Composition Department Lunchtime Concert

SAXOPHONEQUARTET IN1MOVEMENT

byBenMarshall

This piece was written for the “Miscommunication Quartet” through discussion with their Bari. Sax player Ryan Taylor. The work explores different interval sets within a quasi-jazz sound-world, playing with color and melodic exchange to stitch together lyrical lines. These lines build to a climax before a stretto figure evolves, and then dies to bring the work to a close. This piece focuses on how the development of different interval sets through either direct expansion or subtraction can be used as a means of harmonic organization to help guide both the listener and player through the structure of the piece.

SopranoSax:EmilyBooij

AltoSax:AbbygailHolmes

TenorSax:AndrewQu

BaritoneSax:RyanTaylor

IN&OUT byLoveWanto

Thispiececonveystheactionof going‘InandOut’ofdifferent emotionsandexperienceswithina day.Whetherwebeginupsetand unmotivated,thenhurriedand stressed,topeacefulandjoyful,‘In andOut’journeystheaudience throughtheseemotions.

Pianist:JasmineLeong

JAJANGURI

byOscarNicholson

Myfirstmemoryofmusicisa

lullabycalledJaJangUri.Forstring quartetwithvocalsamples.

Violin1:LiamHolbrook

ViolinII:MirageHunterDemecs

Viola:OscarNicholson

Cello:LauraBoon

SUNNYWITHA CHANCEOFFOUL PLAY

byEllaYeoman

InspiredbyRaminDjawadi'sGameofThrones sountrackandthecurrentpoliticalsilencingofTrans peoplesacrosstheUnitedStates,thispiecewaswritten withtwosidesbeingpresented.Withtheviolins representingthepeoplesvoiceandthelower registeredinstrumentsthesilencinggovernment.

Beginninginunisonandcohesionthesectionssoon begintoclashwithonlyonevoicecomingoutontop.

Violin:SophiaDilucchio

Violin:JonathanKositsin

Viola:JasmineSmith

Viola:OliviaSpyrou

Cello:CalebChristian

Bass:AlyssaDeacon

DROPSOFWATER byLisaFinkel

Myfocus,musically,forthispiecewasto createwithinitalotofspace,tonotrush throughtheideasandtoexploresome interestingchords.Thus,DropsofWater appeared!Itconveysthatthedropsof waterturnintorain,quenchingand replenishingadryland,remindingusof howpreciouswaterisandhowitisabig partofsustaininglife.Hopeyouenjoy!

Pianist:JasmineLeong

FORLORNFOREST

byBellaTate

“Thesilencingoftherainforestsisadouble deforestation,notonlyoftreesbutadeforestationof themind'smusic,medicineandknowledge.”–Jay Griffiths.‘ForlornForest’tellsthestoryofaforestthat wasoncemysticalandfulloflife,howeverduetothe effectsofdeforestationnowlaysdesolate.Thefirst sectionofthepiecedepictsagloomyanddoleful atmosphere,paintingtheimageofabandonmentand despair.Themiddlesectionreflectsonhowtheforest usedtobe–bloomingandblissful.Suddenlythe sorrowfulworldofwhatisnowaforlornforestis broughtback–endingthepiece.

Violin:MaddisynDixon-Whitbourne

Flute:AarynWong

Cello:WillBland

Clarinet:AmyKubler

COLLECTIVE INDIVIDUALISM/ PERCEPTIVE IDIOSYNCRASIES byOliverKing

“CollectiveIndividualism/PerceptiveIdiosyncrasies”isaten-minute graphictimelinescore.Anabstractsketchcontainingvarious asymmetricalshapesandintentionallysparseinclusionsofcolour,the scoreisintendedtoserveasanexerciseinguidedimprovisationforany soloorgroupinstrumentalcombination.Theperformerorensembleis directedtoreadthescorefromlefttoright,improvisinginanydesired mannerbasedontheirinterpretationofthegraphicspresentedduring thespecificmomentsintime.Althoughthepiececanbeperformedbya soloist,itwascomposedwiththevisionoftwoormoreinstrumentalists performingthepiecetogether.Asthetitlereferences,the“perceptive idiosyncrasies”surroundingtheinterpretationofthescoreandthe conversionofsaidinterpretationsintomusicisanentirelyindividualistic andmusicaldialect-drivenmatter.Aseverymusiciancomesfroma differentmusicalbackground,maintainsdifferentpractices,improvises andperformsinadifferentmanner,andgravitatestowardsdifferent stylisticchoices,theperformanceandsoundgeneratedbythisscore willdiffervastlybetweeneachplayer’sinterpretation.Thenotionof collectiveandyetindividualisticimprovisationcomesnotfromthemore conventionalmanneroflisteningtoandcommunicatingmusicallywith one-another,butratherindividuallycommunicatingwiththescoreand thesoundgeneratedfromthecollectivesynchronisedhappeningofthis exercise.Theheavilyindeterminatenatureofthescoreallowsforthe performertoactasthespontaneouscomposer,rewritingthemusic uponeachnewperformance Whencreatingthescore,itshouldbe mentionedthatIoriginallyimplementeddynamicsdowntheleftside withtheintentionthatthevolumeofthemusicwouldincreaseasthe sketchesreachedahigherpointonthey-axis.Afterworkshoppingand playingthescorewithagroupofmusicians,itwasdecidedthatthe inclusionofdynamicsinthismannerwasdisadvantageoustothe natureofthescore.Asthegraphicscoreitselffeaturesabruptand vigorousshiftsincontourandcolour,theexecutionandregulationof dynamicsislikelytocomeinstinctivelytotheperformers.Thischoiceto notincludedynamicsalsoallowsformoreinterpretivefreedom.

5AGAINST2 byKadinJamal

5 Against 2 is a raw reflection of my individual ‘classical’ (if you dare call it that) composing style. My private tutor had given me a task to write for a chamber quartet… and in the aftermath of a 30-minute procrastination induced scramble, I decided that that meant piano backed up by sax, bass and drum kit. The result is an amalgam of rock, jazz, Karnatak and Armenian music and a few ribbons of Wagner to top the work off. No deeper meanings, no hidden messages, just an exploration of a funky groove. Feel free to sound in any way you see fit!

Bass:KadinJamal

Piano:OscarGill

Drums:QuinnRamsey

Sax:RoryKelly