MoonStrike

for String Quartet - 25'
Commissioned by Apollo Chamber Players.
Premiered September 27, 2019

MoonStrike is a work composed for Apollo Chamber Players, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and features American Indian stories with a live narrator. American Indian legends are very colorful and have a tendency to take twists and turns within the narrative. Regarding the Moon, it is very consistent that the traditional tales involve trickster characters and competitions for ownership of this precious object.

MoonStrike involves three diverse American Indian legends, includes traditional songs and is bookended with an arrangement of a Calusa Corn Dance. For Southeast Indians, the Green Corn Dance took place during the annual, fall Harvest Moon.

MoonStrike is dedicated to the memory of Margo Aragon-Herrington. It was Margo’s wish that John Herrington and I would collaborate with American Indian astrological stories and it is my joy and honor to realize this dream.

• Prologue, Calusa Corn Dance
• I. Origin of the Moon (Kalispel), Rockies Powwow Song, Apache Bird Song
• II. The Man Who Married the Moon (Isleta Pueblo), Pueblo Lullaby, Choctaw Hymn 139
• III. Raven Steals the Moon (Haida), Haida Play Song and War Song
• Epilogue, Calusa Corn Dance

Composed for Apollo Chamber Players’ 20x2020 project, underwritten by the C. Howard Pieper Foundation.