FOCUS
for bass clarinet and cello (2015)
Focus is a brief four- to five-minute piece for bass clarinet and cello. The piece was composed as part of the University of Maryland's "72-Hour Challenge," in which composers had approximately 36 hours to write a piece, and performers had the next 36 hours to rehearse the piece. The title refers to motives that emerge briefly in the faster outer sections of the piece, and these same motives that become clearer in the slower middle section of the piece. To me, the middle section is a slow motion version of the outer sections—in this slower music, the motives come into focus. The word "focus" also refers to forcing myself to compose a new piece within a small time frame, as well as the focus required by the performers to play (and rehearse!) the piece.
Focus was written from April 22-23, 2015 in College Park, Maryland for Austin Hogan and Erin Snedecor.
Focus was written from April 22-23, 2015 in College Park, Maryland for Austin Hogan and Erin Snedecor.