Katahj Copley - IRIDESSI (World Premiere) | 2024 Arkansas Intercollegiate Band

Iridescence - a lustrous rainbow-like play of color caused by differential refraction of light waves that tends to change as the angle of view changes; a lustrous appearance Life is a luminous halo, an envelope surrounding us from the beginning of consciousness to the end. Life is iridescent. Iridessi is an embodiment of life and light. The piece begins with a shimmering small light from the percussion instruments and grows into a luminous and vibrant dance of discovery. Throughout the work, different club-type beats in the winds and percussion are used to give Iridessi the life it needs. I wanted to display the different types of colors associated with light- from warm to harsh and pastel colors to saturated palettes. Finally, at the end of the piece, after this electric dance from the ensemble, the music evaporates into the air, leaving only the metallic instruments to fade away into the iridescent and invisible.