Solos

Commissioned by Andrew Moore, a senior at Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, this unaccompanied bassoon piece has the feel of a bossa nova and should delight players and audiences. Andrew premiered the work in his senior recital in the spring of 2013.

A new and interesting transcription of the piece, "Fronds", commissioned by baritone saxman, Wayne Leechford, I found it challenging and exciting to rework the piece for cello. Living in paradise (I live in Southern California although not everyone considers it paradise:-), we am lucky to have two swimming pools on the property where some 80 apartment units are located. On the bluest and brightest of sunlit days, I swim and look up at the palm trees swaying in the breeze. The movements of the palm fronds are hypnotic, swaying in a rhythmic way that I have attempted to translate musically for the cello.

Commissioned by baritone saxophonist and friend, Wayne Leechford, "Fronds" came about through my daily workout in the pool and watching the palms blowing in the breeze making different and unusual movements like dancers in the sky. Living in paradise (I live in Southern California although not everyone considers it paradise:-), we am lucky to have two swimming pools on the property where some 80 apartment units are located. On the bluest and brightest of sunlit days, I would do the back stroke and look up at the palm trees swaying in the breeze. The movements of the palm fronds were hypnotic and they swayed in a rhythmic way that I have attempted to translate into the sounds of the baritone saxophone.

This piece was conceived during a wonderful online flute class during the Corona Virus lockdown. Hence, the title, “Gershwin- itis”. Thinking about the myriad diseases that are occurring during this time, I use the term as a pun describing my personal disease shutdown. Gershwin’s Preludes that I learned early on as a piano student were among my favorite pieces. The opening of this piece solo mimics the opening phrase of Prelude #1. As a young woman, I longed to be a jazz singer and this piece reminds me of the smoky voices of June Christy and Peggy Lee: Jazzy, sultry, sexy, and playful.

This piece was conceived during a wonderful online flute class given by composer, Jenni Brandon, during the Corona Virus lockdown. Hence, the title, “Gershwin- itis”. Thinking about the myriad diseases that are occurring during this time, I use the term as a pun describing my personal disease shutdown. Gershwin’s Preludes that I learned early on as a piano student were among my favorite pieces. Originally composed for alto flute, the opening solo mimics the opening phrase of Prelude #1. As a young woman, I longed to be a jazz singer and this piece reminds me of the smoky voices of June Christy and Peggy Lee: Jazzy, sultry, sexy, and playful.

This piece was conceived during a wonderful online flute class given by composer, Jenni Brandon, during the Corona Virus lockdown. Hence, the title, “Gershwin- itis”. Thinking about the myriad diseases that are occurring during this time, I use the term as a pun describing my personal disease shutdown. Gershwin’s Preludes that I learned early on as a piano student were among my favorite pieces. The opening of this flute solo mimics the opening phrase of Prelude #1. As a young woman, I longed to be a jazz singer and this piece reminds me of the smoky voices of June Christy and Peggy Lee: Jazzy, sultry, sexy, and playful.

When the wonderful pianist, Susanne Kessel, approached me to compose a short work for her extraordinary project, 250 Piano Pieces for Beethoven, I was honored and wondered what could I possibly compose that could, in any way, speak about the greatest composer of all. After several months of revisiting some of my favorite Beethoven works from the Moonlight Sonata to his last string quartets, I finally chose to compose a piano work based on the most beautiful movement of his 7th Symphony, the Allegretto, a work that brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it performed. Hence, Homage to B7. It is said that at the première of his 7th symphony, Beethoven remarked that it was one of his best works. I think most audiences would agree. Susanne Kessel has performed this work numerous times in Germany and beyond.

"Serenade" for solo bassoon was composed during Jenni Brandon's one week On-line Zoom Workshop writing for Solo Bassoon during the COVID-19 pandemic in July of 2020 with Christin Schillinger performing. "Serenade" was performed by Anthony Parnther on Meg Quigley symposium of 2021.

"Tango Alono" was conceived during a wonderful online-oboe workshop given by composer, Jenni Brandon, during the COVID-19 lockdown in July of 2020. Originally, I thought the title of this work would be "Alone" as, sadly, this terrible virus had forced school music programs and professional organizations to rethink the way musicians are able to play together for the foreseable future. Over the week of the class, the piece morfed into a kind of tango feel. Hence, the title, "Tango Alono". Premiered by Lisabeth Binkley.