Jessica Meyer - GAEA Concerto for Amplified Viola

 Jessica Meyer - GAEA Concerto for Amplified Viola

GAEA truly shows off Meyer's chops as a performer/composer.

Jessica Meyer, recently appointed viola faculty member at Manhattan School of Music, is both an accomplished composer and violist. Her recent endeavor has combined the two together, creating GAEA, a twelve-minute programmatic concerto for amplified viola and chamber orchestra in a single movement. 

Opening with a timpani bang and some impressive bass clarinet playing, GAEA grabs the audience's attention from the get-go. Performed by The Orchestra of The League of Composers under the baton of director Louis Karchin, the ensemble effectively navigates the tonal, yet tricky music. Unfortunately, the ensemble is not without flaw. Recurring intonation issues become increasingly apparent within the brass trio as the work develops.

Meyer astonishes with her pure tone and meaningful lyricism, clear in both her performance and composition. As she mentions in her program note, amplifying the viola enables an additional layer nuance from the often overlooking string instrument. The solo line combines virtuosic technique, fiddle-inspired licks, and intense Baroque runs. In addition, Meyer's orchestral scoring is efficient and bubbling with excitement. Hopefully future violists will pick up Meyer's stunning new concerto. GAEA truly shows off Meyer's chops as a performer/composer.

watch the world premiere performance on YouTube here

© 2023 Brutal New Music Reviews

originally written and published 2 October 2023

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