DESCRIPTION:
Austin Symphonic Band. February 7, 2016 concert at Austin ISD Performing Arts Center in Austin TX. ASB performing Diamond Tide by Viet Cuong. For program notes by David Cross, see the 9th page of this link: http://www.austinsymphonicband.org/files/MusicalPortraitsProgram.pdf. Music Director Richard Floyd conducting. Concert title: "Musical Portraits". Audio recording by On Site Digital, Randy Bryant owner.

From program:
Diamond Tide (2015)
Viet Cuong (b. 1990)

The commission of Diamond Tide was underwritten by the middle school band directors of the Texas Music Educators Association Region 18. It is their vision that this work will become a significant addition to the very best in repertoire for school bands. Viet Cuong will be in residence in Austin during May when many area middle school bands will be presenting their premiere of the work.

Tonight’s performance is the premiere of the work in its entirety.
From the composer: A 2010 article published in Nature Physics details an experiment in which scientists were able to successfully melt a diamond and, for the first time, measure the temperature and pressure necessary to do so. When diamonds are heated to very high temperatures, they don’t melt; they simply turn into graphite, which then melts (and the thought of liquid graphite isn’t nearly as appealing or beautiful as liquid diamond.) Therefore, the addition of extremely high pressure—40 million times the pressure we feel on Earth at sea level—is crucial to form liquid diamond.

The extreme temperature and pressure used in this experiment are found on Neptune and Uranus, and scientists therefore believe that seas of liquid diamond are possible on the two planets. Oceans of diamond may also account for their peculiar magnetic and geographic poles, which do not line up like they do here on Earth. Lastly, as the scientists were melting the diamonds they saw floating solid shards of diamond forming in the pools—just like icebergs in the ocean. Imagine: on distant planets there are oceans of liquid diamond with bergs of sparkling solid diamonds drifting in the tide . . . These theories are of course all conjecture, but this alluring imagery provided heaps of inspiration for Diamond Tide, which utilizes the “melting” sounds of metallic water percussion and trombone glissandi throughout. Heartfelt thanks to Cheryl Floyd, Richard Floyd, the TMEA Region 18 bands, and John Mackey for making this piece possible.

Viet Cuong has had works performed on six continents by a number of leading soloists and ensembles. He is currently a Naumburg and Roger Sessions Doctoral Fellow at Princeton, and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Peabody Conservatory.