Distill and Toss
This piece was composed for a collection of musicians who formed an ensemble simply known as, ‘The Big Ensemble’. This group formed in order to premiere 4 new pieces from different composers (myself, Tom Aldrich, Rob Manthey and Diego Soifer). This performance took place in Het Nutshuis, Den Haag, on Dec 12th and was conducted by Bobby Mitchell.
The piece also features Sander Breure in the role of the virtuosic juggling-percussionist. This theatrical element essentially mirrors the larger aspects of the formal construction of the work and is also allusive to a manner of composing where ideas are maintained in a rather continuous state of motion. Finally, by utilizing the space of a particular concert more extensively, the goal was to at least challenge some of the normative assumptions that exist between an audience and an ensemble.
