Prelude - Cristina SPinei and the gateway chamber orchestra

Background

I’ve worked with conductor Gregory Wolynec on many collaborations from performances with the Gateway Chamber Orchestra to the premiere of a new composition for the Austin Peay State University Wind Ensemble. I love the feeling of community that Greg brings to his rehearsals and concerts - he has a special ability to make new music fun and engaging. This combination of camaraderie and adventurous programming makes Greg and the GCO perfect collaborators for experimental projects. In March I responded to an email from Greg with “I was going to reach out to you because I have a new idea to propose. It's kind of wild…”

The Pitch

My idea was to work with Greg and the GCO to create a new piece for orchestra and mint the recording and score as a non-fungible token (NFT). I had released a collaborative audio/visual NFT for piano at the end of 2020 and I wanted to try it out with a large ensemble. The benefit of releasing an NFT with an orchestra is that the musicians can make royalties from secondary sales of the work, immediately and in perpetuity. The payment structure that an NFT offers is more equitable for the musicians than a traditional recording contract. Greg and the GCO board approved the project and had a brilliant idea to bring it to life. Coincidentally, they had two sessions set up in May to record their virtual concert series America’s Haydn Festival. There was time in the recording schedule to add in a short piece. I finished composing Prelude in six weeks in time for it to be recorded along with the rest of the virtual concert. Now in addition to a recording we have a beautiful video to offer as part of our NFT.

The Music

Prelude is a short, wistful piece for orchestra that I composed with the intention of releasing as a non-fungible token. I love using loops in my music and the first thing I wrote was the opening loop for cello and bass that serves as the harmonic foundation of the piece. The winds and violins trade melodic statements and rhythmic gestures while the brass holds everything together with sustained chords. In all of my compositions I place emphasis on melody and movement. The music of Prelude is stripped down to these two essential components and I hope that people connect with the serenity of the work. 

Future

I chose the title Prelude because I see this piece as an introduction to a new system for musicians and composers to control their own work through the issuance of non-fungible tokens. NFTs provide new opportunities for artists to connect with collectors, audiences, and collaborators. I have worked with visual artists Vans Design, Marterium, and James Fox on collaborations with my chamber music. Prelude is my first NFT for orchestra and one of the first large-scale classical music projects on the blockchain. I am grateful to Gregory Wolynec and the Gateway Chamber Orchestra for their artistry, enthusiasm, and support in bringing Prelude to life.