Aaron Perrine (b. 1979) grew up in McGregor, Minnesota surrounded by music – both his father and grandfather were band directors. He attended the University of Minnesota, Morris for an undergraduate degree. He was himself a high school band director for several years before pursuing graduate work in composition at the University of Minnesota and the University of Iowa. Ever since, his compositions have won wide acclaim: notably, he is a two-time winner of the ABA Sousa/Ostwald composition prize. He is also an active clinician and conductor. He has his own website, an Instagram page that highlights his photography, and profiles on the Wind Repertory Project, the North Shore Concert Band, the Aitkin Age newspaper, and the ABA Sousa/Ostwald awards website.
Tears of St. Lawrence was commissioned in 2014 by the McFarland (Wisconsin) High School 9th Grade Concert Band and its director, Joseph Hartson. Perrine gives us his back story in the score:
Early last summer, my then five-year-old daughter became very interested in astronomy. She read every book in the library on the topic and became obsessed with the idea of seeing a falling star. After scanning the night sky for a few months with no success, she began to give up hope. Fortunately for all of us, the annual Perseids meteor shower—often referred to as the “Tears of St. Lawrence”—was quickly approaching. One clear mid-August night, I woke my daughter a bit after midnight. Without telling her what was to come, we quietly made our way outside. After anxiously waiting for what felt like forever, we saw our first falling star together! In addition to the obvious sense of excitement, however, I couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic, because I knew that in a few short weeks, my daughter would be going to school for the first time. As we watched the stars, we took turns telling stories as we wondered what the next year would bring. Two hours and countless meteors later, I finally convinced my daughter to return to bed. Tears of St. Lawrence was inspired by the variety of emotions experienced during that memorable night.
Here it is in live performance:
For more on this piece, visit Perrine’s website, J. W. Pepper, and the Northshore Concert Band.
Here is just a taste of what Perrine and his daughter experienced: