Symphonukkah (original full orchestral version)

Premiere performance with the Gainesville Orchestra, Evans Haile conducting: https://youtu.be/0MwlzOHgUlU

Symphonukkah (2023, 6-7 minutes) is a tour through many of our old favorites, scored in a new orchestration that reflects both our traditions and my sense of fairyland whimsy. It began its life as a 50-second Rock of Ages prologue I wrote in 2018 to accompany a holiday medley we rented that didn't include this most central of Chanukah melodies (for me, anyway), but I have truly enjoyed continuing that first flourish. I also included some melodies that aren't usually explored in a Chanukah medley—listen for the clarinet intoning the blessing over lighting the menorah, as well as Eliezar Mordecai Gerovitsch's melody for the weekly hymn "Adon Olam" (the final words of which are "The Lord is with me; I will not fear".) For me, the most fun part about writing this piece was exploring the potential of each of these tunes I've known from childhood—what if a music box, what if antiphonal brass, what if a sleigh ride? What if, as Figment said on the old version of the Disney Journey into Imagination ride, "A rainbow... I'll use that—to paint with!"

Symphonukkah was commissioned by a consortium of The Gainesville Orchestra, Volusia Community Arts, Mid America Freedom Band, and Gainesville Orchestra supporters Cherie and Jack Fine, Ira Gessner, Stuart and Charna Cohn, Rebecca and David Micha, Edward and Toby Hunter, Roz and Izzy Shever, and Vera Rabino.

A concert band version of the finale section was premiered by Lee Hartman and the Mid America Freedom Band, and is also available.