Return to Gwyneth Walker Music Catalog
Read Randolph Area Composers Concert at Chandler Music Hall by D. Mickey Drysdale, The Randolph Herald.
Read Vermont Composers' Works Premiere at Chandler Music Hall by Tom Hill, The Valley News.
Read Randolph's Treasure Trove by Jim Lowe, The Times Argus.
Read a review of Climbing to Heaven (2002) for readers, actors, and chamber orchestra by Jim Lowe, The Times-Argus
Listen to a RealAudio (G2) stream of a performance of this work by the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra and Randolph (VT) Community Readers, Catherine Broucek Orr, conductor.
Download an MP3 file of a performance of this work by the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra and Randolph (VT) Community Readers, Catherine Broucek Orr, conductor.
View/download a PDF file of the full score of this work. For perusal only. Contact the composer regarding performance inquiries
View/download a PDF file of the piano score of this work. For perusal only. Contact the composer regarding performance inquiries
Based on "The Wisdom of the Desert -- translations of the sayings of the Desert Fathers", by Thomas Merton
Commissioned by the Chandler Center for the Arts for premiere June 1, 2003 -- Randolph, Vermont
performed by the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, Catherine Broucek Orr, Music Director, and members of the Randolph community as READERS and MONKS
Climbing to Heaven is a dramatization of sayings of fourth-century Desert Fathers (hermits) as translated by Thomas Merton in "The Wisdom of the Desert." Merton's writings bring to life these colorful and uniquely-charming monks. Their humor, their simplicity and their imagination create a world worth visiting by contemporary readers and audiences. And thus, this staged work endeavors to make this voyage possible.
The Participants:
Two READERS, dignified yet dramatic. The roles of the two READERS are equal. The READERS stand on opposite sides of the stage, and exchange readings in a commentary manner. [Readers wear black concert clothing at the Introduction and Conclusion of the work. They wear monks' habits for the majority of the presentation.]
A group of MONKS as the non-speaking actors to dramatize/pantomime the sayings and stories. The MONKS are divided into Elders (such as Abbot Anthony, Abbot Pastor, etc.) and Brothers (such as the young monk trying to climb to heaven). It is envisioned that there be at least 6 MONKS. More would be preferable. Since movement is an essential part of the dramatization, the actors should also be dancers. [MONKS may be male or female.] The MONKS move with heads bowed, faces covered by their hoods. Their focus is humility, looking downward, until the end of the drama, when they look up to heaven in prayer.
CHAMBER ORCHESTRA of 12 players [fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, tpt, perc., vln 1, vln 2, vla, vcl, cb] all seated at rear of stage, except for tpt, off-stage. CONDUCTOR, seated on podium (disguised as monastery pillar) in front of orchestra. [See diagram on following page.] All musicians wear monks' habits.
Notes by the composer