Instrumentation: woodwind quintet and alto saxophone

Duration: 20:00

Written for the Lieurance Quintet of Wichita State University

Premiered at the Wichita State University Contemporary Music Festival; February 16, 2001

Movements:
I. Moth to the Flame
II. Winter Light
III. Heading for Home

Recording: The Lieurance Quinet – Frances Shelly (flute), Amy Goeser (oboe), W. James Jones (clarinet), Amy Jo Rhine (horn) Nicolasa Kuster (bassoon) and Jean Lansing (saxophone) recorded at the Contemporary Music Festival in  2001  used by permission of the composer

Notes: Second Wind, written in the summer of 2000, arose from a suggestion by Jim Jones, clarinet professor at Wichita State University, that I compose a piece for saxophone and woodwind quintet, specifically featuring the saxophone.  Since this would be my second work for WSU’s Lieurance Quintet, I titled it Second Wind.  In another sense the piece represents a “second wind” for me as a composer. Inspired by the outstanding playing of the Lieurance Quintet and saxophonist extraordinaire Jean Lansing, I approached the composition of this piece with an enthusiasm I hadn’t felt in a long time. The three movements are simple in form, tonal, colorful, and melodic; in fact, one of my goals was to explore the beautiful melodic qualities of the saxophone, especially as played by Ms. Lansing. After many years of pondering my identity as a composer in an academic environment, I reconnected with the love of melody that made me want to compose music in the first place.

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