Holiday in reality : a suite for jazz chamber ensemble in five movements

Holiday in Reality is a five-movement suite for jazz chamber ensemble utilizing strings, brass, woodwinds and jazz rhythm section that provide a context for interplay with the tenor saxophone. The intent was to compose a series of musical vignettes exploring some of the possibilities of integrating jazz and classical idioms, with the goal of fusing these genres into a unified whole. The title Holiday in Reality is the name of a poem written by American poet Wallace Stevens. In this poem, Stevens depicts the interaction between the mind and imagination as a series of spontaneous events. When viewed within a creative context, his viewpoint of mind and imagination are well suited to inspire music composition and improvisation. The analysis of this suite provides a general descriptive overview of the form, harmony, and thematic development in each movement, offering a look into the rationale behind the music's architecture.