Steven Darling | Wasteland for Flute, Trumpet, and Piano
Steven Darling (b. 1989)
Wasteland (2020)
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This performance is for the fulfillment of Alec Burke's graduate recital for an MM in Trumpet Performance at UW-Milwaukee. This video was recorded in the UWM Recital Hall in the Spring of 2021.
"Wasteland" is an original composition by Steven Darling commissioned by Alec Burke and Jennifer Rodriguez. The piece was recorded in April, 2021 and premiered virtually on May 8, 2021. The piece may be purchased from Veritas Musica Publications at the link below.
More Steve Darling:
- www.darlingtuba.com
- https://www.veritasmusicapublishing.com/catalog.php
Alec's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/alecburkemusic
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Flute: Jennifer Rodriguez
Trumpet: Alec Burke
Piano: Teresa Drews
Microcosm is a mixed-instrumentation chamber ensemble. Founded by its core members - Jennifer Rodriguez (Flute) and Alec Burke (Trumpet) - Microcosm’s mission is to expand the repertoire for small, mixed-instrumentation chamber ensembles featuring trumpet and flute. Through commissions, collaborations with other musicians and composers, and arrangements, Microcosm brings a fresh tonal palette and programming to its audiences.
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Program Notes (by Alec Burke):
"Wasteland" by Steven Darling is a tone poem for flute, trumpet, and piano that treats the ensemble both in an orchestral manner and as individual soloists. The piece is based on freely composed poem by Darling, who gives the poem its structure with syllabic and rhythmic motives which serves as word-painting. The piece “is a metaphor for waste and subsequent environmental destruction.” Though each performer is treated independently, Darling also writes different combinations of the performers to experiment with timbre and toy with the concept of duality. Darling uses a variety of compositional techniques in his treatment of the ensemble, such as rhythmic and harmonic ostinatos as pedal points, additive structures and melodies, contrapuntal textures, polyrhythms, tonal and modal harmonies, bitonality, and tension and release. The primary challenges of the work include navigating the shifts in character from one section to another, the technical and rhythmic demands, and the balance and blend of the ensemble. Wasteland brings a fresh take on the instrumentation and presents new challenges for flute and trumpet as a duo pairing.