Commissioned by and written for the Tower Duo, Crosswind by Chin Ting Chan is a piece full of interactivity and energy. Both parts feature intricate gestures and timbral varieties that not only stimulate conversations, but also create a complex overall texture. While the two players sometimes complement each other, they are occasionally in conflict, each fighting for being the lead. To explore this idea of conflict and harmony, this piece alternates between materials that are vertically harmonious and vertically inharmonious, thus forming a progression of tension and release, as well as a collective sonority that is constantly developing, and often unexpected. For more info on Chan, visit his website: www.chintingchan.com

Crosswind by Chin Ting Chan

Hungarian composer, Paul Arma, studied composition with Béla Bartók at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music from 1921 to 1924 and later moved to Paris in 1933 to pursue a career as a concert pianist. He is often characterized as a modernist composer who was particularly fond of non-traditional instrumentations. Arma’s Divertimento No. 18 is a series of nine contrasting melodies which are very folk-like in nature.

Divertimento No 18, Mvt 5 by Paul Arma

Fangled Contraption for Flute and Alto Saxophone by Joseph Sowa was commissioned and premiered by the Tower Duo on 08/05/11 at the Brevard Music Center. Regarding the work, Sowa says “When asked to imagine an inventor, many of us conjure images of eccentric, middle-aged men with unkempt, frazzled hair in a laboratories filled with bubbling flasks and a motley collection of debris scattered on every surface.. In our imaginations, they’ve often created elaborate machines to do simple tasks like check the mail or make toast. And half the time, these machines run awry, causing all sorts of havoc—and yet that havoc is half of why we love these fangled contraptions." For more info about Sowa, visit his website: www.josephsowa.com.

Fangled Contraption by Joseph Sowa (Excerpt)

Duet for Flute and Alto Saxophone is a short, four-movement work completed in February of 2002. It was premiered at the World Saxophone Congress XIII in July 2003. About the work Conti writes: “The compositional techniques used in this piece include invertible counterpoint, ostinato, and canon. Each movement is in ternary form with melodic material derived from both traditional modes (for example, movement four is almost exclusively in the Lydian mode), and Messiaen’s Modes of Limited Transposition. Finally, the rhythmic components of this piece, which include non-retrogradable rhythms and rhythmic ostinatos, give the work a sense of unity.”

Duet, Mvt 3 by Michael Conti (Excerpt)

Duet, Mvt 4 by Michael Conti

Concerning Janus, Paul Hayden writes “The Roman god Janus was the guardian of gates and doorways and was associated with the beginnings of events. Janus is often represented by a double-faced figure carrying two keys, one gold and one silver. The gold key unlocked the winter solstice gate (Janua Coeli, or ‘Gate of Heaven’)…Janua Coeli, exploits the wide range of timbral resources possessed by the flute and alto saxophone. Each instrument sustains a multiphonic while the other instrument comments on the individual notes present in the multiphonic. The flute and saxophone finally play their multiphonics together near the end of the movement.” For more info about Hayden, visit his website: www.paulhayden.com

Janus (Janua Coeli) by Paul Hayden (Excerpt)

American composer, Robert Muczynski, originally composed Duo, Op. 34 for two flutes in 1973 and later arranged it for flute and clarinet. The work is dedicated to the memory of composer Camil Van Hulse. Composed in six short contrasting movements, the piece is reminiscent of a baroque suite with dance-like melodies and rhythmic interplay between the instruments.

Duos, Mvt 2 by Muczynski (Excerpt)

Day Trip for Flute and Alto Saxophone by Ben Williams was commissioned and premiered by the Tower Duo on 03/16/13 during the National Conference of the Society of Composers, Inc. About the piece, Williams says: "Much of Day Trip was written during the hot and sultry months of a Mississippi summer. Outside. Having only spent one previous summer in Mississippi, I was still adjusting to the heat, enjoying the lazy afternoons sitting on the back patio sipping iced tea and writing. And yet, one of the more exciting aspects of summer is having the freedom to get out of town, take a day trip. Day Trip was written for the incredible performers of the Tower Duo. I had the pleasure of getting to know Michael and Erin Torres when I lived in Ohio. They are a very talented couple and I am glad to have the opportunity to write for them, even when I live several states away. Meanwhile, I keep hearing of the trips they are making all over the world (not quite day trips) as they perform, teach and relax a bit too!" For more info about Williams, visit his website: www.williamscomposer.com

Day Trip, Mvt 2 by Ben Williams

Epic Suite for Flute and Alto Saxophone was premiered by the Tower Duo on 02/16/13 during the 2013 National Conference of the Society of Composers, Inc. Brickman mentions that Epic Suite “is in five movements, having three faster paced movements frame two slower ones. All of the movements are rather brief in duration. The title Epic doesn’t refer to the scope of the piece, but of it being a duo with two heroes. Like almost all of my music, this work is a 12-tone piece based on the octatonic scale.” For more info about Brickman, visit: www.societyofcomposers.org/members/ScottBrickman

Epic Suite, Mvt 2 by Scott Brickman (Excerpt)

Structural Coupling for Flute and Alto Saxophone was was commissioned and premiered by the Tower Duo on 02/16/13 during the 2013 National Conference of the Society of Composers, Inc. Regarding the work, Smith says: "Structural coupling is the phenomenon that occurs between two systems—environments, languages, or in this case, two musicians—as interaction leads to imitation. Have you ever seen seasoned couples and long-time best friends who talk similarly, act similarly, even look similar? This is structural coupling at work. In the first movement notice the alto sax "supporting" the flute as it struggles upward and takes its downward tumbles—ultimately pulling the flute up and launching it heavenward. The second movement is a flat out race. In fact, the last 11 measures are to be played “as fast as possible. Not coordinated. Try to win by getting to the end first. Do anything necessary.” In the third movement both alternate between playing, ventriloquism, and imitation to represent their coupling. The finale is a series of razor-sharp interlocking motifs that require tight coordination and unity—but independence as well. The alto sax and flute ultimately lock into a calm counterpoint that becomes the epilogue." For more info about Smith, visit his website: www.curtisnsmith.net

Structural Coupling, Mvt 4 by Curtis Smith

Tower Duo is a flute and saxophone ensemble based in Columbus, Ohio that specializes in creating engaging musical experiences with a particular interest in performing and premiering contemporary works by emerging composers. Tower Duo, whose members are flutist, Erin Helgeson Torres and saxophonist, Michael Rene Torres, has been performing together since 2007 and gave its inaugural recital at the Brevard Music Center Festival and Institute in North Carolina. The duo has since performed all across the United States at universities, conferences, and festivals. Highlights include the Omaha Chamber Music Society’s Eko Nova series, the Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project’s Re:Sound New Music Festival, and multiple North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial conferences. Tower Duo recently recorded their debut album, Crosswind, which features the duo’s favorite collaborations with composers from the first decade of their artistic work. Crosswind will be released under the PARMA Recordings label in January of 2019.

Tower Duo

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