Texas composer Nathan Felix is known for his immersive operas, often drawn from historical subjects. Now he has a choral album, Borderland, that he says “revolves around telling border stories, whether that be from Texas [or] Mexico, back to my heritage when my grandfather crossed the border,” but also more urban ideas of a border, such as the way Interstate 35 divided Austin’s population over half a century ago.
The album was recorded at the studios of KMFA in Austin, and commissioned by the choral group Panoramic Voices.
Felix says for his choral writing, he looked to Phil Spector’s classic “wall of sound” productions on pop music in the 1960s.
“I just tried to write really lush, simple chord progressions that allow the choir to breathe.”
Borderland is available now on all platforms. Felix hopes the piece will be performed again soon, not just in in Texas but in other states where the topic might resonate with listeners.
Learn more about the recording using the embedded video below.
