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Sarah Gibson:
“Your Voice Is Important”
Sarasota Orchestra to Give World Premiere
of Gibson’s New Work
PAID ADVERTORIAL
Sarah Gibson
Photo:
Brandon Rolle
On Friday, June 24, 2022, the
day that the United States
Supreme Court overturned
Roe vs. Wade, composer
Sarah Gibson was exploring
a sculpture garden in her home state of California.
A massive piece depicting a seated
woman with windswept hair caught her eye.
The work by French artist Aristide Maillol,
titled La Montagne (“The Mountain”), would
become the inspiration for Gibson’s latest
work, to make this mountain taller.
Sarasota Orchestra will debut the piece on
its final Masterworks concert of the season,
A Hero’s Life, which runs March 31 through
April 2 at the Van Wezel. This world premiere
is a result of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation
Orchestral Commissions Program, a
new initiative led by the League of American
Orchestras, which aims to bring the work of
women and nonbinary composers to orchestral
stages across the country.
“I am thrilled and honored to be a part of
such a trailblazing commissioning project
catapulting incredible female voices into the
classical orchestral world,” says Gibson. “I
felt instantly inspired to represent strong female
voices in my piece. I see this piece as
a journey where, despite being tested, our
protagonist finds a way to persevere and
embolden the next generation to continue to
fight for what they believe in.”
Gibson’s mother is a self-taught painter,
and she recalls being surrounded by art and
encouraged in her creative expression from
a very early age. Her musical talent quickly
became apparent once she started taking
piano lessons at age seven, but her teacher
noticed that she would often play her own
music rather than what she was meant to be
practicing. Gibson’s piano teacher and family
members began documenting her music
via tape recorder, which her teacher would
help notate. Thus, the composer was born.
Gibson points back to this early exposure to
creativity and often draws inspiration from
other artistic mediums in her work today.
“I always say that whenever I start a piece,
I want to go to a live concert or art museum,
or both. I like to have a visual,” Gibson says.
“I don’t always know exactly what’s going to
happen, but I think seeing other art forms early
on in the process gets me excited. I would
say at least half of my pieces have other artistic
mediums’ inspiration behind them.”
to make this mountain taller explores
the figurative mountains that so many have
climbed to find success and acceptance, including
women composers who, throughout
history, have encountered considerably more
roadblocks than their male counterparts.
“I want the piece to feel hopeful, but I also
want the piece to feel like ‘we’ve got work to
do,’” the composer says of her latest work.
“There are parts that feel a little mysterious
and parts that feel introspective, and then
there are other parts that can sort of feel like
‘come on, let’s get the ball rolling,’ like a call
to action in a way. The end of the piece is
more of like a ‘we can do it, but we need to
work’ sort of feel.”
Gibson notes that, although she’s had incredible
support throughout her career, in
school she did not have any composition
teachers who were women. She recalls one
pivotal moment in meeting and working with
renowned composer Jennifer Higdon when
she was a member of the Atlanta Symphony’s
Youth Orchestra.
“I remember coming home bursting with
excitement and telling my parents I want to
major in composition,” Gibson says. “At that
moment, I saw a confident, strong, very talented,
and incredible female role model and
thought, ‘I can do that too.’”
The Toulmin Foundation Orchestral Commissions
Program paired six composers,
including Gibson, with 30 orchestras across
the country to ensure their work will be programmed
and performed for several seasons
to come. Throughout the commission process,
the composers are also provided with
opportunities to mentor young musicians
and engage with the host orchestra’s local
community. Gibson has one major piece of
advice for other young women who want to
write music: you have a voice.
“Your voice is important. If you’re being
genuine and true to yourself, it will speak,”
she says. “If I’ve learned anything as a teacher
and as a performer/composer, it’s that music
that feels true to the composer is always
the most clear and the most pure, and it’s
the most believable. I would say try all the
things. Push yourself. But if it doesn’t feel
like you, don’t do it.”
About the Concert:
Masterworks 7: A Hero’s Life will be performed
on Friday, March 31 at 7:30 pm at
the Van Wezel, Saturday, April 1 at 7:30
pm at theVan Wezel and Sunday, April 2 at
2:30 pm at the Van Wezel.
Tickets available online and through the
Box Office. Call (941) 953-3434
or visit SarasotaOrchestra.org
— Contributor: Chelsey Norris
MARCH 2023 WEST COAST WOMAN 11