To Awaken the Sun was inspired by a short children’s story of the same name written by Angela Morris. It is centered around a character named Mr. Violin who begins a journey with his friend, Mr. Viola, to sail the open seas. The two encounter many other modern instruments on their ship and eventually discover a new world inhabited by instruments of the Baroque era. Although very different, the modern instruments and the Baroque instruments become united through their love of music.

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Angela Morris gave nearly every instrument a personality in her story and my goal was to bring out these characters through recognizable motives. I also wanted these motives to change as the characters changed. Mr. Violin, for instance, begins the work with a very lyric and romantic solo. The next time he plays it, however, it has taken on the chanty-like characteristics of the music played aboard the ship. Near the end of the story, Mr. Violin’s music is played by the modern ensemble as they join the Baroque instruments, who offer lovely 18th-century counterpoint to the original theme.

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To Awaken the Sun is dedicated to Dr. Tess Remy-Schumacher and the University of Central Oklahoma’s Brisch Center for Historical Performance.

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Zachary Anderson, Horn and Natural Horn
KaDee Bramlett, Oboe and Baroque Oboe
Margaret Brisch, Harpsichord
Emily Butterfield, Flute
Colin Deibert, Lute
Meryl Geib, Baroque Cello
Michael Geib, Bass and Baroque Bass
Dawn Lindblade-Evans, Clarinet
Theodora Morris, Recorders and Baroque Violin
Ralph Morris, Viola and Baroque Viola
Tess Remy-Schumacher, Cello
Natalie Syring, Baroque Flute
Hong Zhu, Violin