E.K.R. Hammell | Sandcastles

Arizona State University Wind Ensemble
ASU Organ Hall, November 21, 2022
Tempe, AZ, USA
Dylan Rook Maddix, conductor
Sandcastles (World Premiere)
E.K.R. Hammell
Program Note
Sandcastles is a piece for double wind quintet, commissioned by the Band
Room Podcast Consortium Project in late 2022 for premiere performance
by the Arizona State University Wind Ensemble under the direction of
Dylan Rook Maddix.
At the onset of this project, the only instruction from the lead commissioner on the consortium, Dylan Maddix (other than the instrumentation/duration/ etc.), was that it should somehow fit into the recital theme of “Home.”
Knowing firsthand about the awe-inspiring red sandstone formations of
both Arizona (where the piece is to be premiered), and Epekwitk/Prince
Edward Island (my home province, as well as the Dylan’s), I knew there
was a piece of music lurking somewhere in the sands...
I never could have predicted how current events would then impact the
trajectory of this piece.
On Saturday September 24th 2022, the same week I had begun sketching
out ideas for this piece in earnest, Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Atlantic Canada. As I understand it (having not yet seen the results first-
hand), Fiona has irreversibly altered the beautiful shoreline landscape of our home province, including the destruction many iconic sandstone
formations and picturesque dunes.
I knew fairly quickly that this new work was an opportunity for me to draw
out the many feelings I was having at the time. As I began to dive into the
writing, I eventually honed in on the idea of sandcastles, believing them
to be rich with the symbolism I was hoping to explore in the piece.
Sandcastles represent a singular moment of innocent youthful
escapism - however, due to their fragile, ephemeral nature, they’re
destined to last for only a brief window of time.
With this piece I aim to provide the listener with a brief escape into a
cherished childhood memory, with no intention of shying away from a
feeling of playful innocence that we all work so hard to stamp out of
ourselves. I also hope to use this piece as a commemoration of the
special, fragile places in our lives, and to tackle the heart-aching notion
that some memories may never be recreated.
Special thanks to each of our wonderful consortium members who helped
support the creation of this work:
-Arizona State University
-Beibei Jia
-Murray Lefebvre
-Mount Allison University
-Ventus Machina
-McMaster University
-Gillian MacKay
-Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra
Program note by composer