Chamber Symphony

Needham's original intent with Chamber Symphony was to encapsulate the 2008 presidential election, from the Democratic primaries to the historic general election campaign and win of Barack Obama. But, says Needham, "In the midst of the general election circus, I decided to broaden my inspiration and have the work's overall goal focus on the larger ideas of hope and transformation." Chamber Symphony was commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra with generous support of Paul Underwood. Additional support was from the National Endowment for the Arts.

I originally envisioned a work inspired by the political scene of the 2008 presidential election, focusing primarily on the hard-fought Democratic Primary race. I was very much inspired by the historic and hopeful spirit that each campaign embodied. Some time later, in the midst of the general election circus, I decided to broaden that thought and have the work's overall goal focus on the larger idea of transformation - personally as well as universally. The Chamber Symphony is constructed in three movements, played without pause: Hammering Out, Open-ended Echoes, & Radiant Nation. The titles suggest the general atmosphere each movement attempts to express. The outer movements act as the antithesis of each other in terms of texture and mood. Hammering Out employs an aggressive, relentless, pounding beat that frequently shifts, and is often emphasized with metallic sounds. Radiant Nation is much lighter and optimistic, and uses an up-beat grove throughout the movement. The middle movement, Open-ended Echoes, is the proverbial calm after the storm. Unlike the outer movements, Open-ended Echoes is almost void of any stable beat. The movement attempts to create a peaceful, contemplative mood that transforms the volatile nature of the first movement to the radiant spirit of the last. Chamber Symphony was commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra for its Orchestra Underground Series with the generous support of Paul Underwood. Additional support for the ACO's Emerging Composers Program comes from the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

Needham's original intent with Chamber Symphony was to encapsulate the 2008 presidential election, from the Democratic primaries to the historic general election campaign and win of Barack Obama. But, says Needham, "In the midst of the general election circus, I decided to broaden my inspiration and have the work's overall goal focus on the larger ideas of hope and transformation." Chamber Symphony was commissioned by the American Composers Orchestra with generous support of Paul Underwood. Additional support was from the National Endowment for the Arts.