Mason is one of America’s preëminent young composers, whose masterful and sensitive compositions have garnered him widespread honors, recognition, and performances. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, but raised in Dallas, he is thoroughly a proud Texan. He studied composition at Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, and the University of Texas. The professional ensembles that have programmed his works include some of the most esteemed in the country, including the San Francisco Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic, and others. In addition to his active career as a conductor, he has studied with or collaborated with luminaries such as Marin Alsop, Libby Larsen, and Esa-Pikka Salonen.
While he says, “his heart is in the orchestra,” he nevertheless composes in a variety of genres and performing media, including wind ensemble and bands, chamber music, and voice. It is obvious from the impressive musical variety of his works that his stylistic orientation is clearly in the broad panoply of mainstream, traditional classical traditions. And that is pellucidly clear in Princesa de la Luna.
The work was commissioned by the well-respected River Oaks Chamber Orchestra of Houston, Texas—an orchestra that is as well known for its active program for commissioning new works for chamber orchestra as it is for its musical prowess. The première of Princesa de la Luna was given in Houston in April of 2021. Composed for chamber strings and harp, in one movement, its gentle lyricism, neo-impressionistic harmonies, and impressive command of nuanced orchestral string effects and colors is evocative of Debussy and Ravel. Yet, it is clearly of our century and in the voice of Mason.
As a very abstract guide to the putative conceptual inspiration for the work, the composer provides the following:
” ‘Princesa de la Luna’ is a portrait of a fictional princess that lives in the sky and is only visible at night during a full moon, in the form of an adagio for harp and strings. The music illustrates the delicate and graceful features of her personality, but near the middle of the piece, the vainness in the vanity that comes with such a character as indicated by some tension in the music.”
The entire piece is texture focused and explores the full colors and ranges of the string instruments as well as special effects in the harp (such as harmonics and glissando) giving the music a sparkling and shimmering feeling throughout, much like watching the stars around the moon on a clear night. This really needs nothing more detailed in order to appreciate the cohesive and consummately attractive atmosphere that Mason conjures up for his vision. His mastery of orchestration, sensitive and thoughtful harmonic language, and gentle lyricism belies his age, to be sure.
–Wm. E. Runyan
©William E. Runyan 2026