Four Short Episodes for Flute and Alto Saxophone was composed between 2011 and 2014 and is dedicated to flutist, Erin Helgeson Torres. The work explores the possibilities of the timbral combinations of these two woodwind instruments which are often used in dissonant and conversational settings. The complete work was premiered by the Tower Duo during the 2014 Biennial Conference of the North American Saxophone Alliance held at the University of Illinois.

I. Adagio
II. Andante and Vivacissimo
III. Largo
IV. Molto Allegro

Four Short Episodes for Flute and Alto Saxophone by Torres

"Broken Prayer" for flute octet 

performed by the Madison Flute Choir
Danielle Breisach, Anne Gath, Alissa Karnaky, Berlinda Lopez, Linda Mintener, Jennifer Madden, Judy Pellerin-Goll, Sara Stauber. 


Broken Prayer

Episode 78 of ADJ•ective New Music's podcast, Lexical Tones. Robert McClure interviews saxophonist, composer, educator, and curator Michael Rene Torres. http://michaelrenetorres.weebly.com/

Visit www.adjectivenewmusic.com for more information about ADJ•ective New Music, the ADJ•ective Composers' Collective, and Lexical Tones.

78 - Michael Rene Torres

Recorded live:

University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music
Watson Hall
Sunday, September 16, 2018

Geoffrey Landman​/saxophone
Osnat Netzer/piano

That Which Pushes Back Is Its Force

In Between for orchestra
Yale Philharmonia
Julian Pellicano, conductor
12/6/18, Woolsey Hall, Yale University, New Haven, CT

In Between

In Between (for orchestra)

Diagonal Swing is inspired by a weird story I heard at the end of September this year: one of my past teachers, one day, on his drive back home somehow sensed the upcoming danger at an intersection, so he decided to stop several feet away from the intersection while waiting for a stoplight. This turned out to be a brilliant decision: a couple of seconds later, a car driving by a drunk driver swung out of nowhere, and if my teacher had stopped at the intersection instead of several feet away from it, he would have been hit by the car for sure. This story was jokingly titled “Diagonal Drunk Driver” later, and the driver’s swing is the inspiration of this piece.

Diagonal Swing

Albert Camus (1913 - 1960)was a French philosopher, author, and journalist. He is known for his connections to Absurdism, Existentialism (though he rejected the term), and for revolting against oppression, injustice, or “whatever disrespects the human condition.” He was the author of several novels, such as The Stranger (L’Étranger), The Plague (La Peste), and The Fall (La Chute), six plays, many essays, and many books of non-fiction, including the influential The Rebel (L’Homme révolté).

Camus - for solo marimba

Written for Lilit Hartunian and Ryan Vigil in 2019 by Marti Epstein, this piece was inspired by the work of James Turrell.

The Secrets Of Dissolve Transitions

Fantasmagoria is an electroacoustic trio where the glockenspiel is played with metal thimbles while auxiliary percussion and electronics are semi improvised. 

Performed by Torrell Moss (glockenspiel), Justin Gunter (percussion), and Graham Rosen (electronics) as part of a Fresh Perspectives Creative project.

Recording on August 21, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Fantasmagoria - Fresh Perspectives

Generally Pathetic for two pianos (2019)

Daniel Harrison (b.1987) is a frequently commissioned and performed composer of chamber, orchestral, choral, and electronic music whose music has been heard across the United States. His music has been praised for its "vivid use of instrumental color", and "poetic expressiveness". He has been performed by numerous outstanding performers and ensembles such as members of Fifth House Ensemble, Iktus Percussion Ensemble, Three by Radio, All of the Above, the CCM Chorale, and Hypercube. In 2015, he was a finalist for ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, and he was commissioned to compose a new work for chorus and electronics for a recording project for the CCM chorale. He was recently named the Ohio Music Teachers Association's commissioned composer for 2016 and will have a new work premiered at Kent State University in December of 2016. Current commissions include a new work for reed quintet and piano for Noise-to-Signal, as well as a new string quartet that will be premiered by the Del Sol string quartet that the 2017 Red Note New Music Festival at Illinois State University. He holds degrees from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and the University of South Florida.

Broken Prayer

Daniel Harrison

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