Exultant Waves

Listen to the work here!
 
Exultant Waves is a work for solo French horn. This piece was written in 24 hours, during the UNT Composers’ Forum’s 2022 24|24 Event, in which composers and performers were paired together: composers wrote works for their performers in 24 hours, performers learned them in 24 more hours, and a virtual concert was presented immediately after. This piece was written for French hornist Ellyse Sanchez.
 
This work was written in the midst of my discovering of my identity as a trans woman, and is inspired by one specific memory that is imbued with some of the purest euphoria I have ever experienced. I had just bought my first dress, and after a bout of nervousness, I wore it out for the first time to meet a friend for lunch. I decided to celebrate this achievement that evening by treating myself and watching a movie, and as I was in a state of jubilance during the film, I broke into tears of euphoria, realizing that I had felt true unabashed self-love for the first time, and the euphoria associated with this memory is what gives me strength and confidence to freely and unapologetically express myself today. I was motivated to write this piece during the 24|24 event inspired by this newfound love, and the work is triumphant and joyous throughout in reflection of this mood.