Chris Hass: Nebulous for Trombone and Piano

When Ben Zindler first approached me to write a piece about both the universe and the process of formulating an idea, the title Nebulous immediately came to my mind. I found that the double meaning of this word fit perfectly into what I imagined of the piece: the vastness and complexity of outer space, combined with the constant development and, often times, ambiguity behind the creation of an idea. Musically, I set out to evoke these qualities through the juxtaposition of intricate, note-heavy lines with slow-moving melodic passages, a constant, almost minimalistic, repetition of established material, and the use of short, fragmented motives to create larger landscapes. Additionally, the formal structure of this piece evokes the diversity behind idea creation by sometimes clearly displaying the expansion and growth of material, while other times including unclear and inconsistent transitions between sections.

Chris Evan Hass (b. 1993) is a composer, arranger, and conductor hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Chris’ music has been performed across the United States and has received international recognition with performances throughout Asia and in Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland. His music has been performed by ensembles including the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet, the Sinta Saxophone Quartet, and the Third Coast Trombone Choir.
Chris has had pieces featured at new music festivals including Indiana State University’s Contemporary Music Festival, New Music Detroit’s Strange Beautiful Music Festival, and various Society for Composers Inc. conferences. He has also had performances at the Indonesia Orchestra and Ensemble Festival, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, National Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, and the US Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium.
Chris holds degrees in Composition from Central Michigan University (M.M.) and Western Michigan University (B.M.). His primary teachers include David Gillingham, Evan Ware, Christopher Biggs, and Lisa Coons. Chris currently resides in Jackson, MI, where he works as a freelance composer and teaches private lessons for low brass students at Northwest Public Schools.