Life Across the Sea

Life Across the Sea for Wind Ensemble

Christina Rusnak

Cover Photo: Christina Rusnak; Baltic Sea from Visby, Sweden

Life Across the Sea for Wind Ensemble

Program Notes:

Life Across the Sea unfolds as the story of human migration; how the values and beliefs of our present are impacted and shaped by the values and ethos of the immigrants who came, and created a life far from home. Living in a region of the country with strict environmental protection laws, Life Across the Sea specifically explores the connection between the the ecological philosophy of many Americans today, with the environmental values and beliefs of Scandinavian and Nordic immigrants from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Inspired by their culture and communities, I began the piece with my interpretation of their values and integrated into my themes an amalgamation of fragmented melodies of ancient folk songs, from the entire Nordic region, as a thread of continuity in weaving the piece.

Composed for Dr. Melanie Brooks Dinh and the Winona State University Band Program

Life Across the Sea

Duration: ~ 11’30”

INSTRUMENTATION*

Piccolo

2 Flutes

Oboes

English Horn

3 Clarinets in Bb

Bass Clarinet in Bb

2 Bassoons

2 Alto Saxophones

Tenor Saxophone

Baritone Saxophone

4 French Horns in F

3 Trumpets in Bb

2 Tenor Trombone

Bass Trombone

Euphonium

Tuba

Piano

Timpani

Percussion:

1. Vibraphone (Soft and Medium Mallets, Bow), Glockenspiel

2. Marimba (Soft and Medium Mallets), Xylophone

3. Concert Bass Drum, Snare Drum with Mallets, Rute, Drum Sticks and wire brushes; Suspended Cymbal (Yarn & Medium Mallets),

4. Chimes, Triangle & Wood Blocks (H, M, L), Thunder Sheet and more

Double Bass

*Winds may be expanded per conductor’s discretion

Life Across the Sea

Christina Rusnak

Orchestra

Time After All for Orchestra 2023

Grade 5-6, Duration: 7:40; 2(P), 2(E), 3(B), 2/, 4, 2, 3(B), 1/, Timp, Perc (3), Strings

The South Pass for Chamber Orchestra, 2021

Grade 5-6, Duration: 13:30; 2(P), 2(E), 2(B), 1/, 2, 1, 1, 1/, Timp, Perc (3), Strings

Passage for Orchestra, 2017

Grade 5-6, Duration: 13:20; 2(P), 2(E), 2(B), 2/, 4, 2, 2, 1/, Timp, Perc (3), Hp, Strings

The Mountain Within for String Orchestra, 2015

Grade 5; Duration 7:50; String Orchestra

Teklanika for Chamber Orchestra, 2013

Grade 4-5; Duration 5:15; String Orchestra + Ob(2), Hn (2)

Wind Ensemble

Life Across the Sea for Symphonic Wind Ensemble, 2024

Grade 5-6, Duration: ~11:30

Passage for Symphonic Wind Ensemble, 2019

Grade 5-6, Duration: 13:30

Hyas Tyee Təmwata for Collegiate Wind Band, 2018

Grade 4-5; Duration 7:10

The Coast in Winter, 2018

Grade 1-2 Wind Band, grade 3-4 Soloist; Duration 3:30

CHRISTINA RUSNAK

Passionate about composing about place and the human experience, composer Christina Rusnak works at the intersection of place, nature, culture, history and art to integrate context into her music from the world around her to convey something meaningful about the human experience to both the audience and performers.

Ms. Rusnak composes for diverse instrumentations with lyrical lines, and organic rhythms and textures. Her pieces range from elementary to professional levels and includes chamber ensemble, orchestra, wind band, jazz, choral pieces and solo works, as well as flex band pieces, electro-acoustic works, and film.

An avid hiker and cultural geographer, Ms. Rusnak has worked with the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and Oregon State Parks to sonically explore and celebrate our many environmental treasures, resulting in numerous landscape and culturally inspired works, from places as diverse as Alaska, Nebraska, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming. In 2019, she led the renowned Composing in the Wilderness Seminar. In 2023, she delved into the inner landscape of the human experience in Time After All.

Inspired by cultural and social issues, Ms. Rusnak traveled to Cuba in 2016 as part of the People–to-People program to record in with Vocal Luna Ensemble in Havana; her piece From the Sidewalk, addresses the invisibility of a homeless woman in New York City. Liberty’s Light, for women’s choir, examines immigration from 19th to 21st century perspectives Fanfare for Justice musically depicts the 2020 protests of police violence.

Her most recent album, VOICES OF THE LAND, was awarded Bronze in the 2023 Global Music Awards. The South Pass, for Chamber Orchestra is a finalist for the 2024 American Prize.

An advocate for New Music, Rusnak has served as Sound Art Curator for the Dallas Contemporary Art Museum, as Executive Director for Orchestra 2001 in Philadelphia, and currently serves as president of the International Alliance for Women in Music. Her essays on music and advocacy can be found on New Music Box, LandscapeMusic.org, and the Journal of the IAWM. Her works are available from Amazon, Naxos and Parma Recordings. Scores, and various distributors. More detailed information about her work, are available through her website, http://christinarusnak.com

http://christinarusnak.com

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Life Across the Sea

Published on Nov 5, 2024

Christina Rusnak

Life Across the Sea unfolds as the story of human migration; how the values and beliefs of our present are impacted and shaped by the values and ethos of the immigrants who came to America and created a life far from home. Living in a region of the country with strict environmental protection laws, Life Across the Sea specifically explores the connection between the ecological philosophy of many Americans today, with the environmental values and beliefs of Scandinavian and Nordic immigrants from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Inspired by the culture, communities and ancient folk songs of the entire Nordic region, I began with my interpretation of their values, and integrated into my themes an amalgamation of fragmented folk melodies as a thread of continuity in weaving the piece.