LAKE SUPERIOR SUITE
- Concert Band Grade 5
- Duration: 18 minutes (five movements)
- Premiere performance by the University of Toronto Wind Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Gillian MacKay, February 2018
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Lake Superior Suite is a five-movement work for wind ensemble, inspired by the landscapes of five provincial and national parks along the northern shoreline of Lake Superior in Ontario, Canada. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, holding about 10% of the world’s fresh water. The Ojibwe/Anishinaabe name for the lake is gitchigami or gichigaaming, meaning “great sea”. This piece was conceptualized during camping trips at each of the five parks, and is meant to express the transformative experiences through music and highlight the power of nature connection.
1. The opening movement, Pancake Bay, depicts endlessly flowing waves, soaring birds, peaceful rays of light, and the first glimpse of the vastness of Lake Superior. Pancake Bay Provincial Park is situated on a wide bay that offers stunning panoramic views of the lake.
2. Pukaskwa National Park (pronounced PUK-ə-saw) is on the northeast shore of the lake, and features towering cliffs and rocky shores with centuries-old driftwood. Through meter changes and driving ostinatos, the music in Pukaskwa represents the sense of wonder, adventure, and determination involved in hiking precarious cliffs to breathtaking views.
3. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, the northernmost park included in this piece, is named after a landform that resembles a giant lying on its back. This is the park in which the composer interacted with the most wildlife, experienced the most extreme jaw-dropping views, and witnessed the most beautiful moments in nature. Sleeping Giant’s disjunct melodies, shifts in timbre, and unexpected rhythmic patterns represent this experience.
4. Neys Provincial Park was formerly a prisoner of war camp and a processing site for Japanese-Canadians who were interned and forcibly relocated from British Columbia to Ontario during WWII. Much of the old growth forest was cut down to build the POW camp, and trees were later re-planted in rows. Slow and steady melodic fragments represent the solemn voices of this beautiful but remote location, while the gradual build toward the climax evokes feelings of destruction, anguish, and yearning for peace. Neys is dedicated with love to the composer’s grandparents.
5. The final movement, Agawa Bay, is named after a campground within Lake Superior Provincial Park. The music portrays the serenity of calm evening water, gratitude for all of nature, and the mixed emotions about returning home after a life-changing journey.