Available in two arrangements: String Quartet, String Orchestra
Originally written for The Emily Carr String Quartet as part of my composer residency at Salt Spring Island’s ArtSpring, Beloved of the Sky pays tribute to one of Canada’s most iconic painters, Emily Carr. Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky is the title of an enchanting painting by Carr that I first encountered at the Vancouver Art Gallery many years before I started writing this piece. It shows an unusually tall isolated tree, reaching up to a bright spot in the center of the sky.
Programme Notes
Inspired by the iconic Canadian artist, Emily Carr, each movement of this piece either pays tribute to one of her paintings or captures a predominant theme that many of her works share. Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky is the title of a powerful painting by Emily Carr, one that made a strong impression on me when I first saw it at the Vancouver Art Gallery, and is the inspiration behind the second movement of the piece. Emily Carr’s paintings transport me to her natural world, reminding me that we are not just connected to nature, but that we are nature herself. In the first movement, I visit the sense of wonder and bewilderment her paintings of dense forests convey. Woo was Emily Carr’s infamous pet monkey, and the final movement is an inward reflection, inspired by her 1939 self-portrait.
Performance History
August 15, 2014 – Salt Spring Island – Emily Carr String Quartet
March 7, 2016 – Ann Arbor, Michigan – Jack Quartet (workshop)
April 15, 2017 – Ann Arbor, Michigan – Calidore String Quartet (Recording Session)
November 21, 2019 – 7:30pm – Metchosin, BC – Emily Carr String Quartet
November 24, 2019 – 2:30pm – Sidney, BC – Emily Carr String Quartet
November 26, 2019 – 7:30pm – Victoria, BC – Emily Carr String Quartet
October 24, 2020 – Virtual event – Atlanta, GA – Cantos Y Cuentos
October 4, 2022 – Logan, UT – Fry Street Quartet
January 29, 2023 – Salt Lake City, UT – Fry Street Quartet
June 27, 2023 – Manhattan, NY – Chelsea Music Festival Orchestra
Perusal Score
Purchase PDF Score/Parts (for physical copies, contact us)
Recordings
First two movements only