“In January 2019, Gabriella Smith’s Tumblebird Contrails will be performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic with John Adams conducting,” writes Gemma Peacocke in Tuesday at (7/24) icareifyoulisten. “Smith’s connection to the natural world is evident in many of her works, including a new piece commissioned as part of Bravo! Vail’s New Works. On August 2, Roomful of Teeth and the Dover String Quartet will premiere Smith’s one-movement Requiem, the text of which she derived from the Latin names of all the species that have become extinct over the last century. Q: Why is environmentalism an important aspect of your work? Smith: The destruction of our biosphere is the biggest issue facing humans and all species on Earth…. I have always loved spending time in nature, hiking and observing and getting to know the organisms around me. Q: You’ve written a lot for orchestra; how does the experience of writing for orchestra compare to writing for smaller forces? Smith: Writing for smaller forces allows me to create parts that are very personal, custom-made for each musician…. But orchestral writing is fun for its own reasons (the scale alone is awe-inspiring), and I try to incorporate that personal touch as much as I can.”
Posted July 25, 2018
