JAZZ BAND CHART

COMMISSIONED BY: Kevin Day
WRITTEN FOR: Kevin Day, Jordan VanHemert and the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra
WORLD PREMIERE: October 20, 2019 | Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra (Jordan VanHemert, director), Kevin Day (guest artist), Josh Trentadue (conductor) | Holland Christian High School, Holland, Michigan

READING SESSION: December 20, 2019 | The United States Navy Band Commodores Jazz Ensemble (MUCS William C. Mulligan, director) | The Midwest Clinic New Music Reading Sessions (2019), McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois

CHART

The first time I ever saw Kevin Day playing piano was during an impromptu session one night at a local bar in Chicago. As much as I had known at that point how phenomenal of a composer he is, I quickly learned just how brilliantly gifted he also is as a jazz artist. It was in that fleeting moment that I knew I needed to write a new piece of music for him - something that could exemplify, demonstrate, and bring to life this amazing side of his artistry.

"The Dance That Never Was" is the second of four tunes comprising a larger suite that was the result of this commission titled "Four Ethereal Planes". This tune is a slow ballad for the moments in life that never happened; the risks not taken, the opportunities missed, and so on. The emotional core of this tune relies on a mixture of longing and sadness - longing for moments that once was, and sadness for moments that never will be.

I am incredibly thankful to Kevin for being open to this project and for the opportunity to write this work for him. I am also thankful to Jordan VanHemert and the Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra for their incredible collaboration with us and bringing this piece to life.