Thousand Inner Voices, A (Band Gr. 3)

A fantastic closer to any concert program, A Thousand Inner Voices is sure to challenge musicians and audiences with learning to live with the voices in our heads. This piece was created in collaboration with Dr. Kaitlin Bove and the ...And We Were Heard organization for their 2022 Fundraiser Consortium.

Genre: Band | # of Players: Standard
Series: Emerald Band Series
Level: 3 | Duration: 4:25

Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (8.5x11 stapled booklet)

Flute 1
Flute 2
Oboe [optional]
Bassoon [optional]
B-flat Clarinet 1
B-flat Clarinet 2
B-flat Bass Clarinet
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone

B-flat Trumpet 1
B-flat Trumpet 2
F Horn
Trombone
Euphonium
B-flat Euphonium T.C.
Tuba

Timpani (3 drums)
Keyboard Percussion 1: Glockenspiel, Chimes [shared]
Keyboard Percussion 2: Xylophone, Marimba (low A), Chimes [shared]
Percussion 1 & 2: Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Tam-Tam
Percussion 3 & 4: Triangle, Tambourine, Low Tom, FX Cymbal

Program Notes
In December 2021, Dr. Kaitlin Bove approached me to compose a new piece for the ...And We Were Heard organization. It would serve as a fundraising work for yearly expenses–and the organization would receive all of the proceeds of the consortium. I’ve always believed in the mission Dr. Bove and the rest of the ...And We Were Heard team started on, and I was incredibly excited to do a small part to contribute to the organization.

I was just coming off my first premiere at The Midwest Clinic with my piece "As the World Waits," and I was wondering what was next. Within weeks, my head was flooded with doubtful thoughts that I had peaked as a composer and it was all downhill from there. I did my best to cope with these thoughts, but I could not shake them. I had a myriad of projects to complete, and I couldn’t quiet what felt like a thousand inner voices telling me that I wasn’t good enough. Then I did what I do best, and I came up with the idea for this piece. Composing this piece was a coping mechanism, especially because it freed my mind to create freely and justify to those voices that I can do what I want to do. ...That I can accomplish my goals. ...That I can quiet said voices.

All of the musical layers in this work represent the thousand inner voices. Some are positive, but most are negative. They distract from the theme and mock it at times. This occurs throughout the piece until just after halfway, where a chorale beckons the radiant positivity that exists in all of us. Some material in this section takes inspiration from some of my favorite moments as a composer, conductor, and musician. Among these musical moments is material from the aforementioned "As the World Waits," which I consider to be a sister piece to "A Thousand Inner Voices." This similar material takes on a metaphorical role of positive affirmations. This battle between positive and negative lasts until the end of the piece where we hear a triumphant chord only to be followed by a sinking, negative ending. After all, this piece isn’t about only quieting these voices. It’s about learning to live with them.

I wanted to share musical inspiration and call to all who come in contact with this piece to be brave enough to rise above these doubtful voices. With this courage to pursue and achieve our goals with our one true voice, we may finally say “and we were heard.”

– M.C.