancing On Air is a piece about motion, and as many different kinds as possible. The music flits from key area to key area in its bouncy triple time, scattering its themes and motifs deftly across sections and back. As I began writing it, I knew I wanted to return to a simpler kind of music than my recent output, and the piece’s soaring melodies, repetitious figures, and exuberant orchestration seek to explore a world colored by innocence, youth, and good humor.

Many thanks to my friend, Henry, and to his incredible band. It was a true honor to write this piece for them.