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Flute, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in Bb, 2 Alto Saxophones, 2 Bassoons, Percussion (Low Tom, Marimba, Sus. Cymbal)
8.5'
I. Swaying Pines
II. The Lonely Spruce
III. Evergreen
“Peter Wohlleben, forester and author of The Hidden Life of Trees, once wrote, ‘...we shouldn't be concerned about trees purely for material reasons, we should also care about them because of the little puzzles and wonders they present us with.’
Conifers (2025) represents my own encounters with the ‘puzzles and wonders’ of trees. The first movement, ‘Swaying Pines’ hearkens to teenage years spent among the Georgia pines and begins with soft, staggered entrances, mimicking the gentle wind. The other instruments respond in turn, like swaying branches. I named the second movement, ‘The Lonely Spruce’, after learning about the ‘loneliest tree on earth’, a Sitka spruce on Campbell Island. The movement features sparser textures and a growing sense of foreboding as the spruce stands firm against a punishing storm. The third and final movement, ‘Evergreen’, continues the melodic material from ‘Swaying Pines’ and blossoms into a celebration of hope and endurance.”
~ Composer Mikeila McQueston
Flute, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in Bb, 2 Alto Saxophones, 2 Bassoons, Percussion (Low Tom, Marimba, Sus. Cymbal)
8.5'
I. Swaying Pines
II. The Lonely Spruce
III. Evergreen
“Peter Wohlleben, forester and author of The Hidden Life of Trees, once wrote, ‘...we shouldn't be concerned about trees purely for material reasons, we should also care about them because of the little puzzles and wonders they present us with.’
Conifers (2025) represents my own encounters with the ‘puzzles and wonders’ of trees. The first movement, ‘Swaying Pines’ hearkens to teenage years spent among the Georgia pines and begins with soft, staggered entrances, mimicking the gentle wind. The other instruments respond in turn, like swaying branches. I named the second movement, ‘The Lonely Spruce’, after learning about the ‘loneliest tree on earth’, a Sitka spruce on Campbell Island. The movement features sparser textures and a growing sense of foreboding as the spruce stands firm against a punishing storm. The third and final movement, ‘Evergreen’, continues the melodic material from ‘Swaying Pines’ and blossoms into a celebration of hope and endurance.”
~ Composer Mikeila McQueston
