D a v i d   V e s s

When I first auditioned for the BrSO back in 2015, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. A whole new world of orchestral music and collaboration was ahead of me. I’ve had the great fortune to play tuba here for several seasons and I’m even more lucky to have been commissioned twice (!) By such a fantastic and spirited ensemble. Right from the onset we hear a triumphant theme from the brass. This theme will form the backbone of the work, constantly shifting and mutating with each appearance. I really wanted to create this feeling of flying through the air. There is an irregular heartbeat motive that recurs throughout, along with several small melodies. We fly through several episodes, each featuring different sections of the orchestra: a piccolo solo, a timpani solo, and brassy fanfares. The piece reaches its apex at a section I’ve marked: “at the peak of the mountain,” where the horn, trumpet and trombone revive the theme from the opening. There is a feeling of possibility, and almost apprehension, as if we are nervous to leap and take flight. But leap we do, and all of the various themes return, finding their final evolution before the piece roars to a finish, hurling us into the glorious sensation of 'Soaring Over the White Mountains'.