Manifold facing west

Manifold facing west is a cumulative work. As my master's thesis, it acts as an accumulation of knowledge gained during my time at the University of Texas. As a student of Dan Welcher, it acts as the culmination of my time with him and the focus we took on writing for orchestra. This is my first work for full orchestra, but it comes after a smaller work for orchestra which itself came after a work for string orchestra. In this way too the work is cumulative. Musically, there are key points in the form where a climax is built through the accumulation of figures. Manifold facing west is a story about an artist (myself) who daydreams about moving west, and the adventure of beginning a new life. In the first section (Anthypnic sensations), the artist sees in his mind an idea of what might happen in the years ahead. The artist sees all the slight variations on what events might unfold. At what's called the Borderland state, where the waking mind begins to fall into sleep, the visions become overwhelming and even terrifying. The second section begins in a R.E.M. cycle, where the artist has unknowingly engaged in a great exciting dream. Here the simple thoughts of what may come have been turned into a full blown adventure, with wonders and beauty and danger. Ultimately the energy and excitement the artist is feeling causes the dream to get out of hand. The artist struggles to wake himself up, but is pulled back into his dream. The artist is pulled back several times until, gasping, he finally breaks the spell of his dreams and emerges into a state of calm awareness.