Brazos De Dios

Brazos de Dios was commissioned by the Society for the Performing Arts of Houston, Texas for guitarist Susan McDonald. This work for guitar and chamber orchestra is an impressionistic one, inspired by the Brazos River’s many tributaries, or “arms”, which become new rivers, connecting Texas and its people. The “arms” relate to the seamless movements of the piece and pay tribute to the diversity of cultures that make up Texas’ heritage. The river and music tell a colorful and inspiring story of freedom and reflection. The composer, J. Todd Frazier, provides the following comments about his piece: “Brazos de Dios… my grandfather calls the Brazos by that name… the Arms of God. I’ve seen it written that way on a map of the Republic of Texas from 1842. What a name. Of all the rivers in Texas, the Brazos is the most intriguing to me. It gets me dreaming. I suppose it’s a bit like the Mississippi or the Hudson… but different. It reaches places and events that are close to Texans. Its arms flow through the entire state and join it together, touching so many generations that have traveled its banks. The many intriguing aspects of the Brazos River translate so naturally into a musical response, and the guitar and chamber orchestra provide the appropriate combinations to share an intimate expression.”

About this entry

You’re currently reading “ Brazos De Dios ,” an entry on J. Todd Frazier

Published:: 12.27.07 / 5pm

Category:: Composition

About

Jefferson Todd Frazier (todd@jtoddfrazier.com)is a composer, educator and non-profit leader. He is the Founder of the American Festival for the Arts (afatexas.org), serves as Executive Director of Young Audiences of Houston (yahouston.org) – the managing partner of Houston Arts Partners (houstonartspartners.org) and is the Managing Director for The Center for Performing Arts Medicine at The Methodist Hospital (methodistperformingarts.com). His work in the non profit sector focuses on the arts as a unique and dynamic common denominator in strategic collaboration. He is currently working on research, education and accessibility collaborations between the K-12 Education, University, Texas Medical Center, and the Arts and Culture communities in Houston, TX.

He received his undergraduate and graduate training from The Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and The Juilliard School in New York, NY. He has been honored by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, serves as a Director of the Texas Lyceum and is a Fellow of the US-Japan Foundation’s Leadership Program. On the occasion of the Juilliard School’s 100th anniversary in 2006, Frazier was recognized as one of 100 distinguished alumni and profiled in the Juilliard Journal’s “A Quiet Revolution: Juilliard Alumni and The Transformation of Education in America Through the Arts.”

As a composer, his love for history inspired his most recent work, “Thomas Jefferson”, a large scale oratorio based on the extraordinary life and contributions of the third president of the United States, receiving its Premiere on April 3, 2011 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. by the National Symphony Orchestra, soprano Renee Fleming and conductor Christoph Eschenbach. “It’s a beautiful work and the words of the Declaration of Independence come to life in a powerful way. I’m so happy to be singing Todd’s piece for the first time and it’s particularly special for me to perform this in our nation’s capital,” Ms. Fleming.

“Buffalo Altar; A Texas Symphony,” the first work in his long list of historically inspired compositions, is the story of Texas illuminated by narrator and orchestra (or piano) and is presently touring Texas with narrators Lucian Douglass, Tommy Thompson and Barry Corbin, of Urban Cowboy, Northern Exposure and The Closer fame. “Buffalo Altar”, commissioned by The Eastman School of Music and The University of Texas with the support of Dr. Robert Freeman, has recently become a popular highlight at literary festivals and historical events across the state.

Full Orchestral Version: http://jtoddfrazier.com/archives/26

Piano/Narrator Performance: http://www.youtube.com/user/FrazierJTodd

J. Todd Frazier

Brazos De Dios

About this entry

No comments

Have your say

About

Recently

Categories