Night Song for Moths by Lisa Neher
for solo piccolo 8 minutes 2019 D.C. Al Platypus Publishing Company
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Program Note: I am finding more and more how vitally important it is for me to step away from my indoor work, to do-lists, and strategic planning and immerse myself in nature. When I take the time to do this, my pulse slows, my mind clears, and what really matters to me in life comes into focus. I am comforted by the cycles of the moon and the rain, and by the lives of animals and plants, going about their own business, regardless of the anxieties of human society. In this piece, I invite you into stillness, reflection, and connection with whatever you are feeling in this moment that needs some attention. You will hear the gentle rising of the moon, beginning in the haunting low register of the piccolo, the fluttering wings and unpredictable movements of moths, expressed by fast ascending and descending motives and quivering trills, and the steady motion of rippling water, expressed by a series arpeggiated chords. The moon motive returns in the high register about halfway through the piece, representing the brilliant light of the moon as it reaches its apex. At the end of the piece, the motive descends, representing moonset as dawn approaches. This piece was commissioned by and is dedicated to my dear friend Rose Bishop.
About the Composer: Portland, Oregon composer and mezzo-soprano Lisa Neher (b. 1985) writes theatrical, story-driven music for instruments and voices. Trained as a stage actress, her compositions are shaped by her keen sense of dramatic timing and feature aching, lyrical phrases, energetic rhythmic motives, and intense harmonies. Lisa’s particular passion for text and poetry has led to works such as her chamber opera White Horizon, about a nineteenth-century Arctic expedition gone wrong. She often draws inspiration for her instrumental works from the natural world, expressing the joyous bubbling of streams, the delicacy of sprouting plants, and the eerie mystery of deep ocean life with evocative timbres and vivid motives. Lisa’s commissions include works for Durward Ensemble, the Glass City Singers, Coe College Symphony Orchestra, Kirkwood Community College Chamber Singers, pianist Michael Kirkendoll, and flutist Rose Bishop. Her marimba duo Thaw was premiered by Mayumi Hama and Chris Froh at the Sacramento State Festival of New American Music. She is a fellow of the Cortona Sessions for New Music and the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music. Lisa is in high demand as a performer of contemporary and standard repertoire and is the creator of the One Voice Project, a one-woman performance combining contemporary poetry and new musical works for unaccompanied voice chosen through a call for scores initiative. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance & Pedagogy from the University of Iowa, a Masters of Music in Composition from the University of Kansas, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music and Theatre from Lewis & Clark College. She served on faculty at Grinnell College, Coe College, and Kirkwood Community College, teaching applied voice, vocal seminar, and applied composition. Lisa spends her free time training for and competing in triathlons, watching science fiction movies, and baking delicious treats involving copious amounts of chocolate. For more information, visit her website, www.lisanehermusic.com.
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Commissioned by and dedicated to Rose Bishop
Night Song for Moths
q = 69-72 Moonbeams. Very free. mysterious, alien, floating Piccolo
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transition from air tone (open circle) to full tone (filled in circle) gradually
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Lisa Neher (ASCAP)
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agile, unpredictable, free 3 3
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q = 100 Fluttering moths. More Rhythmic.
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Copyright © 2019 by Lisa Neher (ASCAP), All Rights Reserved. D.C. Al Platypus Publishing Company. Composer must be informed of all performances at lisanehermusic@gmail.com. Thank you!
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Night Song for Moths by Lisa Neher
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q = 69-72 Moonbeams. Very free. mysterious, alien, floating
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Night Song for Moths by Lisa Neher q. = 72 Rippling Water gentle, soothing accel. ( q. = 90) rit. accel. ( q. = 90) rit. 60
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q = 69-72 Bright Moonlight q = 100 Moths brilliant, transcendent agile, active, energetic
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Night Song for Moths by Lisa Neher
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q = 69-72 Moonset. Very Free.
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April 5, 2019, Portland, Oregon