The Lyric Études

In 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, I began composing these Lyric Études for anyone who asked for them, for the purpose of maintaining and nurturing the creative and musical connections we musicians had been denied due to the worldwide cancellation of concerts of all kinds. 

The "Lyric" part of the title comes from lyric poetry, "the character of a songlike outpouring of the poet's own thoughts and feelings, as distinguished from epic and dramatic poetry." (Dictionary.com)

These are "concert études," intended to be of the quality and interest expected for a concert or recital performance, but each of them also explores one or more technical or musical dimensions in an essentially monothematic way, as expected of an étude.

No.   Instrument         Dedicatee

1       Oboe                      Fred Korman

2       Trumpet                 James Smock

3       Tuba                       Adam Snider

3a     Contrabassoon    Leyla Zamora

4       Trombone             Sara Mayo

5       Saxophone            Horace Alexander Young

6       Timpani                 Matt Drumm

7       Piccolo                   Liberty Broillet

8       Horn                       Josiah Boothby

9       Bass clarinet         Andy Hudson

10     Cello                       Julia Pope

11     Clarinet                  Jason Rose

12     Viola                       Angela Schauer

13     Snare drum           Joshua Gianola

14     Bassoon                Cris Garza

15     Flute                       Jeffrey Barker

16     Violin                     Tom Swafford

17     Double bass         Mark Collins

18     English horn         Adam Shapiro