Proximity of Mars II
The Proximity of Mars II is a new version for orchestra of a work for large ensemble which I wrote in Autumn 1988. The piece was written during a period in which I could rarely work at home. Walking to and from various studios, I had the opportunity to observe Mars almost nightly, then at its closest distance to Earth. Even on overcast nights its brilliance was visible in the night sky.
The version for orchestra was first performed September 27, 1997 by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sergiu Comissiona, Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, B.C., and was written as part of my residency with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
- Rodney Sharman