Catalog of works:
World premiere performance of Exoplanet 42 by the Ashland Middle School Wind Ensemble, Jenifer Carstensen, director. Thursday 5/23/2013 in the Ashland Middle School Big Gym, Ashland, Oregon.
Exoplanet 42 is dedicated to the 2012-2013 Ashland Middle School Wind Ensemble, Jenifer Carstensen, director. With this piece I hope to share in the fascination of the art of music and the science of space exploration using the science of music to celebrate the art of space exploration.
Never before in human history have we had direct knowledge of planets orbiting a star other than our own sun. Using observation of star "wobbles" and other techniques, scientists have identified hundreds of distant worlds and given them names like Kepler-69c (pictured on the title page of the score.)
The exploration of the fictitious Exoplanet 42 takes place in the listener's imagination guided by the music. The planet’s numeration and titles of the sections of the work are homages to the late author Douglas Adams. He knew where is towel was.
1. Approach, m.1. A view of the planet from orbit and a landing.
2. Agrajag Archipelago, m. 30. The wretched Agrajag was reincarnated numerous times only to be killed by accident each time by Arthur Dent. He's very sorry . The archipelago has an island for each of Agrajag's lives.
3. The Forests of Lallafa, m. 76. Lallafa was an ancient poet who composed the most beautiful and touching poetry in the entire universe. He was fondly admired until he got mixed up with time-traveling marketers of correction fluid. These are the forests in the Long Lands of Effa where he lived and wrote his poems.
4. Departure, m.134. We see the planet again from orbit as we prepare to blast off for home.
See Sample PDF of Score