Steve Danyew, Composer

Jan 4

New Year :: New Music

In my last post I did a quick recap of 2011, and today I want to touch on my compositional plans for 2012. I have a bunch of other goals and plans, but for this post I want to focus on pieces I plan (and hope!) to write this year:

Nocturne IV – Flute & Saxophone Ensemble
Commissioned by the University of Central Florida Flute & Saxophone Ensemble

Magnolia Star – Wind Ensemble
A short and energetic piece for wind ensemble based on trains and the blues scale. What could be better!

Keep Me Fully Glad – SATB Choir (?? not sure of exact instrumentation yet)
A setting of a beautiful Rabindranath Tagore poem – read more here.

Untitled – Wind Ensemble & Screen
A 15 minute work for wind ensemble and film, inspired by the photography of Ansel Adams. Click here to see a video about the project. Commissioned by a consortium of wind ensembles. You can join! Contact me here.

Shout! – SATB Choir (?? not sure of exact instrumentation yet)
A fun and rousing song with powerful text by one of my favorite poets – my wife!

Morning Hymn – SATB & Piano
A setting of the beautiful text (see here) by Charles Wesley

There you have it – my compositions for 2012. Of course, there will probably be other projects that sneak in here as well. And, if you/your ensemble wants to commission a piece this year, there is still room! I can always fit in special projects, but the sooner we start planning, the better! Best wishes for an exciting 2012!

Jan 3

Recap: 2011

I like to think that I am always forging ahead, ready to dive into the next project, learn from new experiences, etc. But, every now and then it is good to look back and evaluate our path, make goals and strategies for the future, and put things in perspective. 2011 was a great year in many ways. First and foremost, I married a loving, caring, and musical(!) woman whom I can’t imagine living without. I also composed a bunch of new works, and looking back, I’m pretty happy with them! That is always good – not having to burn too much music! I saw many friends and colleagues throughout the year, and made wonderful new acquaintances. Dedicated performers and conductors put a wealth of time, energy, and musicality into performances of my music this year, and I’m grateful for their passion. Here are the new pieces I composed in 2011 (in date order, oldest to newest):

Distant Moons – Wind Ensemble

Arise & Sing – SATB Choir

Once More, My Soul – SATB Choir & Piano

From Our Happy Home – TTBB Choir & English Horn

Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven – Cello & Violin (coming soon to the website!)

A Song of Singing – SATB Choir, Piano, Timpani, Brass Ensemble

The Star Spangled Banner – Arrangement for Chamber Orchestra (coming soon to the website!)

This Song of Mine – SA Choir & Piano

Stay tuned for 2012 plans!

Jan 2

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Poems Under the Christmas Tree!

Well, we actually didn’t have a tree this year…but I did get some lovely presents which were beautifully wrapped. Among the highlights are a set of poems that my wonderful wife gathered together for me. She knows that I love to peruse poetry for possible song texts, and she has a great ability to find texts that resonate deeply with me. She has given me this type of gift before, and several recent pieces have been the result of her poetry finds. Given my recent work with a Tagore text (see here) she included several fantastic Tagore poems that I had not discovered previously. Her gift of about 15 poems included this one on top (beautiful!):

KEEP ME FULLY GLAD
by Rabindranath Tagore

Keep me fully glad with nothing.
Only take my hand in your hand.
In the gloom of the deepening night
take up my heart and play with it as you list.
Bind me close to you with nothing.

I will spread myself out at your feet and lie still.
Under this clouded sky
I will meet silence with silence.
I will become one with the night
clasping the earth in my breast.
Make my life glad with nothing.

The rains sweep the sky from end to end.
Jasmines in the wet untamable wind
revel in their own perfume.
The cloud-hidden stars thrill in secret.
Let me fill to the full my heart
with nothing but my own depth of joy.