In 2017, I had the opportunity to travel to New Orleans and immerse myself in the city’s jazz scene. I got to hear wonderful performances in historical venues, visit the New Orleans Jazz Museum, and, of course, explore much of the city in the process. I was captivated by the stark juxtapositions that were present throughout the area. There was always a parade or party passing through Bourbon Street, but the side streets could be quite serene. Cathedrals would be within walking distance of voodoo stores. Despite the juxtapositions, however, there was a unifying love of music present throughout the city.
Portraits of New Orleans is my attempt to pay homage to New Orleans and its juxtapositions by combining elements of its traditional jazz music with contemporary classical music. The first movement, Preservation Hall, pulls influence from the stride piano and melodic shapes often heard in the repertoire played in the venue. This is contrasted by a slower, somber movement based on the liturgical musical sometimes used in worship at the St. Louis Cathedral. To conclude the piece, we end with a rowdy and boisterous showstopper based on the wild nights common on Bourbon Street.
