9+ players (large chamber): Hexentanz

Hexentanz, or Witch Dance, takes inspiration from ancient ritual dance circles meant to heighten extrasensory perception and summon the spirits of the dead. Participation in the circle increased the mind’s sensitivity to the supernatural, and allowed for group integration and healing.

The piece begins with a violent awakening, giving way to a solo fiddle groove and a chanted incantation that summons a series of pulsing chromatic ascents from the orchestra. As these climbing lines reach a breaking point, a new violin melody in triple meter emerges, dancing a kind of occult jig on top of a harmonically shifting landscape. The dance spins itself into a fierce catharsis before emerging into a series of shimmering arpeggios suggesting a moment of transformation.

Some of the most transportive experiences in my life have been in groups of people moving together to music: there’s a feeling of community and purpose, connection and release. I hope this new work for Orchester im Treppenhaus—a group whose mission includes presenting music in unconventional and transformative settings—allows for audiences to experience this catharsis, in or outside of a traditional concert hall.