a grain of sand: a chamber opera in one act

Premiered at the University of Delaware with support from the UD School of Music and New Music Delaware. Music, Libretto, and Visuals by Rachael Smith. Conductor: Yoshiaki Onishi Soloists: The Woman: Nicole Stover, soprano Reflection/Echo/Shadow: Mairin Syrgley, mezzo-soprano Ensemble: Aaron Dore, Flutes Zander Barrow, Oboe Matt Vice, Clarinet Zane Ballenger, Bassoon Hannah Goldstone, Trumpet Ruby Whitesell, Trombone Lily Cohoon, Percussion Jacob Fullinwider, Percussion Roger Shao, Violin I Alexander Covelli, Violin II Brian Jennings, Viola Wil Vanderslice, Cello Nick Bedway, Contrabass Scenes: Scene I: The Beach Scene II: mirror Scene III: Contemplation I Scene IV: Dollhouse Scene V: Junk Scene VI: Contemplation II Scene VII: Rose Program Note: a grain of sand is a one act opera for soprano, mezzo-soprano, and sinfonietta and was written between Spring 2022 and Spring 2025. The work uses an original libretto and pulls narrative inspiration from Socrates, Plutarch, and Thomas Hobbes, and from additional media such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carrol, and Genshin Impact. The goal of the work is to be an exploration of “the self” and identity through both narrative and musical elements. In the opera, a woman wakes up on a deserted beach having lost her memory. After regaining consciousness, various objects emerge from the sand that relate to her identity in some way. As she inspects the objects, the woman attempts to make observations of who she may have been and what may have happened to her. The story takes place over the course of eight scenes, with each scene being symbolic of a different part of identity; the self as a reflection of environment, physical appearance, relationships, childhood, material possessions, goals and ambitions, internal thoughts and memory, and choices. Musically, a grain of sand seeks to represent identity through the various elements of harmony, melody, instrumentation, and texture. When choosing musical materials, I sought out ways to take completed ideas and fragment them into smaller parts and spread them throughout the full range of the ensemble, coalescing as the work progresses. I also sought to write musical materials that aurally referenced different moments within my own life to create musical symbolic connections through the use of pastiche. Throughout the opera, the musical and narrative materials come together to form the identity of the nameless main character, while building the expectation, and acceptance, that the new-found identity is a temporary one.