Peter Drew’s Symphony No. 1, Reminiscence is a pastiche of sorts; it gathers up the musical moments that have touched the composer throughout his life. These musical reminiscences recall his excitement as a very young boy, listening to the works of the great western composers through the speaker of a portable radio, and musically encapsulate his discovery of jazz and popular music. Performed alongside works by Beethoven and Rossini in this concert by the Boulder Symphony, Drew’s symphonic work reflects his lifelong fascination with music in all of its forms.
About
Composer Peter Drew passed through many lifetimes until he honed in on a career of music. As a teenager, he joined the high school orchestra but nothing came of it. He then bought a $95 student clarinet, looked at it, blew a few notes and stuck it in a closet where it vegetated for many years.
After a stint in the service and a master’s degree, his diploma should have read, “adrift.” There were myriad jobs, including film distribution, caterer, sailing instructor, cruise ship host, taxi driver, country club manager, and video operator. What finally stuck was a career in teaching with a specialty in film and social studies. But something was missing.
That was when he bought a good clarinet and decided to take music seriously. He took lessons, joined a symphonic band, and dove into the classical and jazz repertoire, studying with Sid Cooper and Danny Bank, both associated with the big bands of Tommy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet, and Benny Goodman.
Together with a group of like-minded musicians, he founded the St. Albans Jazz Ensemble, performing jazz and pop standards. Before long, studying with the composer Philip Rothman, he began arranging and composing and loving every minute of it.
Founded in 2009 by conductor Devin Patrick Hughes and business leader Anthony Santelli, Boulder Symphony is a community-focused orchestra driven to enhance the music scene in Boulder CO and beyond. Themed “Intrepid Explorers,” the Symphony’s inaugural season reflected an artistic vision of commitment to consistent innovation and the joy of discovery through audience participation, youth outreach, and creating modern relevance to the long-standing art form that is the classical music genre.
Today the Boulder Symphony actively performs symphonic music’s most monumental repertoire and presents flash mobs, fully-staged operas, and many world premieres, including Gray Rain, a Global Music Award-winning work by Colorado-born, and GRAMMY®-nominated composer Austin Wintory. Some of the many stepping stones in creating what Boulder Symphony is today include serenading audiences at the Boulder Farmers Market, showcasing young soloists who go on to win national competitions, and being featured in the documentary Song of the Untouchable. Also, the developments of a high school apprenticeship program, in-school coaching program, and the new GLOW project (dementia and sensory-friendly concerts) go hand in hand with the Boulder Symphony’s goal of providing a meaningful platform for musicians from all walks of life to access high-level, heart-filling music.
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