UTEP Symphony Orchestra to Perform “The OceanMaker”
On November 15th, the UTEP Symphony Orchestra will perform the score to the award-winning short film, The OceanMaker, composed by UTEP Associate Professor of Commercial Piano, Dr. Chris Reyman. This will be the first time the piece has been performed live on stage. The original work was recorded in 2013 by a 35-piece orchestra in Austin, in addition to a choir and percussion ensemble comprised of students from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.
The OceanMaker is a 9-minute animated short film that takes place after Earth’s oceans have disappeared. It tells the tale of one courageous pilot who fights against vicious sky pirates for control of the last remaining source of water: the clouds. In addition to The OceanMaker, Dr. Reyman completed scores for several other short films and games, including the virtual reality game Walkabout Mini Golf, a “critically acclaimed” title for PSVR and the “Best-Rated Multiplayer Game” for Oculus.
When asked what it is like to perform her professor’s film music in the large ensemble symphonic scenario, Master of Music in Piano Performance candidate Cristina Melendez Rascon exclaims, “It’s such an honor but also a big responsibility because the piano part is important! I was able to ask Dr. Reyman for tips in playing the score, and we watched the video together as a group with maestro Rattay. I think seeing the audio-visual rendition before we started studying the piece makes a difference in the way we are performing it.” Other music students are excited to share the project and are working with Maestro Bohuslav Rattay, conductor of the UTEP Symphony Orchestra, to bring the work to life.
- Date of Concert: Wednesday, November 15th
- Place: Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall
- Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Tickets: $5 Adults, $3 Students/Military, Free for UTEP Faculty, Students and Staff