The First Rain of the Year

The First Rain of the Year Pierrot Ensemble with Percussion (2021)

Tanner Harrod

Instrumentation Flute Clarinet Percussion (Thunder sheet, Bells, Vibraphone with motor) Piano Violin Cello

Program Note When rain first came in the spring of 2021, I felt a wide range of emotions.

My car had a flat tire that day, the replacement tire costing more than the previous night’s gig had paid me. It was spring, but still cold, not a great time to be working on a car. The weight of the semester was starting to come down on me. Still, not all was doom and gloom. That same day I received an email saying it was my turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. My spirits returned, hopeful for a future where I could be safer, where my community could be safer with this life-changing shot.

The First Rain of the Year encapsulates all the varied feelings that come with rainy days. The piece begins with sounds of unwelcomed rain, the cold and dread that makes people want to stay inside. As the music continues, the dreariness changes into a sense of optimism and a celebration of the springtime and the sunny days to come.

The First Rain of the Year was commissioned by Rebecca Nederhiser and the Trace Chamber Society. Its initial recording was made possible, in part, with support from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts' Endowment Fund.