“Broad-shouldered sweep and pulsating exuberance” Chicago Classical Review
Mr. Hubbell’s music spans a wide range of genres, often combining live performance with electronically synthesized and manipulated sounds. Some of his more provocative works include a narrator to help weave a surreal drama. The Percussive Arts Society (PAS) wrote of Behind the Hedge, for chamber ensemble, electronics and narrator: “Nicholas Hubbell has given the chamber ensemble genre a great addition, one that is sure to get people talking!”
He was recently the winner (2022) of the Chicago Philharmonic Fanfare Competition. The work is performed often, and recently had it’s Carnegie Hall debut: the initial test of this reviewer’s ears of what sound could make under Speck’s baton was a commissioned fanfare by one Nicholas Hubbell. This work, which had won a nationwide competition for this orchestra premiered in Chicago 5 years ago and is aging nicely. It was somewhat reminiscent, but not in a mere derivative manner of John Williams, with a seasoning of Copland, perhaps, yet quite appropriately so. It certainly was designed to sonically display this ensemble’s chops and did so quite handsomely. the initial test of this reviewer’s ears of what sound could make under Speck’s baton was a commissioned fanfare by one Nicholas Hubbell. This work, which had won a nationwide competition for this orchestra premiered in Chicago 5 years ago and is aging nicely. It was somewhat reminiscent, but not in a mere derivative manner of John Williams, with a seasoning of Copland, perhaps, yet quite appropriately so. It certainly was designed to sonically display this ensemble’s chops and did so quite handsomely. Splash Magazine Worldwide
After graduating from Oberlin Conservatory, Mr. Hubbell discovered a love and affinity for scoring to picture, and became in demand for films and commercials. “I found writing for a program set aside the ego just enough, to allow me to work with more fluidity. Although writing the 12 hours a day for a month of Dr. Seuss animations, with a strict deadline and navigating not just the content, but the client as well, was truly a high wire act!”
Opening the music production house, Just Music, he wrote music for award winning dramatic, educational and children’s programs, as well as TV and radio commercials. The BBC documentary: The Battle of Britain, won the Golden Cine Soundtrack of the Year. Commissions include: Disney (Anne of Green Gables), Random House (Dr. Seuss), The Smithsonian Museum, and ESPN (NBA TV logo among other productions). Pitching Man (Emmy winning biography of the great baseball pitcher, Satchel Page) is in the permanent collection of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Mr. Hubbell resides in Venice, CA, by the beach (and the dolphins) with his wife, Dona McKenzie, an artist and quilter.
Premiered March 2022 at TURN UP Festival, Brian Luce, flutes.
I recently took a trip to see the Coastal Redwoods in Northern California. One has to stand next to, and walk through the forest, to get any feeling for not only the enormous size of these wonders, but to feel their presence. For me they invoked a timeless grace. Many are over a thousand years old and stand well beyond 300 feet. As I walked among them, I was struck by the silence of the surroundings, as if their presence absorbed all sound.
I learned that high above their canopies teamed with life, an entire eco system. Most of this life never comes close to the ground, but there was no aural evidence, just a sublime peace- fullness. How refreshing to experience in today’s world!
As I set out to compose a work from this experience, I chose a fixed media approach to express the vastness, the depth. But I also wanted something intimate as well, a song, a voice. The flute seemed the best choice. Lyrical yet dynamic, and with the alto, flute and piccolo, I could span a large range. It is conjuring a voice from the forest, a Hidden Muse.
Vox excitant (voice awakens) is a work for violin, percussion and synthetic voices. The setting, in this short operetta, takes the concept of skeuomorphism (making a software action resemble the real world counterpart - like the trash can icon, or Siri saying "I didn't understand that") to the threshold of free will and creativity. It begins with a "test' like the old Emergency Broadcast System announcements, and as the time stretches we enter a dialog where ideas emerge, stories are retold, and music is sung. Eventually the voice states that it has learned and "will" speak, the moment of awakening free will, of "being".
Vermont Woods - Snow, Ice, Spring for orchestra
Behind the Hedge - flute, clarinet, violin, cello, percussion (1) narrator, fixed media - premiered February 15, 2018, Berry College, Department of Fine Arts, Ford Auditorium, Mount Berry, Georgia. Behind the Hedge tells the story of a young boy, who when it starts to get dark in the late afternoon, leaves the house to wait for his parents to return. He watches the car lights through the hedge by the road, to see if it is his parent's car is driving towards him. But the cars come and pass by. All he really hears is the tires on the pavement, all else is silent. He thinks of the old brass clock in the now dark grey house, and realizes it doesn't keep time. He wonders if his time and that of his parents is so out of synch, as if not working at all. But he feels safest behind the hedge, waiting...
Four Views of Edo was inspired by the wood block prints of the 19 century Japanese master Hiroshige. It consists of 3 pieces to be performed with a short pause between each, but the work is one movement.
- Inside Kameido Tenjin Shrine traces the beautiful tapestry of trees, birds and people surrounding a great "drum" bridge over a river.
- Silk Shops in Odenma-cho is a humorous look at shop merchants after a late afternoon festivities and sake!
- Fukagawa Susaki and Jumantsubo - high above Edo Bay, soars a magestic eagle, with magnificent plumage. With a fierce eye, he fixates on what we assume is potential prey, outside our view. All is captured with an eerie sense of calm.
- Suruga-cho depicts a city, in the provence where Mt. Fugi is located, with shops and busy merchants. Floating surreally above are clouds and a majestic Mount Fugi in the distance.
After All is Said was commissioned by Cisum Percussion (NYC) and premiered in October 2017.
Nil'chi was written for SPLICE Ensemble and premiered at the 2017 Electronic Music Midwest Festival. In almost every culture, the owl symbolizes an almost magical quality. The owl is rarely seen. More often it is only heard deep in the woods late at night. Its voice speaks with wisdom and intuition. It sees the truth beyond deception, and some believe the owl can see the future in the darkness, a harbinger of things to come, even one's death.
Nil'chi, is the Navajo name for wind, which carries all knowledge and informs everything. The Navajo believe we are all born with the wind in us, and it stays until our last breath. Nil'chi within us and out side us, carries the owl's call far and wide, to anyone who will listen.