for flute/piccolo, bass clarinet, bass trombone, percussion, electric guitar, cello, and double bass
Apophis was premiered on April 15, 2019, at Auer Hall, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (Bloomington, Indiana, USA). The premiere featured Rebecca Tutunick (flute/piccolo), Carett Nichols (bass clarinet), William Clark (bass trombone), Neil Clifton Cain (electric guitar), Ryan Chao (percussion), Jennifer Jordan (cello), and Kolten Heeren (double bass), conducted by Tyler James Readinger.
Duration: 9’30”
Program Notes
Apophis is a near-Earth asteroid discovered in 2004. Its orbit is characterized by close approaches to our planet, which initially caused concern over a possible collision with Earth and the resulting global catastrophe. For this reason, the asteroid was named after the ancient Egyptian deity who embodied chaos. Apep (Apophis in Greek mythology) is traditionally depicted as a giant serpent attempting to swallow the sun during its nightly journey through the underworld, only to be defeated each time by the sun god Ra.
This memorable name was one of the main reasons why observations of the asteroid—which is in fact far from the most dangerous object of its kind—received significant attention in the media and generated numerous rumors. Although subsequent observations ruled out an impact in 2029 and 2036, Apophis remains one of the most recognizable near-Earth asteroids because of this remarkable story.
Performance History
- World Premiere — April 15, 2019. Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Auer Hall
- Midwest Composers Symposium — November 9, 2019. Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Auer Hall