Five Miniatures (2016)
alto saxophone and baritone saxophone
(can be played on soprano and tenor saxophones)
Sarah Marchitelli, alto saxophone
Jacob Swanson, baritone saxophone
Jacob Swanson, soprano saxophone
​Sarah Marchitelli, tenor saxophone

Program Note

This series of brief, contrasting miniatures was composed on December 10, 2016 and dedicated to Decho Ensemble's Jacob Swanson and Sarah Marchitelli, on the occasion of their wedding. The set is a playful representation of human relationships, articulating their many moments of joy, tenderness, and fun juxtaposed with expressive, emotional turmoil (and possibly a little sass!). The saxophonists take turns leading their partner in conversation. As their voices intertwine, the distinctiveness of their role within the relationship is blurred. Each subsequent miniature includes more complex harmonic information, which represents the metaphorical baggage we carry with us—for better or worse—through time. The work ends in an unresolved fashion, looking toward the future.