3 Etudes

The Three Etudes for Solo Trumpet were inspired by study of Arnold Schönberg’s string quartets. Karyokinesis refers to the division of the nucleus in single-cell reproduction, the opening five-note gesture serving as the impetusfor the first étude. Farben, or colors in German, is an exploration of the multi-phonics and half-valve techniques on the flugelhorn, using the same initial motif of the first étude. Its title is taken from Schoenberg’s Opus 16,the Five Pieces for Orchestra.Evo-Devolution describes the development of ever-more-complex gestures from a simple motif, and then the same process in reverse, before a high energy climax closes the work.