Requiem For A Lark - The Accidentals w/ CYO Orchestra

Download/stream the single here: https://lnk.to/3I9ru

Requiem for a Lark was inspired by Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances, a piece we used to play in our public high school orchestra class at Traverse City West Senior High. The melody of the first movement stuck with me for days, I couldn't get it out of my head.
I wrote Requiem for a Lark thinking about Bartók wandering through the streets of Transylvania gathering melodies from gypsy violinists and composing his own pieces inspired by them. I was inspired by Bartók's inspiration, and the cyclical process of creation spawning creation. So I wrote Requiem For a Lark from Bartók's perspective, incorporating pieces of his melodies and chord structure.

We decided to arrange and score the song for an orchestra. Shortly after, we had the amazing opportunity to collaborate with one of the top youth orchestras in the world, Contemporary Youth Orchestra in Cleveland, OH. The conductor, Liza Grossman, is an absolute genius. Requiem for a Lark was recorded LIVE in one day. Working with her, Ben Kipp and the orchestra was a complete honor. Everyone made us feel at home; during a break from rehearsal we sat on the edge of the stage with some of the students and they taught us how to fold tiny origami cranes. We still carry them with us.

We are looking forward to sharing this music with you on May 1st as a digital release.
As a bonus we are releasing the orchestral version with the CYO and the rock version of Requiem for a Lark on vinyl. You can purchase that on our web-store at www.theaccidentalsmusic.com/store.

Thanks to the Contemporary Youth Orchestra (CYO),
Liza Grossman, Ben Kipp, The Rock Hall of Fame, Maria Brunner, Amber Buist, and Sharon Corbitt for making this project a reality.

Members of the
Contemporary Youth Orchestra
Kimberly Deichler, Executive Director
Liza Grossman, Music Director
Ben Kipp, Director of Educational
Programming
David Kennedy, Recording Engineer
Violin
Dylan Vigh
Rachel Mancini
Aidan Scheuer
Marissa Cupedro
Zachary Rinas
Kynnedy Smith
Lacey Peters
Maria Tarnay
Jamie Berland
Miriam Koby
Zelda Thayer-Hansen
Viola
Talia Proweller
Alana Melvin
Sarah Duber
Stephanie Vento
Rebecca Rhodes
Athena Vadnal
Katrina Palmer
Cello
Torrance Gaskins
Sloane Boukobza
Holly Matthews
Amelia Proweller
Jesse Wu
Grace Gill
Double Bass
Samantha St. John
Tyler Joseph
Ella Stephenson
Flute
Lily Waugh
Oboe
Amelia Johnson
Claire Rottan
Lauren Donnella

Clarinet
Miron Gotfryd
Charlie King
Namjun Cho
Bassoon
Steven Breimaier
Adam Schordock
Horn
Lauren Jensen
Annalise Johnson
Taylor Sobol
Andy Oleskiewicz
Trumpet
Maxwell Gibson
Timothy Daso
Christopher Gerace
Trombone
Kevin Smith
Eric Oxsalida
Tuba
Logan Jones
Percussion
Samantha Rosselot
Luke Supelak
Sean Pierce
Matthew Lastovka
Gabe Miguel

Katie Larson: Acoustic guitar, Electric Baritone Guitar, Vocals
Sav Buist: Violin, Electric Bass, Vocals
Michael Dause: Drums

Video Stills by Charles Steen, Drone Stills by Kurtis Damerow, Layout by Katie Larson
Vinyl Pressed by Archer Records in Detroit, MI, Insert Printed by Arbor Oakland in Novi, MI

Special shout out to our high school conductor, Ann Marie Jones, and The Moxie Strings for visiting our orchestra and inspiring us to play alternative styles on our classical
Instruments.

If you can see it, you can be it, you are more likely to do it. We hope to encourage and inspire other young artists to “see it, be it, do it”. Please visit our website at www.theaccidentalsmusic.com for more information on educational workshops and concerts.

You will also be able to download the score, charts, and lyrics on our educational website on May 1st.