“This is a gorgeous new arrangement of my work “At Night” originally for SATB a cappella. The amazing Senior Chief Musician Sheila Cullen of the United States Naval Academy Band arranged the work for clarinet choir and performs it here with her colleagues. I am so grateful and humbled by the creativity of Sheila to have the vision to arrange this work for clarinet choir. I hope you all enjoy this beautiful video and performance!” Jenni Brandon…

As the sun sets on the U.S. Naval Academy summer of 2021, you are invited to enjoy some beautiful sounds and nighttime scenes from the U.S. Naval Academy. The music is “At Night” for acapella choir, written by composer Jenni Brandon. The piece was inspired by an evocative poem by Amy Lowell about a breezy summer night.

Senior Chief Musician Sheila Cullen,  United States Naval Academy Band arranged Jenni Brandon’s work for a six-member clarinet choir for this recording. The video was filmed at the historic Zimmermann Bandstand and at various locations around the Naval Academy.

“At Night” by Amy Lowell (1874‐1925)

The wind is singing through the

trees to‐night,

A deep‐voiced song of rushing cadences

And crashing intervals.

No summer breeze

Is this, though hot July is at its height,

Gone is her gentler music; with delight

She listens to this booming like the seas,

These elemental, loud necessities

Which call to her to answer their swift might.

Above the tossing trees shines down a star,

Quietly bright; this wild, tumultuous joy

Quickens nor dims its splendour.

And my mind,

O Star! Is filled with your white light,

from far,

So suffer me this one night to enjoy

The freedom of the onward sweeping wind.

(From A Dome of Many‐Coloured Glass.

1912, Houghton Mifflin Company

Poem is in the public domain.)

Music:

“At Night” by Jenni Brandon (Used with permission)

Arranged by Senior Chief Musician Sheila Cullen, United States Naval Academy Band

Amy Lowell’s poem “At Night” for SATB a cappella speaks of the wind singing through the trees and the excitement of the wild wind. The voices imitate this idea of the wind at the beginning and end of the piece through freely sung sections. Much of the piece contains this feeling of joyful freedom, from the dance-like section of “with delight she listens to the booming of the seas” to the “wild, tumultuous joy” that grows and builds with excitement. When the voices come together to exclaim “And my mind, O Star! is filled with your white light,” we feel the true wonder of a hot July night and the freedom to enjoy the onward sweeping wind.

This piece was selected as the recipient of the 2008 Sorel Medallion and was premiered in Zankel Hall in Carnegie Hall by Voices of Ascension under the direction of Dennis Keene on October 29, 2008.

Chief Musician Jason Broadwater, Sound Engineer

Commander Diane Nichols, conductor

Clarinet Choir Members:

Senior Chief Musician Lynda Dembowski, clarinet

Senior Chief Musician Sheila Cullen, clarinet

Chief Musician Sam Chin, clarinet

Musician 1st Class Will Kelly, clarinet

Senior Chief Musician Jim Hurd, bass clarinet

Senior Chief Musician Colin Renick, bass clarinet

Video Production:

Senior Chief Musician Colin Renick

Musician 1st Class Matt Harriman

Musician 1st Class Aden Beery

Musician 1st Class Marcus Flores

#USNavy #USNA #navymusic #jennibrandon #clarinet #clarinetist