ALLELUIA OLORA
Opus. 77
Instrumentation: Solo Cello
Duration: 7 Minutes, One Movement
Commissioned by: Astral Artists for Tommy Mesa
Alleluia Olora is a one movement, ~7 minute work for solo cello capturing the space of emotions when a distant tragedy suddenly becomes personal: a catastrophe involving one’s own friends, family, neighborhood, and the current and future livelihoods of millions. It is a prayer in one long, deep breath. A run-on sentence of hope and pain and the grace of nature. Commissioned at the height of lockdown in NYC, Alleluia Olora's melodic curves subtly trace the sounds and their absences that existed for me during those weeks.
The work ends with a Robin's song; a few weeks into quarantine the morning music of my surroundings dropped its cloak of silence and nothingness, and it took several moments of searching my memories before I realized what I was hearing: a dawn chorus of song birds greeted me upon every wakeup in quarantine from then on, a maximalist bouquet of avian melody that I hadn't heard since my childhood growing up in Michigan, my bedroom window a stone's through away from a forest. It was this jubilant cacophony that gave me my first dappling of joy and hope in the midst of fear and chaos and trepidation.
I'm so grateful to Tommy, Astral Artists, and Four/Ten Media for making this trio of works, these videos, and these strong messages of hope a reality.
Score + recordings + program notes at stephanieannboyd.com/alleluia-olora-solo-cello
Details // Concert Prep
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PDF Score + Part(s) sent via email within 2-3 business days. I’m excited to connect with you!
Purchase is for one copy only, just for you! Please don’t share or else I’ll be sad when I see it in my google alerts ; - )
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I want to meet you! Purchase of this pdf in the 23/24 season comes with a 30 min zoom session, if you’d appreciate that during your rehearsal process. You’ll receive scheduling instructions in the delivery email with your music.
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I’m excited to help promote your concert(s) on social media and include it on the website!
If you already have a concert date in mind, you’ll receive instructions on sending me concert info in the delivery email with your music.
commissioner biography.
The Cuban-American cellist Thomas Mesa has established himself as one of the most charismatic, innovative, and engaging performers of his generation. Mr. Mesa was the winner of the $50,000 First Prize in the 2016 Sphinx Competition; the Thaviu Competition for String Performance (Chicago, 2013); The Astral Artists 2017 National Auditions; and the Alhambra Orchestra Concerto Competition. He has appeared as soloist with orchestras in the United States and Mexico, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, Santa Barbara Symphony, Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra which received this rave review from the Cleveland Plain Dealer: “A listener with closed eyes would have been hard pressed to distinguish [Mesa’s] shapely, expressive performance from that of another gifted artist two or three times his age.”
As a recitalist, appearances include the Mainly Mozart Festival, The Academy of Arts and Letters in NYC, Bargemusic, University of Miami’s Signature Series, Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series, Columbia University, Flagler Museum, Carnegie Hall, The U.S. Supreme Court, The Heifetz Institute, California Center for the Arts, Meadowmount School of Music, Strad for Lunch Series, International Beethoven Project, Perlman Music Program Alumni Recital, and universities nationwide.
As a recording artist, Thomas was featured on the GRAMMY-nominated album, “Bonhoeffer,” with the multiple GRAMMY winning group called The Crossing Choir. He has appeared with them as soloist at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, Longwood Gardens, The Winter Garden (broadcast on WNYC) and the Theological Seminary in New York City. Mr. Mesa and The Crossing also collaborated on the American premiere of “Astralis” for choir and solo cello by renowned composer Wolfgang Rihm and have more collaborations/premieres scheduled for future seasons. Other recording projects include the piano and cello works of Brahms, Beethoven, a whole album dedicated to the music of Debussy, and a special project in collaboration with PARMA Recordings in a “Call for Scores” that will bring together and record new works for solo cello and cello/piano. This project will include an album release concert at The DiMenna Center in New York City and the CD will be available on all commercial streaming platforms.