“LET’S PLAY” CONSORTIUM [AURORA TAPESTRY COLLECTIVE]

So I’m part of a really cool new consortium THAT JUST OPENED TODAY!!!

You may have seen some previews of a new wind ensemble piece I’ve been working on lately. Well - it’s for this consortium.

The very first memory I ever have of a video game was Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive, as it’s known in other areas). The very first memory I have of that game is watching my mom and dad compete against each other in the multiplayer mode, racing as fast as possible from the beginning of a stage to the very end.

That was my very first introduction to the platformer genre. And I was HOOKED.

Not just the Sonic series. Mario. Kirby. Freedom Planet. A Hat in Time. Games with split-second decisions that can either make or break a perfect playthrough, overcoming an obstacle or defeating a boss, earning that special item you really just have to have, and so on. Adventures that leave you coming back for more, because no matter how frustrating things may get, nothing is as satisfying as finally beating the game.

My piece for the Aurora Tapestry Collective’s “Let’s Play” consortium, Hilltop Run, is an ode and love letter to the platformer genre, particularly the games that I’ve grown up with and continue to play to this day. This piece (and the consortium as a whole) is commissioned by Dr. Jason Noble and the NYU Wind Symphony - the consortium also includes new pieces by fellow ATC composers Kevin Day, Harrison J. Collins, and Katahj Copley, who are all also writing video-game-genre-inspired works for band.

Check out the consortium and consider joining us!! The deadline to sign up is July 31, 2022 - each of the three levels you can join has some pretty cool perks. On the consortium page, you can also read and hear a preview of Hilltop Run.

Be warned.

It’s probably the most heavy-metal piece I’ve written so far.

But it’s going to be so much fun.