(2024)
NOTE: Sheet music for this work will be available for purchase starting on January 1, 2026. Please contact Jon for more information.
Generously commissioned by a consortium of the following ensembles, conductors,
and individuals:
Arizona State University Wind Ensemble Jason Caslor, Conductor (Consortium Lead);
Old Dominion University Wind Ensemble, Tyler Austin, Conductor;
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Wind Ensemble, Dr. Evan Feldman, Conductor;
Gettysburg College Sunderman Conservatory Wind Symphony, Russell McCutcheon, Conductor;
St. Olaf Band, Henry L. Dorn, Conductor;
Millersville University Wind Ensemble, Dr. Joe Cernuto, Conductor;
University of Arizona Wind Ensemble, Chad Nicholson, Conductor;
Providence College Symphonic Winds, Eric Melley, Conductor;
Marshall University Wind Symphony, Phil Vallejo, Conductor;
University of Illinois Chicago Wind Ensemble, Dr. Serena Weren, Conductor;
Julie Stuckenschneider;
Becky and Aaron Vogel
PROGRAM NOTE:
The inspiration for this piece comes from a trip I took to a remote region of Costa Rica, where I was staying on a high hill on the edge of the rainforest, overlooking the ocean, surrounded by nature and wildlife. There were, of course, countless differences I noticed upon returning to my home in a medium-sized city in the northeastern US. But the most surprising was how eerily quiet the night now was. In the rainforest, the night teemed with the sounds of insects, frogs, owls, and other unknown creatures; the lapping of waves and the wind in the trees; and just before dawn, the chattering of birds and the haunting wails of the howler monkeys. Here at home, aside from the occasional sounds of cars going by, it was…silent. What had once seemed so appealing about our neighborhood – how quiet it was – now seemed uncanny, even sinister. “We’ve killed the night!” I found myself thinking.
“Song of the Ancient Night” is an attempt to re-imagine those ancient nights on earth, before the spread of modern human civilization and its destruction of habitats, wilderness, and the sounds of the night. It is not intended to literally depict any particular sounds, but rather to evoke the sensations of mystery and wonder that I felt during those nights in Costa Rica.
To achieve this effect, the piece uses open-ended notation, providing pitch content and text instructions, but leaving the details open to the players and conductor. No two performances will be exactly alike, as each ensemble follows their own ears and instincts to sculpt their own unique version of the ancient night.
