Brass Quintet No.1

Premiered by Nikei Kai Bowen on 28 March, 2025

imprint: shavings on the rastrum – minute chips, deviations, etc.

“Antigravity Ponds” takes inspiration from the otherworldly reflections seen in the ponds on nature trails around Woodstock, Georgia. In daylight, the reflections in the water appear as portals to another world where trees, bushes, and other foliage float in an endless watery sky occasionally disturbed by the occasional droplet or skipped stone across its barrier. 

Performance by the Schwob Philharmonic
Conductor - Paul Hosttetor

Antigravity Ponds

This quartet was written over the winter of 2022 into spring of 2023. It was my first ever "big" piece of chamber music I completed. There are many quirks with this piece, though they are left because they were well intentioned when it was written.

I was traveling a lot at this time getting the opportunity to meet my partners family in celebrating marrage in Colorado, spending time with elders in Arizona, and celebrating a move from Pennsylvania to New Mexico. In each state I wrote a movement of this quartet, and finished editing the piece in Utah, hence the title - The Four Corners. Utah in Late Summer is currently drafted and the complete work is set to be performed in 2026.

This quartet is dedicated to Jeris Allchurch Young, and all members of the McCauley/Allchurch family. 

The first and third movements of this arrangement of the quartet premiered on June 26th, 2025 at Orvieto Musica Chamber Music Festival in Orvieto, Italy by Kristen Olsen, violin; Sidney Tovey Lofthouse, violin; Milo Nieves, cello; and myself, Kai Bowen, cello.

String Quartet No. 1 - III. New Mexico in Early Spring

Nikei Kai Bowen

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