DONZA CON PASIONE (2016)
This piece was commissioned by a friend of mine from Rutgers who is now an adjunct professor of Oboe at NYU. She approached me back in 2015 with the idea of writing a piece for Oboe but having the player double on English Horn as well accompanied by piano. I'm no stranger from doubling because of all my gigs playing in pit orchestras so I was excited at the idea.
I started brain storming ideas and was listening to and studying the music of Astor Piazzolla so I decided to go with a tango inspired piece. The piece pits the Oboe and English Horn against each other as if they were two lovers who's eyes meet across a smokey bar. They begin to dance and show off for each other. The piece opens with an English Horn cadenza which is later answered by the Oboe in a similar cadenza towards to end of the piece. Their melodies intertwine and share similar melodic and rhythmic motifs. All the while the piano is setting the mood and acts as the other people at the bar cheering on the dancing of the two instruments.
Recording and sample score will be up soon!