Instrumentation:

• violin — viola

Duration: 10:00

First Performance: —

Dedication: “for my friends, Jake and Julie”

Program Note:

• Before sitting down to write, I found myself thinking a lot about duos, both in life and in art. A duo is a dance of personalities, a union of opposites, and an exploration of duality. At its worse there is conflict, but at its best, there is enrichment and enhancement of life. One side cannot exist without the other, and that lies at the very heart of what a duo means and is. I also began thinking about the great Mozart duos for violin and viola, as well as the grand Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364 — that masterful exploration of the duo. Mozart carries the violin and viola through a dance of his own, exemplifying to the highest degree both instruments’ capabilities. The Concertante is so close to my heart that it would have been remiss of me to not quote it within my own piece.

  It is dedicated to my friends Julie Haring and Jake Pietroniro — a duo for the ages.