This work is in three movements:

1. Firefoot and Ironclad - Volcano Snail (2’30”)
2. Lanky Serenade - Huntsman Spider (2’00”)
3. Gliding Giant - Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox (2’00”)

Duration: 6’30”

Commissioner: Natalie Groom (Website | YouTube)

Commissioned by Natalie Groom as part of the Neighbor Tones project, Freaks of Nature is a love letter to three endangered species. While a bit unnerving at first glance, each of these creatures have such unique and charming features. In Firefoot and Ironclad, the amazing Volcano Snail served as inspiration; a strong melody in the French horn sounds over burbling textures before giving way to a gentler section in which each instrument gets a chance to shine with the melody before returning to the playful burble of the opening. The Lanky Serenade inspired by the Huntsman Spider (which uses its vibrating body to attract mates!) features the clarinet in a crawling melody before a vibrant, lilting section uses the ensemble as one large instrument. Gliding Giant pays homage to the gentle nature of the massive mega bat (a frugivore named the Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox, which can grow to an impressive 60 inches)! Large flapping gestures, soaring melodies, ascending triplets, and a rocking lullaby section give way to a final climb before soaring dramatically downward. While this short work is approachable for most college players, even the most seasoned performers will have a fun challenge bringing these fantastic freaks to life!

Pricing

Full score, digital: $15

Per movement, digital: $7

PDF includes a full score (transposed and/or in C), as well as solo parts for each performer, formatted for page turns.

This work can also be viewed as a 360 video (SamsungVR) with a performance by the Bruce Wood Dance company on my YouTube Channel!

This work is in three movements:

1. Fat-Ass Robin (3’00”)
2. Lazy-Ass Pterodactyl (4’00”)
3. Big-Ass Moth! (3’30”)

Duration: 10’30”

Commissioner: Robin Meiksins (Website | YouTube)

Suite-Ass Cycle was commissioned by flautist Robin Meiksins as additional movements to Big-Ass Moth! (originally a stand-alone work). This final movement was inspired by a dramatic meeting with a very large moth (later identified as a Luna Moth), who was just as upset as I was that we ended up in the shower together late one evening in Brevard, North Carolina. Big-Ass Moth seeks to capture not only the movements and frantic buzzing of the startled creature, but my subsequent reaction as well—hence the screams and footstomps! While the suite is ultimately rather theatrical and silly (dipping into cartoonish at times!) it is filled with advanced extended techniques, intricate dialogue between parts, and sudden shifts in character - making this a challenging showcase work for any duo.

Pricing

Full score, digital: $35

Per movement, digital: $15

PDF includes a full performance score (transposed). Each movement is intended to spread across two music stands.

*Programmers who wish to avoid curse words in their printed programs may use acronyms instead:

SAC…………Kimberly Osberg
FAR | LAP | BAM

This work is in four movements:

1. Fire in the Wind (2’30”)
2. Lights in the Night (4’30”)
3. Unfurling Water (3’00”)
4. Electric Spinning (2’30”)

Duration: 12’30”

Commissioner: Natalie Groom (Website | YouTube)

Commissioned by Natalie Groom as part of the Neighbor Tones series, (UN)NATURAL was inspired by different weather phenomenon. Fire in the Wind was inspired by fire whirls (tornados of fire) and features ripping glissandi, percolating mixed meter patterns, and swirling lines. The second movement, Lights in the Night, was inspired by auroras; after a brief solo in the clarinet, the duo splits apart throughout, trading melody and accompaniment to create an expansive, dark, and sparkling texture before ending with another clarinet solo. The third movement, Unfurling Water, puts the French horn at the forefront of this tsunami-inspired movement. This section is formed as a single, ever-building wave—reaching a large point of tension before crashing down, spreading out once more, and evaporating entirely. Electric Spinning, inspired by sightings of mysterious “floating balls of lightning,” brings the duo back into close quarters—sharp, buzzing textures, ripping ascents, and dramatic shifts in register culminate in a final, triumphant punch. This showcase work is a fun challenge for advanced players looking to highlight expressive playing, tight ensemble work, and a wide array of colors and techniques.

Pricing**

Full score, digital: $30

Per movement, digital: $12

PDF includes a full score (transposed and/or in C), as well as solo parts for both performers, formatted for page turns.

**pre-orders available in July, delivery September 2024

Duration: 5’30”

While I was getting coffee one summer, I saw some local kids throwing various discs, boomerangs, and other flight toys around a field. At one point, a cheap boomerang they had been playing around with snapped off at one end; the kids started flicking it around, trying to get it to return to them with varying degrees of failure. I started thinking about how to depict this struggle musically, and the result was this work. A large variety of textures flit and scurry as the main idea struggles to return, resulting in rhythmic-but-fragmented interruptions, lyrical-but-melancholic melodies, and a final outburst that leaves the listener with only cinders.

Pricing

Digital: $25

PDF includes a full score (transposing and/or in C) and individual parts for each player formatted for page turns.