Details

Instrumentation

Solo Cello & Auxiliary Percussion

Duration

5 minutes

Premiered by

Miles Carroll, 10/14/2024, Bloomington, IN

The Freighthopper (2024)

Illegally boarding cargo freight trains and riding them from place to place has been a common practice for many in the United States since the mid-19th century. While some people take to this mode of transportation because it is a free way to get around, it is more common today for people to partake in the activity simply for thrill, and to enjoy natural beauty of the passing rural scenery. The Freighthopper is my first collegiate composition, written for solo cello and foot tambourine, where I attempt to tell a tale of an anonymous nomad, boarding and riding a train across the country. The music follows their journey as they anxiously await their ride, sneakily board a freight car, and gaze out towards the horizon as the train delivers them to their unknown destination. This work focuses primarily on displaying a wide variety of colors through unique bowing positions, modal interchange, and the exploration of some tonally ambiguous gestures mixed with lyrical post-romantic lines.