Lonesome Sky (2019)

Commissioned by Trey Davis and premiered October 15, 2019 with the LSU Chorale and Tiger Glee Club. “Lonesome Sky” is the result of a collaborative endeavor initiated by Trey Davis and Rachel Harris based on the high lonesome idea of a wandering voice, finding it’s home in solace and togetherness.  Gibson drew upon two primary resources for the project: the tune “I’ll Fly Away” (both metaphorically and melodically) and Benjamin Orgel’s potent poem “Hope is a Wound” to foreshadow the bluegrass mass featured on the program this evening.  Using folk text, all sources derive potency through hope, pain and loss at the core. Moving from earth to beyond, this piece isolates alienation and deep affection for Appalachian music.  Both a ballad and hymn, it’s intention is to simply celebrate both the differences and similarities between what seems to be opposing on the surface.