Brannon Warn-Johnston
Misty Oasis in Scorching Heat
To be performed Sunday, December 13, 2026, by the Youth Symphony Orchestra

Misty Oasis in Scorching Heat was inspired by a backpacking trip we took near Mt. Rainier in a heat wave during forest fires. You could hear the rumbling of glaciers melting and rivers roaring. It was very hot but there was a little waterfall that was cooler, the “misty oasis.” The temperature change between the waterfall and the air around it was very sudden, like walking out of an oven into a refrigerator! I try to depict the different temperatures and sudden changes through my music: starting out near the waterfall, where birds chirp and it is misty and cool; then the section that represents when my brother’s leg got cut deeply and we had to hike out; the slower hike out, more plodding in the heat and smoke; and the big ending with material from almost every section all fitting together at the same time.

Albert Lu
Höllentanz und Meereslied
To be performed Sunday, March 14, 2027, by the Youth Symphony Orchestra

Höllentanz und Meereslied, or Dance of Hell and Song of the Sea, is a classical-style piece originally written by the composer for clarinet and piano (as Sketches of Song no. 1, movement 3 “Demand”) and later adapted to full orchestra. The piece is split into many parts, but can be summarized into three: the waltz, the song, and the reprise. The waltz sections often contrast powerful, aggressive sections with softer, lighter lines, making use of all members of the orchestra in its climactic points. The song section, previously referred to by the composer as the “ocean theme” (leading to the latter half of the present name), makes use of low strings and singing melodies with dark ostinatos and tolling bells for a vaster, richer tone. The reprise of the piece borrows themes from the first waltz portion but often alters them, leading up to the final buildup with virtuosic solos and aggressive chords. The piece closes deceptively, bringing back familiar themes with a wind chorale and final statement.

Luca Robadey
Sunset Study One
To be performed Saturday, May 15, 2027, by the Youth Symphony Orchestra

Sunset Study One began as a reaction to artist Philip Juras’ oil painting of the same name. His work beautifully showcased the textures and the radiant, rich colors of a golden sunset. I was so captivated by it that I decided to create my own musical sunset. This piece uses dense, thick textures and slowly shifting harmonic fields to create the sensation of experiencing a sunset as its colors and textures shift from beginning to end, slipping past the horizon. The piece’s emotional arc explores the inevitable ending of something beautiful and the complicated, often contradictory feelings that accompany that ending. Sunsets are an ending, but they are also a beginning. I find it empowering to embrace change and look to the future with optimism and hope through the many sunsets (and sunrises!) that define our lives.