Kimchi Dreams (2013)
Kimchi Dreams is a set of four short pieces for the unusual combination of two clarinets and bassoon. I wrote the work at the suggestion of my bassoonist friend Eric Hall. My inspiration came from a fitful night’s sleep, full of dreams with a reedy soundtrack, following a large, late Korean dinner.
The piece was premiered on February 8, 2014, at Strathmore Mansion in Rockville, MD by Nancy Sulfridge & Albert Hunt (clarinets) and Eric Hall (bassoon).
Variations for Oboe & Piano (2010)
Variations for Oboe and Piano is dedicated to my friend, pianist David Iskowitz. It follows the traditional “theme and variations” structure, in this case ten variations. Although it doesn’t contain actual quotations from other composers, there are a number of allusions to styles & composers which the listener will no doubt recognize. I premiered the piece with oboist Jeff Kahan on October 28, 2012, at the Composers' Society of Montgomery County.
Toccatina (1989)
Toccatina was commissioned by the Powell Quartet, who premiered the piece on April 8, 1990, at the Richmond Jewish Community Center in Richmond, VA. As with much of my work from that time, Toccatina uses a small number of short cells or melodic fragments which are subjected to various transformations throughout the work. The piece is built up using various types of repetition: immediate repetition of the cells, as well as repetition of 4- and 8-bar phrases (although often with gradual variation). Frequently these repetitions involve cyclic procedures in which, for example, a four-note cell repeats five times while, at the same time, a five-note cell repeats four times. And the overall structure of the piece also consists of repetition: the second half of the piece is a repetition of the first half, occasionally transposed. This is followed by a brief coda, in which a simple melody emerges in the bass flute.
Lyric Set (2014)
Lyric Set is a set of four pieces for bassoon and piano, commissioned by and dedicated to my friend, Peabody bassoon professor Phillip Kolker. The pieces are titled: “In the Tide of Times” (from a line in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar), “Every Day Is Saturday” (because it often feels that way to me), “Lord Berners’ Giraffe” (after the eccentric English composer, who did keep a pet giraffe, which took tea with him at Faringdon House), and “Hopeful about the Past” (because I am).
Phil Kolker & I premiered Lyric Set on August 9, 2014, at the 2014 IDRS conference in New York.
Suite for Woodwind Quintet (1989, rev. 2013)
Suite for Woodwind Quintet is a three-movement work with a brief “motto” that appears at the beginning of the piece, between movements, and again at the end. Originally written in 1989, I revised the piece in 2013.
Suite for Woodwind Quintet was premiered on June 25, 1989, by: Nancy Andrew (flute), Coreen Levin (oboe), David Drosinos (clarinet), Adam Tillett (horn), and Luke Pfeil (bassoon).
Five Dances (2011)
Five Dances is a set of short pieces for bassoon quartet (three bassoons + contrabassoon). The dances are: Canon, Country Dance, Stamp, Steps of Two, and Backbeat.
Five Dances was premiered on February 15, 2013, in Goodwin Hall at Peabody Conservatory by bassoon students of Phillip Kolker.
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