Spectrum

"The structure of this one-movement work is suggestive of a journey through a sequence of colorful sonic landscapes. Keith Koons and the U.C.F. Percussion Ensemble lead by Thad Anderson premiered Spectrum in Orlando, Florida on April 14, 2015.

This composition is a showcase for the bass clarinet as well as the percussion ensemble. The music utilizes the entire practical range of the bass clarinet, exploring its impressive array of expressive capabilities. From the haunting beauty its low register to the agile brilliance of its upper range, this work reveals the great diversity of moods that can be created with the instrument as well the salient technical characteristics that distinguish it from the other woodwinds. The percussion ensemble, even when used as an accompaniment for the soloist, employs a wide array of timbres and textures. An undercurrent of energy and suspense is added to the musical tapestry as a result of the inherent tension between the soloist and the potentially overpowering might of the percussion battery."