Program Notes

acoustic duality (à la Descartes) was conceived as an etude of sorts, intended to help saxophonists develop the extended technique of playing the instrument while simultaneously vocalizing specific pitches. This is similar to the concept of ‘growling’—a technique often used by wind instrumentalists in jazz to create an edgy, distorted timbre—however the goal in this case is to vocalize pitches deliberately, using one’s voice to match or create specific harmonies with the pitches being produced ‘normally’ by the instrument’s vibrating reed.

This extended technique can be implemented musically in several different ways. As the piece progresses, it explores five of such iterations, ordered by increasing level of difficulty: 1) alternating between vocalizing and playing, 2) matching unison between simultaneously vocalized and played pitches, 3) vocalizing a consistent sustained pitch as a ‘pedal point’ while playing other pitches, 4) playing lines while vocalizing in parallel intervals of octaves, fifths, and thirds, and 5) simultaneously vocalizing and playing independent lines.

Because of the extremely involved nature of this piece, the performer should first have a solid grasp of aural skills fundamentals and an ability to accurately produce specific pitches and intervals with their voice before attempting to learn the work.

[score excerpts] —alto voice—

—baritone voice—

duration: c. 7’30”

commissioned by Shawna Pennock as part of her DMA Dissertation: “A Commissioning and Recording Project of New Works for Saxophone Focused on Extended Techniques”