Concert Music - page 2
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Aspen Duet for Eb Alto Sax and Piano This work is 2024 arrangement of my Aspen Quartet. Support for the composition of Aspen Quartet was provided by the Institute for Advanced Compositional Studies at the Aspen Music Festival. This work was funded in part by the Composers Assistance Program of the American Music Center. Aspen Quartet won First Prize in the Lee Ettelson Composition Contest of Composers, Inc. Aspen Quartet is recorded by the Arditti Quartet on California Composers, Albany Records Troy 159
Aspen Septet for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, 2 percussionists MIDI realization by composer A short piece originally composed for the Aspen Music Festival, working under Jacob Druckman. Performed by Xtet at the Japan America Theater as part of the L.A. Olympic Arts Festival, Peter Sellars, director, and at the University of Judaism Gindi Auditorium as a Pacific Composers Forum winner and elsewhere. Revised 2024 to add a percussionist and edited.
I recently found this piece I wrote in 1979 and for the first time made a recording of it and heard it. It's not great, but odd: I don't remember writing it and I never wrote anything else like it. I remember writing it for a contest, losing, getting a bad review from them and shelving it. For over 45 years. I had copied score and parts with india ink on ozalid, score and parts, as well as I knew how in those pre-computer days. So I keep it, as part of an ongoing query about myself "What Was I Thinking?" Rag Marwas make an appearance as the "2nd theme" in a piece that starts off sounding like neo-classical Stravinky of the Octet. (Fun fact - Rag Marwa is 'about' two lovers. The rag was used by a Led Zeppelin piece) Wikipedia says: Marva or Marwa (IAST: Mārvā) portrays being with one's lover and is often portrayed in Ragamala paintings as two couples kissing. It is a hexatonic Indian raga; Pa (the fifth tone) is omitted. Keeping the key in C, in the Western scale this would roughly translate to: B D♭ E F♯ A B D♭ C "Friends" by Led Zeppelin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk5lfjNH4cE
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Sisyphus, for large ensemble (2024) Mvt. I winds, brass, strings, 3 pianos, 3 percussionists MIDI realization by composer In the time of Covid, let us reread the Greeks! They understood what it is to have a curse on the City-State! As covid wanes, the restrictions (imperfectly followed!) lift - prematurely. As the restrictions lift, covid waxes back! Other burdens America rolls up the mountain, only to dodge them falling back down on us: - After we elect the lst black President , we elect a President who praises Hitler and his generals. - As we elevate the lst black woman to the Supreme Court, SCOTUS reverses 50 years of precedent protecting women's freedom to choose. Sisyphus is tired of rolling the rock up the mountain! Civil War is being threatened to protect the 'freedom'...from the Health Department! Typhoid Mary walks among us - as a heroine!
Time for Every Body (2018)
for flute, clarinet, violin, cello,
piano & percussion (vibes, glock, xyl)
MIDI realization by composer
Two Pieces for Piano Quintet (2015 rev. 2018) for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano 1. Time Again 2. Time's Up MIDI realization by composer Premiere: March 28, 2015 • Iowa Composers Forum New Music Festival Perfomed May 2, 2015 • Hear Now Music Festival, Venice, CA Amy Tatum - flute; Stuart Clark - clarinet; Maia Jasper - violin; Ira Glansbeck - cello; Todd Moellenberg - piano
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I recently found this piece I wrote in 1979 and for the first time made a recording of it and heard it. It's not great, but odd: I don't remember writing it and I never wrote anything else like it. I remember writing it for a contest, losing, getting a bad review from them and shelving it. For over 45 years. I had copied score and parts with india ink on ozalid, score and parts, as well as I knew how in those pre-computer days. So I keep it, as part of an ongoing query about myself "What Was I Thinking?" Rag Marwas make an appearance as the "2nd theme" in a piece that starts off sounding like neo-classical Stravinky of the Octet. (Fun fact - Rag Marwa is 'about' two lovers. The rag was used by a Led Zeppelin piece) Wikipedia says: Marva or Marwa (IAST: Mārvā) portrays being with one's lover and is often portrayed in Ragamala paintings as two couples kissing. It is a hexatonic Indian raga; Pa (the fifth tone) is omitted. Keeping the key in C, in the Western scale this would roughly translate to: B D♭ E F♯ A B D♭ C "Friends" by Led Zeppelin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk5lfjNH4cE
Sisyphus, for large ensemble (2024) Mvt. 2