b. 1963 || Website
Evan Chambers currently teaches composition at the University of Michigan. His works have been performed by multiple orchestras and he has won multiple prizes including the Cincinnati Symphony Competition and the Walter Beeler Prize. His music is highly influenced by folk music and has been performed in venues across America including Carnegie Hall.
And Pass from Hence Away is a piece from his album The Old Burying Ground. Performed by Tim Eriksen and the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, this work is an excellent reflection of Chamber's folk-inspired music. This beautiful song seeks to bridge the gap between classical and folk music with its intricate orchestral writing and free-flowing folk melodies. It begins by the folk singer singing an epitaph and takes the audience through a cemetery. It's a sombering reality when one realizes the message : everyone, including each one of us will one day pass from hence away.
And Pass from Hence Away
Deep Flowers is a piece for solo saxophone. It is rich in flowing melodic lines that took me across meadows and that reminded me of the serenity and beauty of a simple flower. His sense of dynamic writing in this piece is quite unique and I really enjoyed listening to him create "waves" as it were with the saxophone's swell of sounds. This piece is defintely one that I enjoyed immensely and have added to my favorites.
Deep Flowers
Evan Chambers: You Must Change Your Life : In this video from New Music USA Chambers describes what it's like being a composer who not only writes about using his environment as a source of inspiration, but also communicates about how his music feels when he's writing it, instead of merely listening to how it sounds. He has a deep connection with music and desires for the audience and the performer alike to almost walk through an experience when listening to his pieces. It is clear that Chambers is more concerned with the culture of performance, communicating what he is saying and feeling, and the reflections or experiences one has with his works, rather than prestige and awards. Other sources of inspiration that he touches on include folk music, and poetry.
You Must Change Your Life
Evan Chambers is a composer who has spent the majority of his life in the midwest. He is passionate about writing music that reflects this, but also believes that connecting emotionally to the piece and giving all that he has is of utmost importance. His music is filled with beautiful melodies and emotional depth. To listen to more of his music or find out information about his life and career, be sure to visit his Website.
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I do not own any of the music or video productions in this blog posts or in any other posts you may find on this blog.
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