The Wondrous Transformation of Aglais Urticae by Tawnie Olson
Composer Tawnie Olson shares some background & the process behind this month's featured piece.
1. What was the starting point for this composition? Commission, request, opportunity, collaboration, parameters
The Wondrous Transformation of Aglais urticae was commissioned by Elektra for the final concert in their final season with Morna Edmundson as their director. It was a really emotional time for everyone, as Morna had co-founded Elektra 38 years before and had been conducting the group ever since. Morna gave me strict instructions not to write anything depressing, so my challenge was to find a text that could celebrate change in a positive way. Butterflies were perhaps an obvious choice in this situation, but before writing this piece I was not familiar with the 17th century artist and naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian, and it was a delight to learn more about her and comb her works for a text that spoke to this special occasion.
2. What did you enjoy most about the process of composing this piece?
It was an absolute joy to compose for Morna, Elektra, and Stephen Smith, their pianist. Writing this piece also gave me an opportunity to work through my own feelings; I myself sang in a choir for 20 years until the founder of that chorus (a really important mentor to me) retired in 2020. Another fun challenge was to take seriously the idea of continuous transformation; the musical ideas of the piece are continuously developing and the music's character shifts from section to section.
3. What were some of the challenges to consider and work through?
It is a challenge to write for a treble chorus (or a chorus of tenors and basses, for that matter), because one doesn't have the full ambitus or colour palette of SATB. I don't normally write for piano and chorus, but including the piano gave me the opportunity to explore higher and lower registers, and to introduce complex rhythmic patterns that wouldn't be idiomatic for singers.
4. Performance details: when/where/by whom?
This is the premiere performance in Vancouver in May, 2025. Morna Edmundson conducts Elektra and pianist Stephen Smith.
Additional Note: this piece was selected by the National Collegiate Choral Organization for inclusion in the NCCO series published by E.C. Schirmer, and is available from ECS here.
