As a guitarist, I have often felt slightly outside the traditional classical world, since the techniques and repertoire I work on differ from those of my peers. Nonetheless, I am equally passionate about rock and metal as I am about classical music, and I wanted to create a piece that bridges these influences with my love of classical music. The title Pacifica reflects both my first electric guitar, a Yamaha Pacifica, and the oceanic character of the opening section. From there, the music evolves into a “metal” section, inspired by the textures created by a rock band. Although the piece currently takes the form of a short concertino, I hope to expand it into a multi-movement work in the future. This is dedicated to all musicians that have one foot in the classical and the other in the contemporary world.
I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to this piece. It would not have been the same without the suggestions edits from my teachers, peers, family, and friends.