Performed May 26, 2009 at the University of Oregon
Sean O’Neal, Violin
Jared Swanson, Viola
Ralph Stricker Chapman, Cello
Amy Norland, Flute
Jeremy Curtis, Oboe
Joey Hartman, Bassoon

An Odyssey was composed as part of my requirement for Composition I in Spring of 2009. The four movement work is actually programmatic and is intended to musically depict a story. The main premise is fantasy, and consists of four movements:

A character piece portraying the main villain, an extremely powerful sorceress. The witch is actually a young woman who became a sorceress against her will and would rather spend her life with her beloved than trouble herself with taking over the world. Despite her best efforts, however, she succumbs to the evil within and takes her place as the most powerful being in the world, determined to rule under villainous tyranny.

A character piece portraying the main hero, a courageous young man full of adventure. He dreams of someday saving the world from the threat of the evil sorceress.

The hero falls in love with a charming young woman. Little does he know, this woman is also the evil sorceress. Despite her urging him not to, he promises to go on a quest to save the world from the evil sorceress so they may live happily.

The hero must fulfill his promise to his beloved and his world. He battles and ultimately defeats the sorceress, but as she dies, the good within her surfaces and he realizes that he has just killed the same woman he was so in love with. He is victorious but heartbroken.