Jonathan Bailey Holland set to debut Ode as he begins his year as Composer-In-Residence of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Jonathan Bailey Holland's Ode for orchestra and chorus, is a response to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and will be premiered November 9-10, 2018

Jonathan Bailey Holland, Composer-In-Residence of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) for the 2018-19 season, has composed Ode, a 20-minute, three-movement choral and orchestral response to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. The CSO will perform the world premiere of the work November 9-10, 2018 as part of their “One City” initiative, conducted by Music Director Louis Langrée. Ode will be performed immediately before Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, and Mr. Langrée and the CSO will be joined by the May Festival Chorus and the Classical Roots Community Mass Choir.

Ode marches, grooves, and meditates, while reflecting on Beethoven’s life and works, and pulls in influences from rap, hip-hop, minimalism, and employs rich harmonies.

The three movements of Ode are:

• Movement 1: “Anticipation,” which begins with a minimalist theme and syllabic singing from the chorus.
• Movement 2: “Millions, Marching (Homage to Jamal and Dilla),” which alludes to today’s political climate and uses hooks from rapper J Dilla and hip-hop trio De La Soul.
• Movement 3: “Those Tones,” blurs and unravels sweeping chords and choral music that pays respect to Beethoven and his 9th Symphony.

Holland writes of Ode, “To respond to Beethoven and his masterwork today, in our current climate, proved as much a philosophical challenge as an artistic one. His iconic Symphony No. 9, often regarded as the epitome of western classical orchestral music, is often reduced to the intentionally memorable 12-bar theme from the final movement. My work Ode focuses on certain moments of the 9th Symphony that resonate with me personally, while also dialoguing with various moments within Beethoven’s work, some of which are fleeting or surprising, and yet hold deeper meaning than might appear on the surface.”

The CSO introduced One City, One Symphony in 2012 under the direction of Music Director Louis Langrée. The annual, region-wide initiative brings the community together by exploring a theme through music, and in that inaugural One City, One Symphony, Beethoven’s iconic Ninth Symphony inspired a robust community dialog around shared humanity.

The CSO’s commissioning of Ode is made possible by support from Ann and Harry Santen, and Holland’s composer-in-residence in Cincinnati is made possible by support from Irwin and Melinda Simon.

More About Jonathan Bailey Holland’s History with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Jonathan Bailey Holland’s relationship with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra began under the tenure of conductor Paavo Järvi, and has continued with great success under the oversight of Music Director Maestro Louis Langrée.

His October 2017 commission of Stories From Home was his fourth piece for the Orchestra, and prompted Classical Voice America to note, "his well-crafted work was...atmospheric, serene, and introspective, with long-breathed phrases and dissonant harmonies." Previous commissions include Equality (2015) for narrator and orchestra featuring the poetry of Dr. Maya Angelou, The Party Starter (2010), and Halcyon Sun (2003).

“Jonathan’s music resonates with Cincinnati audiences and the musicians of the Orchestra,” said Mr. Langrée. “The One City program will include his fifth CSO commission and we’re delighted to engage with him as Composer-in-Residence.”

About Jonathan Bailey Holland

A native of Flint, MI, composer Jonathan Bailey Holland’s works have been commissioned and performed by numerous orchestras across America. Recent highlights include the release of Synchrony, a powerful classical music statement on Black Lives Matter on Radius Ensemble’s Fresh Paint CD; the premiere of Equality for narrator and orchestra by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra featuring the poetry of Maya Angelou with narration by actor Regina Taylor and rapper/actor Common; and the premiere of Forged Sanctuaries by Curtis on Tour, commissioned to commemorate the centennial of National Park Service. His piece, Clarity of Cold Air, was recently premiered at National Sawdust, and Equality was a featured piece at the annual League of American Orchestra’s conference in Detroit in June 2017.

A recipient of a 2015 Fromm Foundation Commission at Harvard University, he has received honors from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, American Music Center, ASCAP, the Presser Foundation, and more. He has served as Composer-in-Residence for the Plymouth Music Series of Minnesota (currently Vocal Essence); Ritz Chamber Players; Detroit and South Bend Symphony Orchestras; and the Radius Ensemble. His music has been recorded by the Cincinnati Symphony; the University of Texas Trombone Choir; trumpeter Jack Sutte; and flutist Christopher Chaffee. He has recently released a piece on Radius Ensemble’s new recording, Fresh Paint, and has an upcoming release planned with pianist Sarah Bob.

Holland earned a Ph.D. in Music from Harvard University and studied composition with Ned Rorem at the Curtis Institute of Music. He is Chair of Composition, Contemporary Music, and Core Studies at Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and Faculty Chair of the Music Composition program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. He has also served as Professor of Composition at Berklee College of Music.

jonathanbaileyholland.com

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