Kati, 13, is an amazing little girl who lives with Ataxia Telangiectsia (AT). She has beaten cancer (the AT makes her more vulnerable to cancer). She is a very courageous and strong young lady!
This concert for Kati, was a collaboration between Chase the Music, composer Nick Halsey of Cello Expressions, and the Boulder Cello Project (and friends) with venue and production assistance from eTown.
Click below to hear “Kati’s Run”
From Kati’s Mom:
Kati was diagnosed with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), a rare neurodegenerative disease, when she was only 2 years old. Then, in June of 2012, Kati was diagnosed with Large B Cell Lymphoma. She underwent treatment for 4 months and is now cancer free. She continues to manage her A-T with the help of her friends and family. Kati is now in a wheelchair which helps her conserve energy and gives her independence.
Kati is a fearless but shy 12 year old who enjoys skiing at Winter Park, horseback riding, swimming and adaptive soccer. She came to Chase the Music through the recommendation of a friend, Molly Niven. Molly noticed her cheerful disposition and love of music. The family enjoys the support of their faith, friends and warm community. Kati is a fearless but shy 12 year old who enjoys skiing at Winter Park, horseback riding, swimming and adaptive soccer. The family enjoys the support of their faith, friends and warm community.
Venue
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eTown is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate, entertain and inspire a diverse audience through music and conversation to create a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable world. The organization was founded in 1991. eTown is a place where music brings us all together and we work (and play) together to make things better. eTown Hall is located in downtown Boulder, Colorado.
Rehearsal
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Composer: Nick Halsey
Nick Halsey is a student at the University of Southern California, where he’s studying Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Music Composition. He’s also a WordPress core contributor. In Summer 2014, he was one of WordPress’ Google Summer of Code students. He is an avid cellist, trumpeter and composer/arranger. Nick is the Resident Composer for the Boulder Cello Project, and is always adding to his free cello ensemble sheet music library.
Most of Nick’s projects are on his main website: Cello Expressions.
“Kati’s Run” was motivated by Kati’s love for being out on the slopes skiing in her sit-ski. It expresses the exhilaration of being out on the slopes, interspersing gentle easy turns, with more difficult and exciting pitches.
Nick also composed “Many Trails” for Chase the Music – performed for our friend Chito, during the summer of 2013.
Performance
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The program was a mixture of Kati’s favorite songs – popular music, songs from her favorite musicals and classical music. The event was topped off with the premiere of an original Chase the Music composition – ‘Kati’s Run’ composed by Oregon composer – Nick Halsey.
“Kati’s Run”, is the composers musical vision of a ski-run with Kati. He takes her down open runs with smooth, wide carving turns, then over a rise and into the bumps. Dropping into the trees, the turns are quick and rhythmic with a pressure to make every turn. Easing back onto the slope, tighter turns, then opening up and becoming joyous over another glorious run.
Performers: The Boulder Cello Project, and friends
The Boulder Cello Project is an organization committed to supporting Colorado cellists by providing a non-competitive friendly place to practice, learn and share knowledge of music and the art of cello playing. They also provide workshops taught by expert instructors for all levels and abilities. The project collaborates with local and national composers to create music that is accessible to both beginners and advanced players, and also strives to create pieces to showcase the cello’s versatility by playing music not generally associated with cello to inspire their members and audience.
Click here, for a copy of the program.
See the conductor’s notes, download the score and more – here.
Awe and Joy,
A piece for two special kids – Ayla and Jayden, a brother and sister 8 & 9, who were both born with Spina Bifida. They are the most sweet and caring kids. Ayla is a little quiet, until she gets to know you, and very sweet. Jayden is… all boy. He’s interested in everything and is very outgoing.
Awe and Joy, an original composition by Nick Halsey was performed at the Boulder Public Library – Canyon Theater on August 9th at 3pm. The Boulder Cello Project and friends (from the woodwinds, brass and percussion sections) will be performing Awe and Joy, along with a number of other selections of the childrens musical favorites
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“One thing we have always known about Chito is his love for music.” – Aly, Chito’s teacher.
Chito is a smart, outgoing teenage boy. He is full of personality and loves to be goofy! Chito really enjoys interacting with people of all ages. Chito has Autism and is partially verbal. He uses a Vantage-Lite Augmentative Communication Device or picture exchange system to express his needs and wants. In particular, he is a wonderful teenager who loves music!
Chito has many interests!! He LOVES to jump on a trampoline, bounce on an exercise ball, play in water, play with musical toys, flip through books and magazines, and use several apps on his iPad at home and in school. He also enjoys working on the Smart Board in the classroom. Chito absolutely loves to be outdoors. He enjoys running, swimming, and swinging. Many of the selections at the concert were Disney themes in recognition of his love for anything Disney.
He’s a big teddy bear of a guy and is loved by his family, friends and teachers. All involved felt strongly about providing this gift for Chito. We also felt that we wanted to recognize, and thank Chito’s school – The Joshua School. They are committed to helping individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental Disabilities attain the highest quality of life, valuing each unique mind, body, and spirit. As such, the performance was dedicated to the school.
Composer: Nick Halsey
Nick Halsey is a student at the University of Southern California, where he’s studying Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Music Composition. He’s also a WordPress core contributor. In Summer 2014, he was one of WordPress’ Google Summer of Code students. He is an avid cellist, trumpeter and composer/arranger. Nick is the Resident Composer for the Boulder Cello Project, and is always adding to his free cello ensemble sheet music library. Most of Nick’s projects are on his main website: Cello Expressions.
Performers: Boulder Cello Project
The Boulder Cello Project is an organization committed to supporting Colorado cellists by providing a non-competitive friendly place to practice, learn and share knowledge of music and the art of cello playing. They also provide workshops taught by expert instructors for all levels and abilities.
The project collaborates with local and national composers to create music that is accessible to both beginners and advanced players, and also strives to create pieces to showcase the cello’s versatility by playing music not generally associated with cello (such as jazz, rock, alternative, etc.) to inspire their members and audience to learn more about playing the cello or musical instrument. Their goal is to foster a stronger and more diverse community of musicians by providing music education in different genres to create more knowledgeable cellists who are able to play with other musicians in non-classical genres.
In addition, the Boulder Cello Project strives to inform and entertain their members and audiences by providing unique musical experiences by collaborating with other artists and musicians in their area, and will also be giving back to their community by performing for retirement communities and other non-profit organizations.
Venue: Glenn Miller Ballroom, CU, Boulder
Many Trails was performed on the University of Colorado campus, in the Glenn Miller Ballroom for an audience of approximately 100.
Many Trails Program.
Download the score.
Pictures of the performance.
Xander had major life health troubles right from birth and spent the first months of his life in the neo natal ICU. For the first years of his life, no one knew if the damage was permanent or not. Fortunately, Xander’s doing great now.
His father is a jazz bass player, thus the heavy lead bass lines and bass solo intro in “Xander’s Meander”.
Xander was able to attend the premier, and stayed snuggly under blankets with his mom and dad.
Composer: Jimmy Lange
Jimmy (Jimmie, JeeMai…) Lange, is a long time friend and amazing musician. It’s said that any musician’s music sounds better with a little of JeeMai’s help. Jimmie has produced the Little Red Rocks festival in Lyons for the past 15 years, bringing artists from across the country out to perform under the stars in the Colorado mountains. He has a heart of gold and he tickles the ivory, like nobody’s business! His rock, reggae, blues, and jazz work is inspirational. His smile, infectious. Thanks Jimmy! We love you!
Performers: Michael Reese and Space Jam
Michael Reese and SpaceJam, (link is to another improv piece, not Xanders Meander) is a jazz group with outrageous talent premiered Xanders Meander at Little Red Rocks Sept 8th, 2012 in Lyons, Colorado for a crowd of about 350.
Michael Reese – Guitar
Kim Stone – Bass
Britt Chiampa – Drums
Jimmy Lange – Keys
Venue: Little Red Rocks, Lyons, CO
Xander’s Meander was performed at Little Red Rocks annual music festival, Lyons, CO.
Music begins at 1:00.
At the completion of the premiere, Lauren looked up and said, “Clark, I’m never going to stop smiling”.Lauren, of Westminster, Colorado, was diagnosed at the age of 3 with leukemia. Chase the Morning Sun was premiered for her when she was 5, and still undergoing chemotherapy. Lauren was too young to understand and yet too strong to let it get her. She’s bright, sociable, polite and an incredible reader. After the premiere performance, the band, Lauren and family enjoyed pizza together. She made it a point to go to each and every table of performers and thank them. We love you Lauren! You are the inspiration for Chase the Music!
Composer: Clint Needham
The music of Clint Needham has been described as “wildly entertaining” and “stunning… brilliantly orchestrated” by the New York Times, as well as “well-crafted and arresting… riveting” by the Herald Times. Needham recently served as the Music Alive: New Partnerships Composer-in-Residence with the Albany Symphony where his work “Everyday Life” was premiered.
Needham currently serves as Composer-in-Residence/Assistant Professor of Music at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music. He has served as an Associate Instructor at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music as well as Assistant Professor of Music at Ohio Wesleyan University. He holds degrees from Indiana University, where he was a four-year Jacobs School of Music doctoral fellow in composition, and from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music.
Clint Needham is the father of twin sons. His sons were about a year old when we approached him to compose a piece for Lauren. He stated, “I just have to write this piece for her.” As a young father, he couldn’t fathom what she, and her family were going through. Clint is a dynamic young man, with a real passion for people and music.
Performers: Lyons HS Band
The Lyons High School Band, of Lyons, Colorado, under the direction of Dr. Karen Gregg performed the premiere performance of “Chase the Morning Sun”. The band had been selected by blind audition from all of the high school bands in the state of Colorado to perform at the annual convention of the Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA). Director Dr. Karen Gregg chose this prestigious event to premiere Chase the Morning Sun for Lauren. The band was composed of 50 musicians who were 14-18 years old. Gregg said the story behind the music provides a powerful lesson for her students. “I want them to understand the whole concept of humanity and empathy and that their actions, no matter how small or big, can impact people”. Sophomore percussionist Chris “Tofu” Rives, 16, said he thinks about the emotional roller coaster Lauren and her parents have been through while playing. “Music is fueled by emotion”, he said, “and this is music at its best.”
Venue: Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO
Chase the Morning Sun was performed at the historic Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
No program available.
Press coverage by the Longmont Times.
Contact us for information about the score.
Pictures of the rehearsal and premiere performance.
Composers MIDI rendition, no live recording available.
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“When I was undergoing my chemotherapy, it was the music that kept me going.” Thomas
From Thomas’ mom: Thomas returned home on a sunny, December day after sledding with friends complaining about a sore side. He had taken a spill flying down the sledding hill and his side ached. A normal afternoon with the normal bumps and bruises after having too much fun, we all thought. But as the days went by and the pain didn’t go away we started considering actually seeing a doctor. Maybe he had torn a muscle or bruised an organ? Christmas came and went and with no improvement in his pain, the doctor visit was scheduled. After a CT scan and a consult with the radiologist our doctor told us he did have something wrong: a hematoma on his kidney. The docs all agreed the sledding fall had nicked his kidney and now he had a huge sack of blood hovering over his kidney. We all breathed a sigh of relief. A few more months and he would be back to his active, thirteen year-old self, enjoying all of his favorite activities. But, that was not the road before him. In a few short weeks Thomas’ life would never be the same.
After an increase in pain and pain medications, we returned to the doctor. This time the ultrasound techs saw what had been there all the time, a massive tumor encapsulating his kidney and growing daily. We still didn’t know his diagnosis but as we rushed to Children’s Hospital, we sensed life as we knew it was rapidly disappearing. Thomas had major kidney surgery two days later to remove the tumor and the kidney. We, his family and friends, sat outside the operating room praying and singing through the nearly eight hour surgery. He then began a long, difficult journey to recover from the surgery. Before surgery he weighed 109 pounds. Two weeks later his weight had slipped to just 86 pounds. He was 5’9”.
We learned he had Wilm’s Tumor kidney cancer that had spread to his lungs and we cried tears of joy. Imagine crying with relief at a cancer diagnosis! But all other forms of kidney cancer were almost a complete death sentence. Thomas had the most treatable form of kidney cancer even though this cancer occurs mainly in children under five years old. We thanked God for hope and Thomas began his treatment. Weekly and sometimes daily trips to Denver became our new routine and Children’s Hospital became our new home.
Nine months later, with vomiting and sickness in the past, Thomas completed his treatment and his final scans revealed no cancer. He had experienced a rough treatment, uncontrolled nausea and vomiting, but our families and friends never left him without support. Singing became a lifeline for our family and his small attempts at viola playing thrilled all of us. The suffering was real but the joy found in the love of others was just as powerful. Thomas lost nine months of normal life to a vicious disease but he gained the knowledge of compassion, sympathy, and hope in time of deep suffering.
Composer: Tom Hagerman
Tom Hagerman composed “Cuttlefish” for Thomas. Cuttlefish, because that is a creature that Thomas is particularly interested in. Tom is a member of the popular Denver progressive band “Devotchka“, who often play with the Denver Symphony at venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheater. He is classically trained and plays violin, piano, melodica and accordion.
Performers: Centarus HS Orchestra
The Centaurus High School Orchestra, of Lafayette, Colorado performed Cuttlefish with Thomas and his little sister and Tom Hagerman (composer) joining as guest performers at their spring 2014 concert. The Orchestra was directed by Leslie Ziegler. Ms. Ziegler also plays with the RailSplitters.
Venue: Centaurus HS auditorium, Lafayette, CO
Cuttlefish was performed on May 20th, 2014, at the Centaurus High School Auditorium, part of the Boulder Valley School District, for a crowd of approximately 500.
No program available.
Contact us for information about the score. [contact-form]
Pictures of the performance.
Most of Nick’s projects are on his main website: Cello Expressions.
“Kati’s Run” was motivated by Kati’s love for being out on the slopes skiing in her sit-ski. It expresses the exhilaration of being out on the slopes, interspersing gentle easy turns, with more difficult and exciting pitches.
Nick also composed “Many Trails” for Chase the Music – performed for our friend Chito, during the summer of 2013.
The music of 
Chase the Morning Sun was performed at the historic Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
