Moonswept: A Musical Journey

Sam joined Ars Nova in January 2023. He recently completed his Masters in Composition at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Originally from Texas, Sam received two Bachelor’s degrees in Vocal Performance and Composition from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, after which point he worked as Concierge for the Grammy Award-winning Conspirare (choir) under the direction of Craig Hella Johnson. He has written for a wide variety of instrumentations, including orchestra, trios, Pierrot ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano), two pianos, electronic scores for video game projects, and more. However, he says he has always written primarily for his first musical love – choir.

Sam originally sketched what would become Moonswept in April 2020, shortly after the COVID quarantine started, and finished it in August, just four months later. In its original version, Sam called the piece Quarantine Bagatelle and it was a response to the emotions that he – and many of us during that time – was feeling; “it poured forth from a very dark, scared, and grief-ridden place as we came face-to-face with one of the most earth-shattering events of modern history.”

Sam says, “This piece once provided me comfort and sanctuary as I processed everything that was happening. Now, I see this piece as a very sincere and unfiltered expression of my soul, separate from any one specific moment in my life.” Although not a commissioned work, Moonswept was reformatted and renamed for Ars Nova Singers. For this performance, Sam’s desire was for the singers and the audience to feel the resonant core of the piece without its original link to the pandemic.

As Ars Nova Singers was finishing its June 2024 performances, Artistic Director Tom Morgan announced that the group would be heading back to The Tank Center for Sonic Arts in Rangely in September (read more about The Tank experience here and here). On a whim, Sam emailed Tom to share his Quarantine Bagatelle recording, expressing how beautiful and soul-fulfilling it would be to perform this in The Tank. Tom agreed, and “here we are! Tom and I both appreciate how well my piece, in style and in spirit, pairs with Ligeti’s Lux Aeterna – a happy accident, as I did not know we were also performing one of the inspirations for my piece on the same concert!”

Sam describes his approach:

“If composing were analogous to cooking, my process would be a very, very slow simmer. I let ideas sit for a very long time before pen hits paper, and then I explore that idea meticulously and comprehensively before finalizing any one choice. Moonswept is actually an exception to this, as the sketch was done in a matter of days, and the piece in only a few months!”

Finale, a leading music notation software program used by composers for decades, was announced to be shut down earlier this year and left many in a lurch, including Sam. “The announcement from MakeMusic regarding Finale was a shock, and it has made finding the mental space to write a bit harder knowing I have now lost multiple years studying an obsolete program and must take even more time to learn another. However, I’m hopeful that this new chapter with different software will inspire me in ways I haven’t been before.”

We asked Sam what it is like to hear Moonswept come to life with Ars Nova Singers.
“It may sound trite, but rehearsing my piece with Ars Nova Singers has genuinely been a dream come true. I have been in choirs since I was 8 years old and composing since age 10. It has been a top bucket list item for a very long time for one of my pieces to be performed by a professional choir. I’m still in shock that this is happening! Hearing such kind words from my fellow choristers, feeling the collective energy as we realize these soundscapes together – it’s been profoundly healing, fulfilling, and inspiring. I cannot be more thankful for the opportunity!”

It is interesting to note that the piece has no words, just sounds. “I chose sounds that presented opportunities for novel, ever-evolving choral textures, creating soundscapes full of life, breath, and movement. There are moments in this piece that not only ask for an unfamiliar approach to vocal production, but when assembled together, immerse the listener in soundworlds I have yet to hear outside of my own work. From feedback I’ve received from the singers, learning this piece has certainly been a unique experience for them.”

Ars Nova Singers will perform Moonswept in Rangely (September 27) and Boulder (October 6). Join us at The Dairy on October 6 for our Season Opening Celebration & Benefit. You’ll get to meet Sam Henderson and hear this beautiful new work for choir!

Want a sneak peak? Visit samchenderson.com to listen to Quarantine Bagatelle.