Date of Award
5-1-2023
Degree Name
Master of Music
Department
Music
First Advisor
Walczak, Christopher
Abstract
I Am Not Frightened is a work for wind ensemble. This piece lasts around ten minutes and is inspired by confrontations with death and how to move past them. Musical inspiration comes from Pink Floyd, Greta Van Fleet, John Mackey, and James Stephenson. The title of the piece refers to the spoken lyrics found in Pink Floyd's “The Great Gig in the Sky” from their 1973 album The Darkside of the Moon. These lyrics come from the band asking Abby Road Studio workers while recording the album, if they are afraid of dying. A janitor named Gerry O’Driscoll provided the lyrics that inspired this piece: “And I am not frightened of dying. Any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it – you've got to go some time.” This thought process of accepting that death is as much a part of life as
Access
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