Ansel on Top of Station Wagon, Yosemite, 1946 (Photographer: Cedric Wright, © Cedric Wright Estate, courtesy of the Wright Family Collection, Center for Creative Photography)
Ansel Adams: America, composed by Chris Brubeck and Dave Brubeck, is a symphonic tribute saluting one of America's most cherished artists.
The 22-minute, one-movement piece, fully integrates sweeping melodies with 102 striking images of or by Ansel. Few people realize that Ansel Adams trained to be a classical musician, a fact which greatly influenced the work. It has consistently played to full houses, and has succeeded in its mission to bring new and larger audiences to orchestra concerts.
This is the first time that permission has been given by the Ansel Adams Trust to allow his masterful American photographs to be used in a concert setting. This convergence of iconic images and symphonic grandeur by Chris and Dave Brubeck is represented exclusively by Symphony Source.
Ansel Adams: America has been performed to critical and popular acclaim by orchestras all across the country, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Monterey Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, Stockton Symphony Orchestra, Yakima Symphony, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, Santa Barbara Symphony, North State Symphony, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, the Akron Symphony, and more.
Ansel Adams: America was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for “Best Instrumental Composition” with Temple University Symphony Orchestra’s recording “Music of Ansel Adams: America”. Listen to the Grammy nominated recording here.
Ansel Adams: America (2009)
Music by Chris Brubeck and Dave Brubeck
Duration
22 min.
Instrumentation
3 Flutes (Flute 3 doubles on Piccolo)
2 Oboes (Oboe 2 doubles on English Horn or a separate English Horn Part is provided)
2 Clarinets (Bb)
Bass Clarinet (Bb)
2 Bassoons, Optional Contra Bassoon
4 Horns (F)
3 Trumpets (C)
3 Trombones
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion 1- Tubular Bells, Xylophone, Marimba, Glockenspiel, Suspended Cymbal, Snare Drum
Percussion 2- Tambourine, Bass Drum, Tenor Drum, Tam Tam, Timbales, Maracas (non-plastic), Popper Noisemaker, Suspended Cymbal (one lower, one higher pitched), Crash Cymbals, Triangle
Percussion 3- Guiro (non synthetic) Bell Tree, Snare Drum,Suspended Cymbal
Harp
Piano (strong orchestral pianist, no improvisational skills needed)
Violins I & II
Violas
Cellos
Double Basses
Technical Requirements
Ansel Adams: America is a special performance event which integrates over 100 photographs with music. The visual show, which intimately complements the music, was created by the award-winning projection designer Jeff Sugg.
The work requires a single projection screen of approximately 15’ x 20’, hung on stage above the orchestra.
A high-grade projector with a minimum of 12,000+ lumens (DLP preferred) with a skilled technician is essential. Use of a 15,000-16,000 lumen projector is suggested for venues in which light control is more difficult. Suggested makes/models at 12,000 lumens include (in preferential order): Christie S+12K, Barco SLM R12, Sanyo PLC-XF47 (15,000 lumens with LCD chipset).
Front projection is preferred although rear projection may be acceptable in some halls if the projector beam can be completely blocked from audience viewing.
Stage illumination must be kept a low as possible and house lights completely dark to insure the best viewing of the projected images. The orchestra musicians must use stand lights for the work.
Ansel Adams: America provides the computer and projectionist to cue the images and also to consult with your technical staff in advance as needed. It is essential that the orchestra provide a second, back-up Apple computer with a minimum of 2.33 GHz processor, 4 GB of RAM and Keynote presentation software (version 5.0.2) installed.
Dave and Chris Brubeck discuss "Ansel Adams: America", a symphonic composition they co-wrote as a tribute to the life and art of Ansel Adams.
Conductor Marin Alsop gives a look into the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s 2012 program which included “Ansel Adams: America”.
Chris Brubeck and Dr. Kyle Wiley Pickett discuss the influence of art on music, and vice versa, in "Ansel Adams: America".
John Salmon plays the solo piano premiere of Ansel Adams: America. ℗ 2014 Albany Records