18-year-old composer Henry Rusten debuts 'Paradigm Shift' with St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Henry Rusten, an 18-year-old composer from Cape Girardeau, is set to make his mark in the world of music with the world premiere of his composition “Paradigm Shift”. The piece will be performed by members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as part of its “Live at The Sheldon: Echoes of Home” program at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, in St. Louis.

Rusten, a sophomore studying music composition at the University of Missouri in Columbia has been recognized for his talent through the Mizzou New Music Initiative, a program that supports emerging composers.

“Paradigm Shift” will be performed by a string quartet composed of two violins, a viola and a cello. Rusten said the piece explores different ways to phrase a small melodic idea. The composition invites listeners to experience echoes from a new generation, blending classical influences with elements of contemporary popular music.

“It’s a very short, like a four-note theme, but it's used in a lot of different ways, sections that are happier, sections that are more intense and sad, it's used in a lot of different ways, in different moods,” Rusten said about his piece

“Paradigm Shift” took Rusten around three to four months to compose during last semester. He said like most of his ideas, he came up with it on a piano, where he just messed around playing until he found a chord or an idea he liked, then expanded on that.

Rusten's journey into music began in his childhood, growing up in a family with a strong musical background. He started piano lessons at the age of 5, and later became involved in a youth orchestra through the Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. His passion for composing emerged during his early teens, leading him to pursue a major in music composition at the University of Missouri.

“I've grown up around music and always liked music. I’d never love, like, practicing the piano, just, like, the meticulous sitting down in a practice room for hours was never my thing,” he said. “But I really liked just kind of improvising, messing around, and coming up with my own music. That was something I figured out I was good at, probably when I was around 10 to 12. I was definitely more passionate about it than just practicing the piano.”

The young composer has already achieved recognition for his work. In 2022, he won the High School Orchestral category in the Missouri Composers Project for his composition “Themes of Imagination”. Now, with the premiere of “Paradigm Shift”, Rusten is taking a large step forward in his composing career, marking his first professional commission with a renowned ensemble such as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Rusten's involvement with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has been a learning experience, as he navigates the professional world of music composition. While he has not worked extensively with the orchestra during the rehearsal process, he will be present for the dress rehearsal, gaining insights into the professional ensemble performances.

“It's the first time I've had a professional ensemble perform my piece, and it's new heading, like, the whole commission process, and working them within rehearsal. I’m excited because it's a very short and efficient rehearsal, and I’m trying to learn that process because it’s a thing you have to get good at in the future, if I'm doing this as a career,” he said

For more information about the “Live at The Sheldon: Echoes of Home” program and to secure tickets for the event, visit the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's official website at https://slso.org.