solo piano
11’00”
composed 2003
composed for and premiered by pianist A. Matthew Mazzoni (Bloomington, Indiana)
Composer’s Note
Serendipitous Inventions is a set of six brief, mostly two-voice contrapuntal inventions, each one composed to focus on a single idea. These ideas range widely in concept, from the tangible (the steady rhythmic ostinato of Irregularities) to the abstract (the "pulseless nothing" of Breaths). Prior to beginning the piece, it was necessary that each of these unique properties be well defined and honed into a seed capable of growing an entire work. However, it was only these single-minded ideas that were formed - no additional melodies, rhythms, or harmonies were worked out prior to the writing of the set. The end result of each invention thus is a combination of concrete planning followed by complete and fortuitous accident. Serendipity!
Winner of the 2004 ASCAP/Morton Gould Young Composers Award.