Inner City Rhapsody

Instrumentation:

2 Flutes, Oboe, English horn, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 3 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Tuba, Timpani, 3 Percussion, Harp and Strings

Percussion: 4 triangles, suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal, tam-tam, bass drum, large suspended cymbal, china cymbal

Revised Version Premiere:

• Mesquite Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Zuber conducting - September 10, 2022

Subsequent performances:

• Memphis Symphony Orchestra; Robert Moody conducting - February 18-19, 2023
• Pensacola Symphony Orchestra; Peter Rubardt conducting - April 22, 2023
• Blue Ridge Orchestra; Dr. Emily Eng conducting - December 7-8, 2024
• Dexter Community Orchestra; Dr. David Schultz conducting - March 9, 2025

Program Notes

'Inner City Rhapsody' tells the story of a fictional composer (based on the actual composer's own story) and their quest to try to find their musical voice and belonging. The piece is in three distinct sections; the first, Nostalgia, is told in a flashback form and contains the seeds of musical ideas that will be explored later in the piece. The second, Struggle, is an energetic yet agitated scherzo that contains many musical ideas fighting against each other in an effort to be heard. That leads us to the final section, Emergence, in which a singular ostinato builds to a fantastic and light infused climax which represents the composer's found musical voice in full breadth.

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