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Read a review of Open the Door (1990) for orchestra by Florence Fisher, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Read a review of Open the Door (1990) for orchestra by Larry T. Collins, the Ozarks News-Leader.
Read a review of Open the Door (1990) for orchestra by Michael Linder, The Times Record News.
Download an MP3 file of this work performed by the Women's Philharmonic, JoAnn Falletta, conductor.
View/download a perusal PDF file of the full score of this orchestral work.
Open the Door, an orchestral overture, was composed as an homage to The Women's Philharmonic on the occasion of their 10th season: 1981-91. In the spirit of this orchestra which "opens the doors" of performance opportunities to many women composers, this overture -- in form and motivic content -- is intended as a gesture of opening.
The initial soli passages, marked "with hesitation," aim to portray the isolation of solitary individuals trying to make music. During the course of Open the Door, these soli gradually join together, gaining in strength and energy.
Interspersed with the soli activity are chords in the brass (accented by pitched drums) which continually expand in range and dynamics as an "opening" motive. The expansion grows into a closing section marked "triumphantly" and "with determination" intended to celebrate the spirit of openness and fresh air generated when doors are opened to new opportunities.
Notes by the composer