The Bird-While

The Bird-While (2022) is a concerto for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and symphonic winds commissioned by Hub New Music. The piece is titled after and based on Keith Taylor’s poem “Acolytes in the Bird-While,” which explores the flora and fauna of Michigan and the struggle to persist in the face of climate change. I aimed to write a concerto for an unconventional group of instruments that demonstrates their virtuosity while providing a platform for awareness of and education around environmental and climate justice. Each movement derives its title from Taylor’s poem, drawing attention to pivotal lines in the poem’s narrative. 2024 Sousa-ABA Ostwald Composition Contest Finalist Instrumentation:Original version (2022): Solo flute, clarinet, violin celloArrangement for woodwind quintet (2024): Solo woodwind quintetSymphonic winds: piccolo, flute 1-2, oboe 1-2, english horn, clarinet 1-2, bass clarinet, bassoon 1-2, contrabassoon, horn 1-4, trumpet 1-3, trombone 1-2, bass trombone, tuba,