The Great Lake Concerto, composed in 2023 will be premiered on 7:30pm, February 5, 2024.
“The Great Lake Concerto”, a concerto for double percussion, serves as a powerful ode to water conservation and the city of Chicago. Composed for my former percussion teachers Ed Harrison & Vadim Karpinos, the concerto not only showcases the technical prowess of the percussionists but also resonates with a message about the interconnectedness of communities and their natural surroundings. The concerto explores the symbiotic relationship between humanity and water, drawing inspiration from Lake Michigan, which stretches over 22,406 square miles and serves as a lifeblood for Chicago.
Opening with the deep resonance of water through the water gong, the first movement explores the ebb and flow of water, deep and expansive, shallow and fragile. The second movement features a folk song, selected by Vadim Karpinos, this song celebrates another city shaped by water, Kiev, Ukraine. The closing movement showcases the star performers, making space for unique solos from the maracas and the xylophone.
The world premiere of this concerto unites several Chicago institutions, in addition to myself (a Chicagoan composer): Ed Harrison of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Vadim Karpinos of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (both faculty at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University), orchestra members and the Maestro Andrizzi from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, and the stage for the premiere – Chicago’s historic Auditorium Theatre.
Special thanks to Emanuele Andrizzi, Ed Harrison, Vadim Karpinos, Ben Park, and Brandon Maahs.
