Maiden Voyage

Show Synopsis

Maiden Voyage launches with the sound of tolling ship bells, building momentum as the ensemble sets sail into open waters. Drawing on Debussy’s La Mer, the opening captures the thrill and grandeur of embarking on a new journey, full of anticipation and energy. As the excitement crests, thunder rumbles in the distance, and the sea turns treacherous. The ensemble plunges into Robert W. Smith’s Into the Storm, where driving rhythms and crashing sonorities whip across the stage like waves. A real ship wheel, used as a ratchet effect, adds a visceral layer to the storm sequence, pulling the audience directly into the peril of the voyage.

When the tempest subsides, a fragile calm settles over the water, shimmering through the ethereal sounds of water-dipped crotales and chimes. Out of the stillness, a lone oboist rises to sing the tender opening line of Debussy’s third movement of La Mer, guiding the ship’s course toward safety and hope. With the cry of “Land Ho!” echoing across the hall, the ensemble launches into a triumphant finale, surging with energy as the vessel races back to port. Maiden Voyage is an exhilarating celebration of adventure, discovery, and the resilience to weather the sea’s every turn.

Tempo Range: 80 - 174

Instrumentation:

• Oboe Soloist
• Crotales
• Glockenspiel
• Vibraphone 1
• Vibraphone 2
• Vibraphone 3
• Vibraphone 4
• Vibraphone 5
• Vibraphone 6
• Xylophone
• Marimba 1*
• Marimba 2*
• Marimba 3*
• Marimba 4*
• Marimba 5*
• Marimba 6/7*
• Timpani
• Aux Perc 1 & 2
• Aux Perc 3 & 4
• Aux Perc 5 & 6
• Aux Perc 7 & 8
• Drumset
• Bass Guitar
• Synthesizer 1
• Synthesizer 2
• Mallet Station

* Marimbas are also required to play individual crotale notes dipped in water.