white stars green leaves

Commissioned by West Sussex County Council funded by the Ahead of the Game Cultural Programme.

white stars green leaves was composed for a site-specific outdoor performance in woodland, with stage directions relating to this at the end of the piece. The staging can be freely adapted or ignored for a more traditional concert performance.

Composed for a community choir with a small number of male voices, all men sing the bass part. For SATB choir, the piece can be adapted by dividing the tenors between the bass and lower alto parts.

From bar 160, there is an option for a solo improvisation. In the original performance, this was performed by Bulgarian singer Dessislave (Dessi) Stefanova. This part could be omitted entirely, or replaced by a free improvisation on any instrument or voice.

The first performance was intended to take place in Tilgate Park in Sussex, in September 2010, but due to a huge storm on the day of the performance, this had to be cancelled and the premiere took place the following July at Roche’s Arboretum, West Dean, Sussex.

Published by Composers Edition

8 minutes