Harper's West

General Info

Year: 2020
Duration: c. 5:30
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Murphy Music Press
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $125.00 | Score Only (print) - $25.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Bongos (2)
Brake Drum
Crash Cymbals
Crystal Glasses (3)
Glockenspiel
Hi-Hat
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Tam-tam
Tom-Toms (2)
Triangles (different sizes)
Vibraphone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The namesake for this work is my daughter, Harper. She has a playful spirit. For all of her shyness, she has an incredibly warm personality for a toddler. When she was four months old, she was diagnosed with a rare seizure disorder called Infantile Spasms, or also known as “West Syndrome.” When she first began to have seizures, it was as if the light left her eyes and all of her joy with it. As she grappled with the seizures, she would endure clusters of episodes where she would briefly come out of the haze in a panic – knowing that something was terribly wrong – before being consumed by the seizure again.

These were difficult to watch and endure, but what has been inspirational is watching the way in which she has learned to cope and even thrive intellectually despite these challenges. This work represents my best effort to re-create what she appeared to experience, going from playing to descending into these frightening episodes.

The premiere performance was presented on March 1, 2022 at Libby Gardner Concert Hall at The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT with The University of Utah Wind Ensemble, Dr. Rebekah Daniel conductor.

- Program Note by composer

Media

Audio: Reference Recording. The University of Utah Wind Ensemble (Rebekah Daniel, conductor)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

University of North Carolina Charlotte Wind Ensemble (Hunter Kopczynski, conductor) - 28 April 2023
University of Utah (Salt Lake City) Wind Ensemble (Rebekah Daniel, conductor) - 1 March 2022 *Premiere Performance*

Works for Winds by This Composer

Resources

Henry Dorn website Accessed 29 November 2022
Perusal Score