Shattering Stars

Shattering Stars is part of my "James Webb Space Telescope Series" which features music based on images from the most advanced space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Orbiting 1 million miles from Earth, the JWST far surpasses previous telescopes such as Hubble. Shaering Stars is a journey through the lens of JWST towards the youngest supernova ever observed in our galaxy. At only 11, 000 light-years from Earth, Cassiopeia A, contains supernova materials of stardust and heavy elements.

In order to present a soundscape illustrative of the process of a supernova, Shattering Stars explores instrumental color and light. As a composer with synesthesia, I see light and color when I hear sound creating a compositional process I call organized color. While it is common for middle school works to feature singable melodies and a hierarchy of ensemble section roles, Shattering Stars uses small melodic cells that build upon each other and pass through the concert band. Everyone has an equal role to play as the idea of shooting light from afar comes closer into view. As players progress through the work, light intensity is portrayed through the stacking of short rhythmic and melodic ideas. As described by NASA, the JWST captures “mottled filaments of bright pink studded with clumps and knots within the supernova.” In Shattering Stars each instrument creates a unique color which when combined with a four- note repeating 16th note pattern, illustrates the idea of chasing light, which finally explodes, shattering its star by the final measure.