Thrive: A musical study of feminism using electronics and euphonium

Composed by Adele Etheridge Woodson in 2018, Thrive is an original composition for live euphonium and prepared electronic backing track; it was commissioned by David Gonzalez and premiered at the International Women’s Brass Conference at Arizona State University. The musical piece incorporates multiple audio bytes from personal interviews and videos found online, including words said by pop figure icons, Congressmen, and President Donald J. Trump. The goal of Thrive is to creatively highlight the fight for gender equality among a male-dominant, misogynist society. It also serves as a fresh piece of repertoire for the euphonium, which often lacks original compositions by living composers. This paper will discuss Etheridge Woodson’s creative writing process, creation of the backing track, its world premiere, audience reaction, and a personal reflection.