The Blue Hour is a song cycle commissioned by the Boston-based chamber ensemble, A Far Cry. For this work, the ensemble commissioned not one but five powerhouse composers to create this thought-provoking work. Rachel Grimes, Shara Nova, Caroline Shaw, Sarah Kirkland Snider, and Angélica Negrón joined together and selected a poem by Carolyn Forché entitled "On Earth" as the text for the cycle. This poem explores the scattered thoughts, visions, and imagery of a life as one approaches death. The hope of these composers is that this music will make listeners think about the beauty of the world and the value of human life and the present moment.
Vocalist and composer, Shara Nova, will perform The Blue Hour with members of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra at The Big Ears Festival on Sunday, April 2nd at 8pm in the historic Bijou Theatre. Additional information about the Big Ears Festival can be found at https://bigearsfestival.org/
