Jillian Whitaker: Coming Home - Northern Iowa Wind Symphony - Ronald Johnson, conductor

Jillian Whitaker is a fresh new voice in the world of Hollywood film music. A native of Iowa, she moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to begin working with composer Assaf Rinde.

With a background in violin, jazz and classical saxophone, piano, world percussions, and conducting, her experience as a performer and her broad musical perspective bring a unique and expansive flavor into Jillian’s music.

She has written and conducted original scores for a number of film projects by award-winning directors. Since living in Los Angeles, Jillian has written multiple trailer tracks, worked as a session musician, and has assisted on a number of film and television projects.

Jillian is also a widely known and award-winning composer in the concert world. She has seen a great deal of success writing original music for her main instrument, the saxophone, and has had her pieces performed across the United States and Europe.

She has written for a wide range of other instruments and ensembles and continues to receive commissions and performances of her music around the world.

Her most recent work, "Coming Home," was commissioned by the University of Northern Iowa Wind Symphony as a celebration of her memorable experiences with the ensemble, and a tribute to its long-time conductor, Ronald Johnson.

COMING HOME (2016) World Premiere

The piece was quite the process for me to write. When the invitation to compose first came, I was instantly excited, filled with ideas, anxious to get started. I knew that I wanted this piece to be ME . . . not in a selfish way, but in a way that I was really giving a piece of myself as a gift to the Wind Symphony. But, I was a complete blank as to how to begin. The first month or two, I labored over a theme, a sound, a counter theme, etc. I settled pretty quickly on a “Copland-esque” theme . . . something that is very "ME" in many ways, and that contains some of my joyful, confident qualities . . . sort of a celebration of my memories with the ensemble. Then, I had about a month where I could barely write anything. I work best under pressure and deadlines, and life got very loud which made it difficult for me to sit down and work creatively.

Finally, with about a month to go, I forced myself to just WRITE. I had a deadline now, and I needed to get it done. This is where I function best. This is when the middle section happened . . . the most “ME” of the piece. Steve Reich, and Thomas Newman, and ostinatos, and harp/piano/mallet interplay . . . the things that I gravitate towards naturally. It came so much easier once I just let myself write . . . no judgements, no restrictions, just “ME.” This is when I finally felt inspired again, and the emotion and soul I had been looking for found its way into the piece. It was a bit of a race to the end . . . I don't think I spoke to anyone for the three weeks leading up to the deadline. But again, this is how I work best . . . definitely an advantage for me in the film world!

So, there it is . . . the best I can offer to the Wind Symphony. It isn't programmatic; there is no story or timeline. It's simply a small bit of my soul, however selfishly or unselfishly, as a tribute to this magical ensemble.

~~ Jillian L. Whitaker, November, 2016 ~~
___________

Northern Iowa Wind Symphony
Ronald Johnson, conductor

See the entire concert here: https://goo.gl/R8HKy5
Recorded on April 24, 2017 at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus in Cedar Falls. All rights reserved.