The Forest Cathedral
composer: Nancy Galbraith (2025)
genre: concerto for flute, violin & string orchestra
length: movements, 21:30 minutes
orchestration: solo fl & solo vla (amplified);
keybrd, hrp, 4-perc; strings
publisher: Subito Music Publishing (ASCAP)
60 Depot Street, Verona, NJ 07044
mail@subitomusic.com • 973-857-3440
audio/video: (available after premiere)

world premiere: 2 November 2025
Stephen Schultz, amplified flute • David Harding, amplified viola
Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic OrchestraDaniel Nesta Curtis, conductor
Carnegie Music Hall (Oakland) • Pittsburgh, PENNSYLVANIA
program notes:

The Forest Cathedral was composed for the 2025/26 concert season of the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic Orchestra. The work features three movements, with two energetic outer movements—"Departure" and "Return"—framing the pastoral and spiritual title movement, "The Forest Cathedral," which moves attaca into the final movement.

poetic text:

Marvin walked for twenty blocks
To the edge of his mad dog town
Then two miles down the country road
To the backwoods of his childhood home
To meditate and pray in the forest cathedral


Matthew Galbraith
from "The Spirit Side"; Collected Works (2025)

source: nancygalbraith.com