Star Maker Fragments (2021)
Star Maker Fragments was written for TAK ensemble with electronics. This piece sets excerpts of Olaf Stapledon’s groundbreaking 1937 novel “Star Maker.”
This piece follows the journey of a person from earth who becomes disembodied and shoots out into the stars, first to observe other planets and their life forms and eventually understand the relationship between worlds, stars, and dimensions, before returning to earth and resuming their life with a renewed sense of meaning. The text for this piece was written on the eve of World War II and in many ways is allegorical, presenting a pacifist conception of society and the ideal of cooperation and empathy. The text is mostly spoken and the piece vacillates between concert music, electronics, and radio drama.
Laura Cocks - flute
Madison Greenstone - clarinet
Marina Kifferstein - violin
Charlotte Mundy - voice
Ellery Trafford - percussion
Taylor Brook - electronics
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Produced by Taylor Brook
Mastered by Chris Botta
Recorded by Ryan Streber at Oktaven Audio
Artwork by Lara Lewison
Design by Laura Cocks
Text Excerpted from "Star Maker" by Olaf Stapledon
Special thanks to David Bird
Star Maker Fragments received it’s premiere concert performance on September 17, 2022, at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, Cary Hall in New York City.
This premiere was performed by TAK ensemble with Taylor Brook realizing the live sound processing and diffusion.
Lighting design by Abigail Hoke-Brady.
Photo on the left from dress rehearsal.
Expanded version performed in the Mixed Media Room, CIRMMT, McGill University presented by Le Vivier, March 16, 2025. Electronic recreated for the multi-level surround-sound speaker array.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.