saxophone quartet (s.sax, a.sax, t.sax, b.sax)
7’30”
composed 2007
commissioned by the California Association of Professional Music Teachers, premiered at the 2007 CAPMT State Conference (San Mateo, California)
Composer’s Note
Quirk is a single movement work for saxophone quartet. The work is a set of alternating tunes, many of which are derived from different genres of American popular music. These include subtle takes on the blues and bebop, as well as a slightly off-kilter tango that serves as a refrain. The overall effect of the music is to create contradiction in the listener - a sense that this music is more or less familiar, but that there are several elements of the piece that are unexpected, and even seemingly out of place. The lasting impression of the work should be one that is slightly comical, occasionally relaxed, a bit edgy, and a touch on the serious side - in other words, quirky.
Commissioned by the California Association of Professional Music Teachers.