Indiana Dunes National Park Â
Behind the Parks
Meet Jen—the visual artist featured in the Indiana Dunes music video as she shares the story behind her artwork and what it was like seeing it woven into the film.
The Composer
Jeffrey Hoover
Jeffrey Hoover's works - ranging from soloist to symphony orchestra - have received recognition through the Premio Musicale Città di Trieste (symphonic composition), the 2° Concorso Internazionale L. Russolo (electro-acoustic music), Mu Phi Epsilon, the Lancaster Fine Arts Festival, Universal Edition / SMP Press Contemporary Music award, grants, publications fellowships and more than 25 commissions.
One unique aspect of Hoover’s creative output is the joining of his compositions with his paintings, creating synergetic works that intrigue and captivate audiences and performers. His work is seen in exhibitions and in concerts where his paintings are projected while musicians perform his music.
Jeffrey Hoover was born on September 11, 1959, in Anderson, Indiana. He holds a Ph.D. in Fine Arts (Composition and Interdisciplinary Fine Arts) from Texas Tech University, as well as a M.M. and Bch.Sc. from Ball State University.Â
The Music
Of Water, Sand & TimeÂ
Written for solo violin, approx. 20 minutes in duration and broken into 7 2-3 minute movements called, I ran the dunes, the crashing breakers, the old paper mill, a great Blue Heron, I saw heat lightening over the lake, you should have seen the sugar dance, and the sky was on fire at sunset.
Here is a brief program note from the composer, “It was a wonderful and challenging experience to compose Of Water, Sand, and Time. Part of the challenge came from the fact that I didn’t experience the Indiana Dunes until I was an adult, although I grew up in Northern Indiana. Simply stated, it wasn’t part of my early formation, and yet, it made an impact upon me much later.
Each movement is a musical representation of the experience of being at the Indiana Dunes. The Indiana Dunes is an awesome place where wildlife, geography, and human history amplify each other. Each movement reflects some aspect of the Indiana Dunes, and the musical representation strives to share a personal experience. I approached each movement as if I were sending a “picture postcard” to a friend: a few words scrawled on the back of a card, becoming the title of the movement.”
The Artists
- Blue Heron painting used in the film
- Jen Huntley, the artist from Vashon, Washington
- Indiana Dunes Park Rangers
- Austin Lantz & Corbin Nelson, Videographers with Creative Media in South Bend, Indiana
- Jennifer Berger, Hair & Makeup Designer from South Bend, Indiana
- Christi Rawsii Nelson, Photographer & Creative Director from Mishawaka, Indiana
- Recording Engineer Michael Eardley with Tanglewood Productions, Reno, Nevada
