quintet ideas

Birthed in Italy, written in Hempstead

I landed at JFK last Monday, after spending a few amazing days in London with fierce lovers and friends. I’ve been breathing in the past month all week.

Earlier today, a piece came out in Document Journal about the MQB artists in residency. I felt such gratitude for our time being captured this way by Jordan Anderson, creative director, writer, editor, and founder of MQBMBQ. It made me feel alive to re-experience the bonds we created in that space.

After unpacking clothes, wine, and a bottle of extra virgin olive oil on Long Island, I started hearing this idea. I could describe it as lonesome, hopeful, poised, dignified, yet playful, expansive, and porous.

I decided to score it for a woodwind quintet — flute, oboe, 2 clarinets, and bassoon.¹

You can view the score sketches in this post.

I wanted to share a sample of what I’ve been hearing this week so I pulled 7 bars from the sketch and wrote some music around it for context. It will likely appear different in the published draft, but h…