At Sea

Instrumentation

string orchestra (min. 4.4.3.2.2)

Duration

8 minutes

Performance Information

Written for "The President's Own" Marine Chamber Orchestra Composition Competition 2024

Score

View the score

Program Notes

This piece is one of the more cinematic works I have written. It depicts a mariner telling the story of when he was nearly lost at sea. The story goes that he went out sailing on his trusty old sailboat, humming a tune to himself. It soon started raining; but as that happened often enough, he didn’t think much of it and continued out to sea. However, before long, the intermittent raindrops became a fierce storm that carried his boat further and further from land. Eventually the waves rose so much that his boat capsized. The mariner clung to it but feared he might drown in the torrential storm. Fortunately, a Coast Guard ship spotted him, hauled him aboard, and saved his life – but his boat was lost to the ravages of the sea.