Written for Stephanie Key. Solo clarinet — 7’10”

Premiered at the Composers Alliance of San Antonio Fall Concert, November 23, 2008

Key Fragments was written for and dedicated to clarinetist Stephanie Key in 2008.  I composed a work for her ensemble, SOLI, in 1996 and have relied on her advice throughout the years on number of pieces of mine.  Embedded in this work are some key fragments from my many discussions with her.  The principal motive heard at the beginning of this piece, however, is a new fragment: one that cements itself in our memory at different levels of perception, including a reference to a musical key.  Broadly cast in three sections – slow, fast, slow – this piece takes us through a landscape where the concept of “key” is pushed to its limit.