"Hymn for Reconciliation" for oboe quartet - digitally downloadable score & parts
WINNER of Nezhdanova-Placzek Duo's "Call for Chamber Music Compositions Submissions 2024." Cayden Chaffin - sole laureate
Hymn for Reconciliation for oboe quartet
This piece reflects the LGBTQ+ struggle with Christian churches, emphasizing that hate has no place in God's houses. The title emerges from the composer's reconciliation journey between faith and sexuality, retold throughout this work. Using Christian imagery and musical idioms, it is divided into three parts: Confession, Flood, and Rainbow. The first section, Confession, captures the realization of the young composer's sexuality and his admission to his mother, mirrored by an oboe's hymn-like tune that underpins the thematic material. The second section, Flood, alludes to the Biblical Flood, representing the waves of hate faced by vulnerable queer youth who struggle with self-hatred and loneliness. The third section, Rainbow, refers to God's covenant with Noah and symbolizes the love that affirming clergy and family can provide, helping queer individuals rediscover their faith. Everyone deserves to worship freely without hatred of their identities or beliefs—this is a God-given right and a true Fruit of the Spirit, Love. This work affirms this musically, using a chamber setting to symbolize diverse individuals creating art for everyone, regardless of orientation or background, echoing God's Word: "[speak] to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart..." (Ephesians 5:19 NASB)
Cayden Chaffin is a composer, conductor, and multi-instrumentalist whose musical endeavors have garnered numerous accolades from prestigious institutions like the Texas Music Teachers Association and the College Music Society. He previously served as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Teen Council President for the 2021-22 season, where he fostered and developed programs benefiting not only underserved communities but also all his peers involved in the vibrant musical landscape of North Texas. This vision of social reform through the infinite power of art is a deeply personal pursuit, shaped by his ever-evolving role as an artist-leader in the surrounding communities. He has received several composition awards, including First Place in the 2024 Texas Music Teachers Association Composition Contest’s Young Artist Division. He is also a dedicated chamber and concert pianist, collaborating with renowned organizations such as the International Contemporary Ensemble to promote underrepresented voices in classical music. Currently, he is a student at the Mannes School of Music in New York City, pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Composition. He would like to thank God for the blessing of using his platform to inspire change and his mother for her boundless love and support as he continues on his artistic journey.
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“Hymn for Reconciliation” for oboe quartet is published by BumbleBee Notes™ Music Publishing, a BumbleBee Notes™ Inc. Music Corporation division. The downloadable file is an attractive, easy-to-read, high-resolution, DRM-protected PDF file with excellent details. All individual parts of the set can also be purchased separately. Please select from the separately published parts displayed below.
For the printed edition of “Hymn for Reconciliation," click the image.
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