Commissioned by the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, Oberlin College, and the University of Michigan. Brass and percussion — 17’00”

Premiered by DCWS, Kirk in the Hills in Bloomfield Hills, MI, on January 12, 2014.
H. Robert Reynolds, conductor

Rituals was commissioned by the Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings in 2013, with a request for a work for brass. As I settled on the instrumentation of two sets of three brass players (without horns), I soon envisioned a stage set for rituals with one percussionist in the center of the group. Many of the ideas in this piece rely on the close imitation of lines shared by three players. There is no specific program to this work, but the image of ancient rituals resonated with me as I gave consideration to these heroic instruments. The titles of the movements suggest a journey from an opening prelude to a closing celebration.