Program Notes:
"Hymns Renewed" bridges the ancient and the modern, blending some of the earliest known Greek melodies with contemporary extended techniques for flute, cello, and tam-tam. The piece draws from Petros Tabouris' reconstructions of the Hymn to the Muse and Hymn to Calliope and Apollo, borrowing these melodies and placing them in a new context.

The work's symmetrical form reflects themes of memory and transformation. The first two movements, "Hymn to the Muse I" and "Hymn to Calliope and Apollo I," introduce the primary melodies with contrasting characters. The structure then turns inward: "Hymn to Mnemosyne I" recalls an earlier theme, referencing the Greek goddess of memory. At the center, "Kháos" —named for the primordial god of chaos — disrupts the balance with intense, unrelenting force. The symmetry then unfolds in reverse: "Hymn to Mnemosyne II" restores the earlier hymns, while "Hymn to the Muse II" and "Hymn to Calliope and Apollo II" return with swapped styles.

Extended techniques on all three instruments create a shifting soundscape, at times ethereal and at times explosive. This piece explores the meeting point between the earliest known music and some of the most modern compositional techniques.

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Performed March 5th, 2025 at Schneebeck Concert Hall, University of Puget Sound

Flute — Alex Westervelt
Cello — Connor Adams
Tam-Tam — Skyler Hedblom