World Premiere of Emma O’Halloran’s “Only Moments to Live,” tenor saxophone concerto with the Temple University Wind Symphony under Dr. Patricia Cornett – 3/14 @ 7 PM in Philly

As member of the Boyer College of Music and Dance faculty for nearly 10 years, I’m thrilled to join the Temple University Wind Symphony under Dr. Patricia Cornett on March 14 for the world premiere (and subsequent release on BCM&D Records) of Only Moments to Live, a concerto for tenor saxophone and wind ensemble by Irish composer Emma O’Halloran. The work is inspired by writings on mindfulness by Jon Kabat-Zinn. On behalf of Temple University, Dr. Cornett and I led a consortium of 15 top U.S. saxophonists and affiliated institutions to commission the work. Previously, I premiered and recorded O’Halloran’s tenor sax and electronics work, Sum of its Parts, for XAS Records, PRISM Quartet’s in-house label.

The concert is part of Temple University’s Festival of Winds. Admission is free. Click here for complete info. I hope to see you there!

Check out this article about the project in TEMPLE NOW.

Below are Emma’s artist statement and program notes.

ARTIST STATEMENT
I am very much looking forward to being in residence at the Boyer College of Music and Dance for the premiere of my concerto “Only Moments to Live” for tenor saxophone and wind band. This piece has been commissioned by a consortium of top US saxophonists led by Matthew Levy, Dr. Patricia Cornett, and Temple University, and I’m thrilled that I will get to be there in person for rehearsals, the premiere, and for co-producing a recording of the piece.

There are several things about this work that make it particularly special for me. I’ve known Matthew Levy for over a decade and have written for him both as a soloist and for PRISM, his incredible saxophone quartet. Through our various collaborations, I’ve come to know Matthew not only as a virtuosic performer but also as a brilliant improviser, and I wanted to create space for that to shine in this piece. For that reason, a lot of the soloist’s music is improvised which means that each performance will be slightly different and the soloist’s role is both performer and co-composer for the solo line.

This piece is also my first concerto and my first time writing for wind symphony, and I’m so grateful for the guidance and support of Dr. Cornett throughout the process. It’s been a joy getting to explore so many new colours and textures, and I can’t wait to meet all the amazing musicians of the Temple Wind Symphony and to hear the music come to life for the first time.

PROGRAM NOTE
The title “Only Moments to Live” was inspired by a passage from Jon Kabat-Zinn’s groundbreaking book “Full Catastrophe Living”:

“Oh, I’ve had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I’d have more of them. In fact, I’d try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.” -Nadine Stair, eighty-five years old, Louisville, Kentucky

Over the past few years, it’s become increasingly important to me to slow down and cultivate presence in this fast-paced world. By integrating mindfulness practices into my daily life, I’m learning how to manage pain and anxiety, and to be fully present to good moments as well as the bad, and my life feels richer for it. This is what this piece is about.

The music is a sort of dance between the soloist and the band. The soloist plays gestures that are picked and expanded on by different instruments, and then there are improvisational sections where the soloist listens to the group and responds. It requires everyone being fully present in the moment and every performance of this piece will be a little bit different. I hope you enjoy the moment!