400 owls attempting to outwit a giant badger in the rain Bb clarinet, piano (2003) The
phrase “400 owls attempting to outwit a giant badger in the
rain” first appeared in a story in which I
described what it sounded like to shuffle a deck of cards for a game
called whiskers six-draw in a saloon in Klegmore, New Mexico at ten
past three in the afternoon. (The whole text is here.)
This is its musical equivalent.   | Frangipanika violin and cello (2004) Written
for Anika James, a member of the Vermont Youth Orchestra violin
department. Later played by members of the Taitung University faculty.
At least, I think so. The performance program is in
Mandarin, and my familiarity with the language does not extend further
than “moo goo gai pan.” |
Autumn Attic 2 pianos (2004) This
borderline perpetual motion piece is in in A-B-C-A form. The A section
is primarily in 4/4 and 3/4, the B section is in 5/4 and 3/4, and the C
section is in 13/8 time – however, the two pianists who premiered
it in Ghent, Belgium were often at sixes and sevens. Ergo this is a
midi performance.  | Les moineaux géants picotants flute, Bb clarinet (2000) Written
for members of Synergy, a Montpelier, Vt.-based trio, though this performance
of “the giant pecking sparrows” is from Gunnapalooza,
a concert of my music performed by members of the Vermont Youth
Orchestra. A midi representation is included, too, just in case. |
Forbidden Flute flute, piano (2004) A
flute and piano tour de force, some of whose passages are so dangerous
that the performers are issued Kevlar padding to guard against serious
injuries. | Out Of Cahoots 2 pianos (1996) This
performance is of a multi-tracked single pianist. The duo-piano
premiere would have been terrific had not one of the pianists’
page turners turned two pages at once at precisely the moment that the
other pianist – who was playing from memory because he had left
his reading glasses backstage – suffered a momentary but critical loss
of memory. |
Fossick Bb clarinet, violin (1995) Written for the “Somewhere East of Topeka” CD recording. Another almost but not quite perpetual motion piece. | Somewhere East of Topeka Bb clarinet, calliope (synthesizer) (1994) The
title refers to: (a) the place where a muffler once fell off of my car;
(b) a CD of my music performed by the Vermont Contemporary Music
Ensemble; and (c) a miniature exploration of unhurried
klezmer music. |