Advent was written in a very systematic way - there was a chart controlling numerous musical parameters, such as density, tempo, dynamics, and others. My goal was to write a piece in which density - the "thickness" of the chords - was a prominent musical feature. I'm not sure if I was successful with that goal, but I think the other parts of the music - the harmony, the pacing of dynamic and tempo changes - make the piece successful in ways I hadn't expected.

 

Advent, in the liturgical calendar, is a season of joyous anticipation, culminating in the birth of Christ. And while I am not religious, I love baseball with a zeal most reserve for the church. The rain delay, while lamented by some, seems to me much like Advent - one waits, in a sort of outdoor cathedral, anticipating the cessation of rain and the return of the game. It doesn't have to a frustrating wait, a "delay" - it can instead be a joyous one, where we can simply sit in the summer rain and enjoy the empty field.

 

Advent was first performed in the SoFA Gallery at Indiana University in April of 2008. Special thanks are due to Brian McNulty for premiering the work, and for his help in reworking the vibraphone part.