ForrestWorks

Lincoln Center Concert, May 28

Dan Forrest — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:21:55 +0000

The next concert on the DCINY series in New York is “Of Faith and Freedom” on Memorial Day, and the second half of the concert features Dan’s music for chorus and orchestra, including Arise, Shine!, O God Beyond All Praising, the premiere of the new orchestral version of St. Patrick’s Hymn, and the New York premiere of Dan’s new major work, Te Deum.

Dan will be in attendance at the concert, which will be held in Avery Fisher Hall (home of the New York Philharmonic) at the Lincoln Center. For more information, visit www.dciny.org.

A Bronze Triptych- Live Webcast

Dan Forrest — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:38:57 +0000

The BJU Chorale will be giving the premiere of the piano duet version of A Bronze Triptych, April 20, at 6:30 and 8:00. The piece, a setting of a poem by Charles Anthony Silvestri, will be performed by chorus, handbells, percussion, and piano duet, with Dan at the piano. The 8:00 concert will be webcast live at http://www.bju.edu/live/.

TTU Residency and Premiere

Dan Forrest — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:34:00 +0000

Dan will be in residence at Tennessee Tech University (Dr. Craig Zamer, Director of Choral Activities) April 2-3, working with students and choirs. The residency will culminate in an all-Forrest concert on Tuesday evening, April 3, which will include the world premiere performance of Dan’s new setting of “Lead, Kindly Light” for chorus and piano, with Dan at the piano.

New Website

Stephen — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:45:42 +0000

Welcome to the new ForrestWorks website! The new site is designed to be a better place to find music, stay updated on new music, find out the latest news, follow Dan’s itinerary/calendar, hear sound files, watch videos, as well as contacting Dan. Browse around the new layout, and enjoy the new content! The new website was designed and created by J4 Studios.

New Commissions Announced

Dan Forrest — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:40:51 +0000

Announcing two new commissions: First, a new setting of the Navy Hymn (Eternal Father, Strong To Save) for chorus and orchestra, commissioned for a JFK Memorial concert which will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Feb 16-18, 2013. This hymn was chosen because it was one of the hymns performed at JFK’s funeral in. More information at http://www.musiccelebrations.com/festivals/2013/National_Presidents_Day_Choral_Festival.html

Second, the Hickory (NC) Choral Society, (http://www.hickorychoralsociety.com) in demonstration of their ongoing commitment to commissioning substantial new choral music, has commissioned Dan to write a new major work- 30 minutes for chorus and orchestra- to be premiered in spring 2013. The Choral Society’s previous commissions have included Jonathan Willcocks’ Magnificat and Randoll Bass’s Magnificat.

New Folk Song Cycle

Dan Forrest — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:33:17 +0000

Dan writes, “Folk Songs of America is a newly-begun choral cycle which seeks to unite commissioning choirs from around the country in a project that will fulfill a larger personal goal of mine. My choral commissions are nearly always isolated projects, without a sense of any larger goal or inter-connectedness. For some time, I’ve looked for a way to bring individual commissions into a sense of community, participating in a larger narrative. This choral cycle is my attempt to do just that. My goal is to write 10-14 new settings of American folk songs, representing distinctive facets of diverse places and times in American history. Inquiries are welcomed for commissions of other folk song arrangements for inclusion in this ongoing project. I hope for the cycle to include commissioned folksong settings (individual pieces, or short sets) from choirs from every region of the United States, with each participating choir commissioning a setting of a song (or small set of songs) which embodies something representative of the unique heritage or history of their location or region. The pieces will be published gradually, as they are written, so that they may be performed separately; but my goal, eventually, is to organize two 25-30 minute sets, each with great musical variety, which could also be combined into one full-length (60-70) minute performance.
The inaugural two pieces in Folk Songs of America, are the Two Colonial Folksongs, commissioned by the Williamsburg (VA) Choral Guild for their 35th anniversary. These settings celebrate the common idea of a soldier in the Colonial/Revolutionary era, the Appalachian folk song tradition, and also the most timeless of folk song subjects: love. The pair was premiered last May in Williamsburg, VA.

For more information on commissioning new folk song settings to be included in this cycle, contact Dan.

in paradisum European Premiere

Dan Forrest — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:25:16 +0000

The newly commissioned organ/brass/percussion version of in paradisum… will be premiered in Northampton, UK, on May 19th. Conductor Lee Dunleavy, whose new Christmas CD includes Dan’s Carol of Joy as the title track, commissioned this new instrumentation to match the brass and percussion scoring of John Rutter’s Gloria, which is also programmed on the same concert. Look for their forthcoming recording which will also include Dan’s setting of “O God Beyond All Praising”. (A British tune, arranged by an American, returning to England for performance and recording!)

Indianapolis Visit

Stephen — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:45:54 +0000

Choral music is alive and well for all generations in Indianapolis. If you’re ever doubtful about the future of choral music in America, go visit Henry Leck’s Indianapolis Children’s Choir program. What a delightful, musical, and smart bunch of singers! I had the privilege of working with Cheryl West and the Indianapolis Youth Choir (singing St. Patrick’s Hymn and The Music of Living), one of Henry Leck’s ICC choirs (who sang Psalm 8 and The First Noel for me, sooo beautifully!), the Butler University Choir (singing my Three Nocturnes with percussion ensemble), and the Anderson University Chorale (who I got to accompany on The Hands That First Held Mary’s Child, and who are about to take Entreat Me Not To Leave You on tour). VOCE also presented some of my music for these choirs. See my Videos page for a few videos from the trip, and here are a couple pictures. Yes, I’m in there with the Indianapolis Youth Choir- see if you can find me.

Looking forward to 2012

Dan Forrest — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:43:55 +0000

Well- the website here turned into all-out CD marketing, the last couple months, and accordingly has been very quiet. But with a new year it’s time to look ahead to what’s in store, Lord willing:

A new website, planned for February launch.
A large slate of commissions, including one setting of a hymn of JFK’s funeral (to be premiered at the Kennedy Center in a concert in honor of JFK), one to be premiered in England, and one that will be my largest commission yet (more details once it’s official).
Residencies/appearances/performances with the Indianapolis Children’s Choir, Tennessee Tech University, a concert at the Lincoln Center, a (tentative) trip to Ireland, and a couple weeks in California in residency at two universities.
Several pieces going into print, including the first installment of a new cycle of American Folk Songs that I’m writing, published in a new series with Hinshaw Music.
A Basque Lullaby (wind band version) has been selected for Texas All-State. (When it comes to all-state, it doesn’t get any bigger than Texas.)

More details on all these will be forthcoming. I’m grateful for God’s grace shown to me in countless ways in 2011, and looking forward to 2012. ~Not unto us, O Lord, but to your name be the glory.~ Psalm 115:1

Two New CDs- Audio Excerpts

Dan Forrest — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:12:29 +0000

Audio excerpts of selected tracks from two all-Forrest CDs to be released soon: The Music Of Living (concert choral music from the last two years) and Never A Brighter Star (Christmas music). Both will be for sale on this website, soon, starting with The Music of Living, Oct 25.

The Music of Living CD Excerpts by Dan Forrest

Never A Brighter Star CD Excerpts by Dan Forrest