As The University of Texas at Dallas prepares to host visiting young guitarists at the 10th Annual Texas Guitar Competition and Festival on March 4-5, one of the University’s own guitar students is earning accolades as well.
UT Dallas guitar graduate student and lecturer Eddie Healy recently had “Reflections” published (Joachim-Trekel, Hamburg). The work is a series of four selections for three guitars or a guitar ensemble: “Invocation,” “The Gallery,” “War” and “Dark Comedy.”
Healy said many of his titles were inspired by the pieces themselves: “‘Invocation’ begins with a deep percussive effect achieved on the body of the guitar along with a repeating low tone that is supposed to be invoking something, with a sense toward the end of the piece that the objective has been accomplished and that the desired entity has emerged.
“‘The Gallery’ was inspired by Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. My composition is intended to demonstrate changes, however subtle, taking place in the person viewing pieces of art in a gallery, rather than the pieces themselves.”
In “War,” Healy tried to capture the feelings a soldier might experience just before battle. “Dark Comedy” was inspired by the film genre of the same name, specifically films directed by Danny DeVito, which Healy said often have “a surreal and highly stylized quality.”
Healy performs regularly as a soloist, accompanist and ensemble member in the Dallas area. He has performed with the vocalists of the Orchestra of New Spain as well as with string soloists from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. His original compositions have been played around the world. He is currently pursuing his PhD at UT Dallas under the tutelage of his first guitar instructor, Dr. Enric Madriguera.