Music professor debuts original composition at national festival

April 13, 2015

The ways people respond to pain, yearning or loss is deeply personal. For Christian Ellenwood, his response to life's challenges and desires is to create music.

When Ellenwood received a commission to compose a quintet for clarinet and strings from Vandoren, a major musical instrument manufacturer, he wanted to craft a piece that any person could relate to.

"I wanted to make it universal, something that would resonate with everyone," said Ellenwood, a professor of music at UW-Whitewater. "I wanted to create a musical expression of a journey through loss, yearning and struggle and the resulting growth and transformation."

The result was Ellenwood's composition, "to hope again," which received its premiere performance in Indianapolis on March 14 as part of the Chamber Music National Festival. The festival features emerging talent in all areas of music, from jazz to chamber music.

Clarinetist Christopher Pell, winner of the 2014 Vandoren Emerging Artist Clarinet Competition, along with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra String Quartet, performed Ellenwood's composition.

Ellenwood was elated when he heard his composition performed.

"It was a thrilling and transformative experience. Christopher Pell is a brilliant player," he said. "The origins of your work are so personal, then you give it to somebody and you hope it will be taken care of, nurtured and respected. In many ways, it's much like how you feel about your children."

The Indianapolis event was not the first time Ellenwood has had his compositions performed at such a notable stage. In January 2013, his piece, "If Ever There Is Tomorrow" was performed by the UW-Whitewater Symphonic Wind Ensemble at one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world, Carnegie Hall.

His latest composition, "Prairie Spring," will be performed by the Wisconsin Chamber Choir and a professional string orchestra on April 18 in Madison and April 19 in the Young Auditorium at UW-Whitewater. The piece was inspired by renowned American author Willa Cather, whose poem is also titled "Prairie Spring."

For Ellenwood, creating music never ends.

"I have music in my mind all the time," he said. The lengthiest part of writing a piece of music, according to Ellenwood, is notating and incorporating intricate components such as texture.

"But it makes a difference to love what you do and believe in it," he said.