Instrumentation:

trombone octet (6 tenor trombones, 2 bass trombones)

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Duration:

5 minutes

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Program Note:

When I began working on Surge, I was faced with a deluge of new ideas. I had just completed an inspiring composition program where I had tons of new insights about my process and had learned new approaches from my peers and the experienced artists in residence. Simultaneously, I was also digging into jazz vocabulary. So—when it actually came down to putting my new ideas onto paper—I was stuck. I had too many ideas coming from too many sources for it all to coalesce into a single coherent work.

I was on the last leg of flights home. I slid the window cover up and stared out the window. We were flying through a tremendous storm. I was arrested and inspired by the violent bursts of lightening. I knew at once I had to accept the frenetic chaos of all my new thoughts and ideas and channel that energy into my writing. I had to get out of my own way and literally let the flood of inspiration surge forth.