Ryan Middagh: TOMORROW WILL BE OUR LAST SUNNY DAY. Vanderbilt Wind Symphony - Thomas Verrier, Cond

Vanderbilt Wind Symphony
Thomas Verrier, Conductor
Jose Sibaja, Trumpet
Jeremy Wilson, Trombone
College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA)
National Conference - February 16, 2023
TOMORROW WILL BE OUR LAST SUNNY DAY
This composition was inspired by a poorly delivered weather report on the local radio one afternoon. The announcer concluded the broadcast with the statement, "tomorrow will be our last sunny day" (hard stop), which left me wondering, "Ever? Will this be our last sunny day ever?" This question sparked a series of follow-up questions, including "Why will tomorrow be our last sunny day?"
Was this literal, where the environmental impact we have had on our planet created a climate where we would have no more sunny days? This question inspired the first movement where musically I try to capture the constant rhythm of nature, its beauty, but most importantly, our conflict as humans with the natural world. This conflict is represented in the harmonic hits that start the piece. With the current mental health crisis, was this last sunny day coming from depression? This question inspired the second movement where solo material with little ensemble support is the majority of the movement. This is to represent the isolation mental illness can create, and in the piece things get harmonically brighter when support comes from both soloists and the ensem­ble. Was our last sunny day the result of war and political conflict? Especially considering at the time I started this work, Russia was on the verge of invading Ukraine. This inspired the third attacca movement where I try to capture the sound of this particular conflict, the air raid sirens, and the "bombs" that are being dropped by the brass section.
The final question I asked myself was, "What would you do if you knew tomorrow would be your last sunny day?" Would you be fearful, sad, angry,
or would you cherish and celebrate every last moment of it? The coda addresses this conflict through the use of standard V to I motion with altered V and sus13 V chords moving between bright major and dark minor harmonies. In developing ideas for this piece, I looked to short Bible verses for inspiration. The first movement is inspired by "The earth defiled by its people" (Isaiah 4:5), the second by "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?" (Psalm 42), and the third by "But his heart was war" (Psalm 51). These verses informally became the titles of the movements.
As a jazz musician by training, I incorporated elements of improvisation into the piece. There is group improvisation at the end of the first movement, and both soloists have the freedom to improvise or ad lib material in the first and third movements. However, I do not believe there is anything overly "jazzy" about this work.
Ryan Middagh is the Director of Jazz Studies at Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music. An innovative educator, composer, arranger, saxophonist, band leader, and clinician, he has traveled the globe sharing his unique blend of talents and musical influences with audiences and music students. A passionate advocate for jazz education at all levels, he pursues creative programming and is devoted to reaching diverse communities through jazz. Since his arrival in 2014, the school's jazz program has received national and international recognition, including nine DownBeat magazine student music awards, invitations to the 2017, 2022, and 2023 Jazz Education Network Conferences and performances overseas.