three night pieces (2017) for flute and piano
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three night pieces has a double meaning: although each movement evokes a different mood of the night, the title also suggests the midnight hours during which the insomnia-fueled composition of this piece took place. Much of the harmonic and melodic material of the piece is constructed from a single cell, a fragment borrowed from Takemitsu’s Air for solo flute. In the first piece, a fragmented piano part accompanies a lyrical melody, which grows to a climax before settling on a sustained high note. A cascading piano run leads into the middle section of the movement, in which the piano and flute alternate descending sextuplets. The instrumental roles of the recapitulation mirror those of the beginning: the flute assumes the accompaniment figure, and the piano quietly reaffirms the opening material. The second movement begins with thick piano chords set against a wandering melodic line, exploring the expressive potential of the flute. A bird-like flute cadenza introduces the third movement, which features virtuosic dialogue between the flute and piano, invoking fragmented recollections of the first two movements before racing to climactic finish.
three night pieces was written for flutist Megan Torti in Spring 2017. |
With flutist Megan Torti after the premiere of three night pieces in January 2017
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selected performances
Mar. 2023 — Zara Lawler and Kathleen Supové, Composers Concordance, New York, NY
Sep. 2022 — PEAR Chamber Music Weekend, Pemberville Opera House, Pemberville, OH
Jun. 2019 — Luna Nova New Music, Belvedere Chamber Music Festival, Memphis, TN
Apr. 2018 — synesthesia: poetry+music, Rice Memorial Chapel, Houston, TX
Mar. 2018 — New Art/New Music, Moody Center for the Arts, Houston, TX
Nov. 2017 — Nora Lee Garcia, flute, Young Composer’s Challenge, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando, FL
Apr. 2017 — Foundation for Modern Music Introductions Concert Series, Houston, TX
Feb. 2017 — Megan Torti’s Freshman Recital, Houston, TX
Jan. 2017 — Hear&Now presents Shepherd Composers, Houston, TX
selected honors
OM/NI Composition Competition, Second Place
Belvedere Chamber Music Festival Student Composition Contest, Third Place
Chicago Ensemble 2017 Call for Scores, Selected Work
Ensemble Winner, National Young Composer’s Challenge 2017
Mar. 2023 — Zara Lawler and Kathleen Supové, Composers Concordance, New York, NY
Sep. 2022 — PEAR Chamber Music Weekend, Pemberville Opera House, Pemberville, OH
Jun. 2019 — Luna Nova New Music, Belvedere Chamber Music Festival, Memphis, TN
Apr. 2018 — synesthesia: poetry+music, Rice Memorial Chapel, Houston, TX
Mar. 2018 — New Art/New Music, Moody Center for the Arts, Houston, TX
Nov. 2017 — Nora Lee Garcia, flute, Young Composer’s Challenge, Dr. Phillips Center, Orlando, FL
Apr. 2017 — Foundation for Modern Music Introductions Concert Series, Houston, TX
Feb. 2017 — Megan Torti’s Freshman Recital, Houston, TX
Jan. 2017 — Hear&Now presents Shepherd Composers, Houston, TX
selected honors
OM/NI Composition Competition, Second Place
Belvedere Chamber Music Festival Student Composition Contest, Third Place
Chicago Ensemble 2017 Call for Scores, Selected Work
Ensemble Winner, National Young Composer’s Challenge 2017