Steven Bryant

Meditation is the most spacious music of the five movements. Beginning attacca from Exclamation, the music juxtaposes the opening chord progression from Shouting Defiance with the melody from Nocturne. The patient pulse of time marked by a quiet bass drum underscores a continually evaporating, blurred texture. The music culminates in a brief episode of arrival which dissolves, returning us to a state of measured stasis.

Meditation is the movement of my larger work, Pendulum, commissioned by a consortium led by the University of Illinois Bands Program in celebration of its 150th anniversary.

More info about Pendulum and its movements:

I. Shouting Defiance – 2’30”
II. Nocturne – 4′
III. Exclamation – 1’30”
IV. Meditation – 12′
V. Zeal – 4′

The University of Illinois gratefully acknowledges the following alumni conductors, their institutions, and friends who contributed to this project celebrating the Sesquicentennial of the University of Illinois Bands.

• Evanston Township High School, Evanston, Illinois—Matthew P. Bufis, Director of Bands
• Fresno State Wind Orchestra, Fresno, California—Gary P. Gilroy, Director of Bands
• John Hersey High School, Arlington Heights, Illinois—Scott Casagrande, Director of Bands
• Bill and Julie Jastrow, Naperville, Illinois
• University of Evansville, Evansville, Illinois—Kenneth Steinsultz, Director of Bands
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois—Stephen Peterson, Director of Bands
• University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky—Cody Birdwell, Director of Bands
• University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts—Matthew Westgate, Director
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina—Kevin M. Geraldi and John R. Locke, Conductors
• University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina—Scott Weiss, Conductor
• University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota—John P. LaCognata, Conductor
• University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming—Robert Belser, Director of Bands
• Charles and Marti Yassky, Tappan, New York

Commissioned by: University of Illinois and consortium

Premiered

21 February 2019, CBDNA National Conference, Tempe, AZ. University of Illinois Wind Symphony, Stephen Peterson, conductor.

Technical Info

View Instrumentation List