The Penn State New Music Festival will present Oliver’s octet Krummholz Variations in a live-streamed performance on March 19. Oliver’s music was selected from an open call for scores with over 500 submissions.

Krummholz Variations (flute, clarinet, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones) is a tone poem that recalls aspects of life in the alpine zone, expressed through a set of short, connected variations: Dawn, Marmots, Alpine Meadow, Ptarmigan, The Summit, Headwaters, Cloudburst and Dusk. Krummholz, German for “crooked wood,” are twisted trees that serve as gateways to the alpine zone and mountaintop sentinels. These stunted trees are shaped through constant exposure to severe weather and treasured for their unique deformities. High altitude landscapes are a paradigm for beauty in the face of harshness, filled with moments of joy and serenity that blossom amidst extremes.