Michael McGlynn wrote us an amazing, complex, rich setting of an amazing, complex, rich poem. We spent much of the year working hard to expand our ears, expand our technique, to do it justice.
Please enjoy Michael McGlynn’s “May”, the brand-new sister piece of his popular “August“. The Rockford Aces are proud to be the commissioning ensemble of “May” and hope to hear many choirs singing it down the road. For the moment, though – it’s just ours.
Thank you, Michael for your generosity of time and insight. We are glad to know you (at least via FaceTime).
Premieres can be a tricky thing – all stress, apprehension, and an overarching desire to do justice to the piece. I’m so proud of these thirteen Aces for moving beyond that and showing maturity, poise, and passion in this performance. It’s not done – never will be – but that’s always the thing with great music, isn’t it?
Most of all, I’m just so proud to have enabled this piece to come alive. As a composer and arranger, I feel a sense of accomplishment whenever I finish and send off a manuscript. I’ve been surprised to discover that the feeling is much the same when I’m the commissioning conductor. The same pride in the piece, the same sense of ownership. For my conductor colleagues, I can’t recommend highly enough this process. It can be challenging, but it is overwhelmingly worth it in the end.
Finally, I have to again thank the Rockford Education Foundation, as I did on stage before the performance, for partially funding this commission with their support of our grant proposal.