PROGRAM BOOK LISTING

Equinox Ritual — Homage to Stravinsky (for percussion quartet) (2025)                                 Augusta Read Thomas (b. 1964)

Program Note

Over the past forty-five years, I have composed many works whose titles point to natural and celestial radiances: galaxy, star, sun, earth, moon, sky, light, dawn, illumination, solstice, summer, etc. One central metaphor of my life’s creative work is that of light refracting. Of interest to me, for my work, is to build, sculpt, and compose clean, clear, transparent, translucent, luminous, radiant, shining, resounding, and resonant musical materials.

I asked myself, what kind of musical ritual might I compose for musicians that would be literally at the equator at the exact time of an equinox. The result is Equinox Ritual.

Cultures throughout the epochs, and in all corners of planet Earth, have performed a multitude of rituals to celebrate and mark equinoxes. As I composed Equinox Ritual, in my mind’s ear and eye were sonic and visual images of four musicians and dancers, performing outdoors (if feasible) during the precise moment of an equinox. For this reason, when it is also feasible, Equinox Ritual is to be performed with dancers.

Inspiration for Equinox Ritual are the traditions, found globally, of ritual drumming. For instance, Native American drumming symbolizing Earth's heartbeat and African ceremonies for spiritual journeys. My daily composing ritual is therapy for myself. Composition for me is a form of active meditation through which I hope to share sonic resonances, rhythm, grace, empathy, and energy.

A related sonic and balletic image I had when composing this composition was that of a kaleidoscopically radiant light refracting with vibrant and multi-shaped energies in a constant state of transformation. The music’s energy-flows vary and braid together musical materials that are blazing, radiant, kinetic, ritualistic, resonant, lyrical, rhythmic, reflective, fiery, avid, dynamic, effervescent, and, at times, harmonically jazz-like. The resulting labyrinth of musical interrelationships showcases the world-class musicians.

The twenty-one-minute composition is in three parts played without a pause. The first part, “Reaching Skyward,” unfolds bell-like fanfares—with outgrowths and transformations and lasts four minutes and thirty seconds. The second part, “Equinox Rites,” consists of a series of shorter sections entitled “Drumming Ritual 1,” “Bells Recap,” “Cosmic Clock 1,” “Drumming Ritual 2,” “Cosmic Clock 2, and ” “Drumming Ritual 3.” These sections last twelve minutes. The third and concluding part, “Bell Prayers,” lasts four minutes.

Although my music is meticulously notated in every detail, I like it to sound like it was spontaneously invented—always in the act of becoming. The creative journey—not a predictable or fixed point of arrival—is, for me, essential. I dance while I compose, hoping that my music will feel organic and self-propelled. I work hard to ensure that my music too dances; I often create in my mind and ear imaginary flexible dances and ballets, poems, visual art doodles, lighting, or animations, and I love virtuosic performances that percolate and spiral with natural musicality. I draw maps of form and never follow them! Rather, I follow the music where it needs to go and then redraw the maps of form over and over and over.

Equinox Ritual is dedicated with admiration and gratitude to Garrett Arney, John Corkill, Nonoka Mizukami, and Adam Rosenblatt.

—Augusta Read Thomas

MAP OF FORM AND AURA AS DRAWN BY THE COMPOSER

To obtain examination or performance material for this
Augusta Read Thomas work, please contact Nimbus Music Publishing.