Writing music for multiple cellos came about by accident, several years ago. Someone I knew bet that I couldn’t arrange John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” for an army of cellos. So, I did. And then I recorded it, multi-layering the tracks with each new version, with me playing each cello part. This was well before the digital age was upon us.

That recording was passed around to several people, and one day I got a call from NPR, asking if they could play it on the air around July 4th and if they could interview me.

I said yes to both and then, a few months later, I received a call from Brown University’s music department, who'd heard it on NPR, asking if I would coach their cello choir and also teach that cello choir “Stars and Stripes." It was so much fun, I decided to keep writing and arranging music for multiple cellos.

“Things Past," the piece just uploaded to my YouTube channel and seen above, is an original work. In the next few months on YouTube, I’ll be releasing “Jingle Cello” (based on Jingle Bells), and putting up “Stars and Stripes” as well. I’m happy to have found a new audience through social media – something that did not exist at the time I wrote my first serious cello works. Who knew one could have a second life, online?

Moravian Academy string orchestra teacher Ms. Chase Morrison is an accomplished musician. Prior to arriving at Moravian, she played on Broadway, toured with Barbara Streisand and Joni Mitchell, and has recorded with Grammy artist Paula Cole. She was also listed in the past as a "Who's Who of American Women Composers."  If you'd like to see Ms. Morrison perform, she will be performing with the band Zen for Primates at Godfrey Daniels on Friday, December 6.

Read this article and other content in the Spring 2020 Moravian Academy Journal.