The Sky Between Us
Covert Ensemble
THE SKY BETWEEN US
The inspiration for this new work for soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, and piano with the working title “The Sky” comes from a poem titled “Under This Sky” by Zia Hyder, and translated by Bhabani Sengupta with Naomi Shihab Nye in the poetry book This Same Sky. The poem begins with the line:
There’s an enormous comfort knowing
we all live under this same sky
The spirit of this poem embraces the idea of collaboration and togetherness, no matter where we live or what we do. The theme of “Under this same sky” represents the idea that no matter where we are or what we do in the world, we are under the same sky. We celebrate diversity through being connected to one another through music, and this work will explore the joy of the collaborative experience through the music.
Within this new work we explore what it means to be under the same sky and connect in new ways. Using the colors of the saxophones and the piano, Jenni has created a soundscape that interweaves the ideas of togetherness through beautiful melodic lines, rhythmic gestures, and fluid motion. The work is a journey of movement and opportunity to tell a story of hope. A truly collaborative work where the three voices are equal partners in creating a wide-open space of possibility.
Music is the great unifier, and within it we can create a space of inclusion, a place where diversity is celebrated, and all are equal through their love of music and the power it holds in our daily lives. We truly are living under this same sky, and there’s a joy in knowing we can come together through music.
JENNI BRANDON
Jenni Brandon is a composer and conductor, creating music in collaboration with other musicians and artists. She has written over 50 works, telling stories through memorable musical lines influenced by nature and poetry. Commissioned to write music from solo to orchestral works, her music appears on over 20 albums. Her music has been awarded the Sorel Medallion, American Prize, Paderewski Cycle, Women Composers Festival of Hartford International Competition, and Bassoon Chamber Music Composition Competition among others. Her works are published and distributed by Boosey & Hawkes, Santa Barbara Music, Graphite, TrevCo, Imagine, J.W. Pepper, June Emerson, and her own publishing company JenniBrandonMusic. As a conductor she conducted her one‐act opera 3 PADEREWSKIS in the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center in 2019. She also presents workshops on collaboration and the business of music, striving to create a supportive environment where collaboration leads to an exploration of ideas.
We feel Jenni’s music embodies our ensemble ethos of exciting and progressive compositions that are accessible to mainstream audiences. This is music that is beautiful, accessible and compelling!
COVERT ENSEMBLE
Convert Ensemble is the name of Dave Camwell and Kateřina Pavlíková's musical partnership that began in early 2021 and has resulted in more than 25 exceptional and unique arrangements of popular classical music from J.S. Bach to contemporary composers such as Max Richter. DC & KP also produce music that deliberately blurs the line between the classical, rock and pop worlds. Their ethos is centered upon musical virtuosity and beguiling visuals.
The ensemble has toured the Czech Republic, Canada and the USA, and recently led international consortiums by composers Jenni Brandon and Martin Hybler, and recorded Hybler’s Aquarius double concerto with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra.
