World Premiere: May 12, 2023 | Courtney Hershey Bress, solo harp, with the Colorado Symphony | Conducted by Andrew Litton | Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Complex
Instrumentation:
Piccolo/Alto Flute
Flute
Oboe
English Horn
Bb Clarinet
Bb Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Contrabassoon
2 F Horns (Brass Stop mute, straight metal mute)
2 C Trumpets (straight metal and harmon mute, stem out)
Percussion; 2 players (instruments are not shared):
Percussion 1:
Glockenspiel, plastic and “Magic Flute” mallets
Marimba, hard yarn mallets
Vibraphone, medium hard yarn mallets and bow
Maracas
Large Shaker
2 Woodblocks, hard mallets
Percussion 2:
2 Triangles, large and small, on stand
Metal Wind Chimes
Guiro
Castanets, on stand
Claves
Large Whip
Tambourine
Finger Cymbals
Concert Bass Drum
Suspended Cymbal, yarn mallets
Chimes
Solo Harp (slight amplification recommended)
Strings
Duration: 30 minutes
Composer’s Note:
Harp of Ages (2023) for harp and orchestra was commissioned by the Colorado Symphony for Principal Harpist,
Courtney Hershey Bress. The world premiere was given by Courtney Hershey Bress, solo harp, with the Colorado
Symphony conducted by Andrew Litton , at the Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Complex on May 12,
2023.
The harp is one of the oldest and most beautiful instruments, from early civilizations to the present. Like the seven
pedals on the modern harp, my concerto is divided into seven movements that reflect on many ages of the harp.
Each movement is associated with a memorable figure associated with the harp:
– Michael Daugherty (2023)