Description
Duration
Premiere
The Germantown Cricket Club
Philadelphia, PA
Temple University Conductor's Choir
Mitos Andaya Hart, director
Jeffrey Solow, cello
Commissioner
Instrumentation
Text
Program Notes
Smile Thy Shores was commissioned by The Presser Foundation in honor of Dr. Jeffrey Cornelius.
Dr. Cornelius served on The Board of Trustees of The Presser Foundation as a board member, committee chair, officer, and President from July 2003 through June 2023. Starting in 2017,he presided over an historic administrative and strategic transformation keeping in mind the wishes of Theodore Presser and recognizing the necessity of adapting his vision to contemporary needs and realities. This commission, Smile Thy Shores for vocal octet and cello, is presented with sincere thanks and appreciation for distinguished service on the occasion of Dr. Cornelius’ retirement.
The composer chose to set this poem by Isaac McLellan as it describes a place that Dr. Cornelius treasures, traveling annually to Maine with his family each autumn.
With gratitude to the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation of New Mexico for the time and space to create this work.
–Andrea Clearfield