Shanan Estreicher On the Making Of ‘All You Shining Stars’
What was the creative process like for this particular 'All You Shining Stars?'
In 2016 I attended a performance of the Itamar Borochov Quartet at the Montreal Jazz Festival. I had always wanted to compose a work for a soloist that involved extended ornamentation and improvisation but never found a musician whose style matched my musical aesthetic. I knew instantly I had found a kindred artistic spirit in trumpeter, Itamar Borochov.
My inspiration for this piece came from a summer evening in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan watching a meteor shower against the Milky Way. My thoughts turned to Psalm 148 and the line, “Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars.”
Could you discuss the lyrical themes or messages conveyed in 'All You Shining Stars?'
Movement 1 “All You Shining Stars” is based on three musical ideas. The first is a celestial texture in the upper strings representing the praises offered from the heavens in the psalm. The second idea is a gentle but declamatory melody in the trumpet which is freely ornamented. The final idea is chords in the low range of the strings which represent the praises offered from man, the earth, and the sea.
Movement 2 “Arrows” is a meditation on Psalm 38. The title comes from the line, “Your arrows have pierced me.” The intention of the music is to reflect the intense pain of the psalmist as he repents to God for his guilt and sin. I reference the Jewish liturgical music of my youth to create the lamenting cantorial melody. The rhythmic pulsing motives in the introduction and middle section represent the arrows piercing the psalmist’s flesh. The cantorial melody is first performed in the trumpet with minimal embellishments and a static accompaniment. The second repetition of the melody is highly ornamented with complex polyrhythmic patterns in the strings.
Movement 3 “Woven”, the tender conclusion to this work, is based on Psalm 139. The psalmist expresses intimate feelings to God when he writes, “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.” This final movement features an extended trumpet solo where Borochov plays freely over a chord progression in the strings. The overall musical texture is based loosely on the polyphony of sacred Renaissance vocal music with the trumpet and five string parts playing independent melodic lines, woven together to create a lush sonority.
What impact do you hope 'All You Shining Stars' will have on your audience or the music industry?
I hope the audience will feel they have taken a beautiful musical and spiritual journey after listening to the work. I want them to be exposed to the amazing talent of Itamar Borochov and his unique sound which combines elements of jazz, Middle Eastern music, and other various traditions. Additionally, I want to help develop a classical-crossover genre that incorporates improvisation specifically with non-traditional soloists.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in music?
I am a composer, songwriter, and educator living in Queens, NY. I studied classical piano as a child at The Mannes College, Preparatory Division in New York Cit. My interests soon turned to composing and songwriting. I then received a bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music in classical composition. Once I completed my studies, I dedicated myself to both songwriting and composing. I performed and recorded as a singer-songwriter and fronted the alt-country band The Brown Trousers. As a composer, I wrote music for the stage and film, as well as art songs and chamber music.
How do you balance the artistic aspects of your music with the business side of the industry?
It is always a challenge to balance my art with business. The truth is, I struggled for many years to make a living as an artist. There simply were not enough opportunities to make a survivable income through my songwriting, performing, and composing work alone. I always supplemented my income by teaching private music lessons. In my late 20s, I decided to pursue my master’s degree in music education and teach music in the New York City public schools. Now after 18 years of teaching general music and choir, I can honestly say that having a reliable income has minimized most of the anxiety I experienced in my early years and has allowed me to blossom as an artist. It has also been a tremendous gift to share my musical knowledge, passion, and experience with thousands of New York City students over the years. This can be seen in a documentary we made with my middle school choir called “Rise Up and Sing”.
