The Mind Grows Heated
(2014) for concert band
The Mind Grows Heated was composed in fulfillment of my BA Honors Thesis for Distinction in Music. The title comes from something my mother always said to me whenever I was struggling with a project: "Only begin and the mind grows heated; only begin and the task is completed." Although not composed with a specific program in mind, the piece follows the psychological process of composing my first work for a large ensemble. The rising, open-ended melodies and the flowing accompaniment of the opening Andante section speak of the worried, yet hopeful, anticipation I experienced as I set out into new compositional territory. The percussive and militaristic material in the Allegro section represents the fear and anxiety I experienced while working on the piece, personifying doubt and insecurity as foes against which I had to battle. My endurance through these obstacles is represented by the ostinato figure in this section. The hopeful theme of the opening section finally rises out of the chaos, leading to a triumphant grandioso ending that represents a successful completion of my thesis.
This piece was premiered by the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University Wind Ensemble on April 26, 2014 under the direction of Dr. Dale White.