Kaleidoscopic Overdrive
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In 2006, British composer Adam Gorb (RNCM) was spending a few days at Tennessee Tech University for a concert of his music. In a masterclass for the sophomore theory students, I was invited to bring in a piece for him to critique (Rush Hour). Afterwards he mentioned that his colleague at RNCM—euphonium virtuoso Steven Mead—might be interested in the piece. Gorb returned home with a copy in hand, and I forgot about it. A few months later during euphonium lesson, my professor handed me a copy of Euphonium Magic Vol. 3 by Steven Mead with Rush Hour on it. I got in touch with him thanking him for the recording, and asked if he had any future projects coming up that needed new music. He told me about a project involving Spanish Brass quintet. At the time they were relatively unknown in the US, but I knew if he was working with them they must be phenomenal. A few weeks later I had completed Kaleidoscopic Overdrive.
The title comes from the constantly-shifting meter and somewhat hectic feel, the melody bouncing back and forth between soloist and quintet, and the shifts between somewhat unconnected sections. The main melody was something that had been in my head for a while, one of the many musical seeds that I constantly find myself humming or whistling absentmindedly. This became the first piece I ever had published, and the second ever recorded.
Recording: Brass and Wines featuring Steven Mead & Spanish Brass
Publisher: Cimarron Music