On Friday, May 17, High Desert Chamber Music’s (HDCM) 16th season, presented by German Master Tech, will conclude with our own resident ensemble, the Crown City String Quartet. In addition to works by Mozart and Borodin, this concert will also feature the world premiere of a piece commissioned by HDCM. I recently had an opportunity to talk with composer Chris Thomas, about his love of music and what drew him into composition.
Chris is a native of the Pacific Northwest and was born into a musical family. His family always encouraged him to work hard, practice, and to pursue crazy dreams. However, music was not initially what drew Chris’s interest. “What seems to surprise many who hear this, I never wanted to work in the music business. My obsession was always with filmmakers and great storytellers.” He was particularly taken with famous filmmakers such as Tim Burton and Alfred Hitchcock. His dream was always to find a way to use his gifts to serve storytellers. “I finally realized my destiny was to serve my generation of filmmakers as a humble, supportive composer.” Chris eventually went on to study at USC in their Scoring for Motion Pictures & Television program, thus laying the groundwork for his varied and successful career.
Chris has been the recipient of many awards and has composed for television, movies, the concert stage and even for theme parks — you may hear his work while wandering around Universal Studios or Knott’s Berry Farms! “One of the greatest surprises in my career has been my involvement with theme parks,” Chris said. “They are as magical to work with as they are to experience. It’s the one place you can physically walk into a cinematic world and become the central character.”
Chris became involved with the Crown City String Quartet after attending their performance in the HDCM Concert Series last Spring. The idea of commissioning a new piece had already been broached, so violinist Isabelle Senger (and executive director of HDCM), invited him to come listen to the ensemble. It was at this point, that Chris knew he had a suitable vehicle to make magic with. After the performance, he realized that “writing for them would be like driving a Ferrari — they can handle some serious curves at high speeds.” While not wanting to give too much away, I asked Chris if he could give us any insights on what we can expect to hear in this world premiere. One of Chris’s interests has been with the Eleusinian Mysteries, considered to be the most famous secret religious rites in Ancient Greece. Though long extinct, individuals like Plato and Virgil claimed them to be the one of the most intense and formative experiences of their lives. In speaking about the work, Chris said, “I wanted to attempt an exploration of the ecstatic state one must have felt participating in this ancient, mystery religion. Needless to say, the music is quite energetic and colorful!”
When asked whether he had a particular piece or experience that helped shape his music life,
Chris told me, “When I was ten, I saw a scene in Edward Scissorhands where he goes to a mall and sees the girl of his dreams. Nobody speaks, the sound of the world falls away, and the music steps in to speak for the main character.” It was at this moment that Chris understood the power of music to express ideas that words cannot. It occurred to him that this experience wasn’t an accident — it was a highly coordinated event between filmmaker and composer to express an idea. From that moment on, his trajectory was set!
Please join us on Friday, May 17 at 7:30pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon for the culmination of a record-setting season. This concert is brought to you by Hayden Homes and you can join Scott Elnes from Central Oregon Daily for a concert preview with Chris and the CCSQ at 6:45pm. Tickets are available through High Desert Chamber Music by phone or online.
This is your last chance to come hear the music!