From the Mountains to the Sea - OB/CL/ASX/BCL/BSN

From the Mountains to the Sea
for Reed Quintet: oboe, clarinet alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and bassoon
by Amber Ferenz (b. 1973) - American composer and bassoonist

ABOUT THE MUSIC

This piece is commissioned by Burnt Reeds as part of their Homegrown Melodies commissioning project, in collaboration with fiscal sponsor Charlotte New Music and funding provided by a grant from the City of Charlotte Arts Infusion Opportunity Fund Grant.

When Burnt Reeds asked me if I might be interested in writing for them as part of their Homegrown Melodies project, I got really excited. SIX North Carolina composers writing SIX NEW WORKS for reed quintet?! How extraordinary! Yes, please!

I love living in North Carolina. We have four full seasons, gorgeous landscapes, and shrimp and grits. I’ve traveled in NC as a bassoonist frequently, and my travels have given me a deep appreciation for this state we love to call HOME.

From the Mountains to the Sea is a musical journey across North Carolina, from West to East, beginning with our glorious Blue Ridge mountains and ending in the vast waters of the Atlantic. I wanted to write about the land under our feet: how do I feel when I visit a particular region? Do I feel mellow, contemplative? Or do I feel full of restless energy?

The piece has 7 distinct sections:

I. Blue Ridge splendor

II. Piedmont’s water dripping on stone III. Sand Hills intense vigor

IV. Down East: a Carolina Nocturne

V. Sunrise on the Sound

VI. Outer Banks: On the Beach

VII. Waves! (and on into the sea)

However YOU feel about North Carolina’s regions, it’s my hope that this piece will inspire you to travel around and experience the entirety of our beautiful state for yourself.

- Amber Ferenz, Winston-Salem, NC 2023