“The sound of water rushing over rocks in the Hocking Hills gave composer Ken McCaw an idea,” writes Ken Gordon in Sunday’s (12/11) Columbus Dispatch (Ohio). The Columbus native “had written a piece of orchestral music in May…. ‘I was hiking around Cedar Falls and I was like, “The piece reminds me of Cedar Falls, the way it flows,” ‘ [McCaw said]. The image helped guide McCaw as he polished the five-minute ‘Cedar Falls.’ ” The Central Ohio Symphony premiered the work on Sunday, led by Music Director Jamie Morales-Matos. “The composition marks the second McCaw piece debuted by the symphony, which in 2014 also premiered his ‘Ice Dance.’ … Several years ago, [McCaw] approached Warren Hyer, executive director of the Central Ohio Symphony, about composing a piece for the group.… ‘Part of our mission is to work with Ohio guest artists and Ohio composers,’ Hyer said. ‘I think it paints a picture that there is significant artistic achievement right in our own great community.’ Ben Goldberg, another composer with Ohio ties … has also written and arranged pieces for the symphony…. McCaw is now dreaming up a grander plan: He hopes to create a five-piece ‘Hocking Hills Suite.’ ”
Posted December 15, 2016
Pictured: Composer Ken McCaw in his basement studio. The Central Ohio Symphony premiered McCaw’s “Cedar Falls” on December 11. Photo by Tyler Stabile
