Nicole Mitchell & An_arche NewMusic Ensemble Arc Of O

In the vibrant, searching solos of tenor saxophonist David Boykin, multiple-reed player Mwata Bowden, violinist Renee Baker, and Mitchell herself, we encounter a bright, buoyant sense of wonder. A breathless "oh!" set against the backdrop of her majestic, brilliantly textured themes. "We recognize the symbol of the 'arc' in the branches of trees, the shape of the sky, the passageways of thoughts moving through our brain, and the rivers and streams carved through sand and rock by water." Mitchell's is a deeply organic music, playful and joyous and wondrous, but also full of sophisticated layers of emotional complexity, a spectrum of human feeling, the same range succinctly captured in the simple exclamation: "Oh." Board the arc, feel the curve, enjoy the ride. John Corbett, excerpt from the liner notes. I personally feel that Arc of O is a landmark work in my evolution as a composer, as it represented a new direction of writing for me, and it opened a door towards writing for chamber orchestra and then doing fully composed works for full orchestra. Nicole Mitchell, excerpt from the liner notes