Chris Evan Hass: Hiraeth for Trombone Octet

Hiraeth (pronounced HEER-eyeth) is a Welsh term, loosely translated to a longing and nostalgia for home. More than mere homesickness, it is an expression of a bond for a home to which you cannot return; a home that never was. This piece portrays this feeling of eternal longing through unresolved dissonances and a melody riddled with anticipations and suspensions, feeling as though it is constantly chasing and unfulfilling the harmony.

Chris Evan Hass (b. 1993) is a composer, arranger, and conductor hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Chris’ music has been performed across the United States and has received international recognition with performances throughout Asia and in Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland. His music has been performed by ensembles including the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet, the Sinta Saxophone Quartet, and the Third Coast Trombone Choir.

Chris has had pieces featured at new music festivals including Indiana State University’s Contemporary Music Festival, New Music Detroit’s Strange Beautiful Music Festival, and various Society for Composers Inc. conferences. He has also had performances at the Indonesia Orchestra and Ensemble Festival, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, National Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, and the US Navy Band International Saxophone Symposium.

Chris holds degrees in Composition from Central Michigan University (M.M.) and Western Michigan University (B.M.). His primary teachers include David Gillingham, Evan Ware, Christopher Biggs, and Lisa Coons. Chris currently resides in Jackson, MI, where he works as a freelance composer and teaches private lessons for low brass students at Northwest Public Schools.