Zachery Litchfield is a Composer whose fascination with sound, in all its forms, drives him to share his love of music. Zachery composes music that pulls listeners in with interesting and accessible gestures while also challenging them to embrace unique sounds that form expressive imagery. In the orchestral work Cosmic Proportions he creates a sound-painting of the cosmos using a wide variety of harmonies, everything from a pure triad to a dense cluster chord. Zachery uses the more complex harmonies as shading to add depth and meaning to the work that create a colorful imagining of the the cosmos.
His music has been described as “colorful, well shaped and crafted in formal structure, inventive and original, beautifully orchestrated, harmonically and texturally rich, and meaningful” -Dr. Yiorgos Vassilandonakis. This is particularly evident in works like The Sound Of Amber, a solo work for Cello written to captivate its listeners in a swirling kaleidoscope of color. The work draws forth sounds and textures unique to the cello and exudes expression at every turn.
Zachery has shared his fascination for sound with international ears through the premiers of two works performed in Thessaloniki, Greece: Quintet of Birds, a dramatic narrative told through bird song, and The Oort Cloud, a journey to the outer reaches of our Solar System. The stylized bird song of Quintet of Birds immerses the audience in a world that is defined by the chaos of nature and reveals the beauty of said chaos. The Oort Cloud, also an immersive experience, unveils the sounds of a soundless world, tapping into the imagination and turning music into imagery.
Zachery is the recipient of the College of Charleston Chapter of The Honors Society of Phi Kappa Phi Outstanding Research & Creative Works for Cosmic Proportions 2015 – 2016. He was the first recipient of The Reba Kinne Huge Award in Music [2013]. He was accepted into the 2nd [2016] and 3rd [2017] Summer Music Performance Program at Anatolia College, Thessaloniki, Greece. Commissioned to write for and accepted to participate in the Fresh Inc. Music Festival in 2018.
Zachery’s music has been recognized by a variety of organizations and honors and his goal of sharing his love for sound is already underway.
Performance information of works mentioned:
The Sound Of Amber, Dec. 7 2017: Performed By Zachery Litchfield and Recorded at the Fall Contemporary Music Concert at the College of Charleston
Cosmic Proportions, April 18, 2016: Selected from the CofC Composers Competition to compose for the College of Charleston Orchestra Spring concert at the City of Charleston’s Gaillard Center.
Quintet of Birds, July 9, 2016: Written for 2nd Summer Music Performance Program at Anatolia College, Thessaloniki, Greece.
The Oort Cloud, July 6, 2017: Written for 3nd Summer Music Performance Program at Anatolia College, Thessaloniki, Greece.