Monstress
Year Composed: 2011
(Video clip)
Duration: 5:00
Commissionesr:
10th and Broadway Clarinet Quartet
Premiere:
Aug., 7, 2011, ICA ClarinetFest in Los Angeles, CA, California State University Northridge, 10th and Broadway Clarinet Quartet
Program Notes: Monstress was commissioned by "10th and Broadway" Clarinet Quartet for performance at ICA 2011 in Los Angeles. It was completed in March, 2011. While composing Monstress, several images came to mind for inspiration. The first motives I composed reminded me of a vortex with spinning, turbulent fluid. This led me toward the idea of an imaginary female monster that would perhaps be able to create such a vortex. After giving her personality some consideration, I decided she was to be a fierce, cunning seductress. The enchanted monstress would also be agile, quick-tempered, and beautiful, luring her prey with her haunting melodies. While she exists only in my mind, she lives through my music