Instrumentation:

• flute, alto saxophone — trombone — percussion (sus. cym., whip, temple blocks, sleigh bells) — piano

Duration: 8:00

First Performance: —

Dedication: “This work was commissioned by Rob Thomas for use and performance by his student groups at the Watkinson School.”

Program Note:

• Variations on an Original Theme was written between January 28th and February 9th, 2022, in Los Angeles, California.

  Upon receiving this commission from my dear friend Rob Thomas for one of his student chamber groups at the Watkinson School in Hartford, CT, I pondered what might be a suitable educational form that I might structure the piece around. To that end, I arrived at the theme and variations as an ideal form to teach young music students a wide variety of musical styles and moods. After a brief introduction, the theme in E minor is sung gently in the flute amid low piano chords and comments by the saxophone and trombone. The first variation is introduced by the saxophone leading to a total of six charming and beautiful studies of the E minor theme. Just as brief as the introduction, the coda brings the piece to a close in the warm sonorous glow of E major.