Stream video from the live premiere performance on YouTube!
Commissioned by Clibber Jones Ensemble
Duration: 7 minutes
Zero Hour is a brief virtuoso work for flute, soprano sax, vibraphone and rock band. The work was commissioned by the Atlanta based Clibber Jones Ensemble. This is my second work for rock band and various instruments and clearly demonstrates my abiding interest in the infusion of pop/rock/jazz elements into my music. The title of the piece refers to the precise moment in time when all procrastination must finally come to an end and notes must actually be written! Given this premise, I thought, initially, that the work would therefore be imbued with a certain sense of anxiety. I, like most creative artists, find the act of starting a new work the most difficult part of the entire process. However, in composing the work, it wasn’t purely anxiety that was coming out in my writing. The music tends to be much more joyous in character. This may be due, in part, to knowing the performers in the Clibber Jones Ensemble. They are all a great group of young musicians glowing with an infectious joy and energy. The other reason I think the music ended up being more exuberant in nature and less darkly anxious is that deep down, I truly love the process of creating a new work. When the “zero hour” finally arrives and I must begin the arduous task of finding music somewhere within myself to share on the page, I am usually always filled with happiness. Aside from these abstract concepts, there are no other programmatic elements to the composition. However, given my general interest in fast, rhythmic music, I also sought to create a rollicking good time for the performers. It’s my hope that this translates well and musicians and audiences experience as much joy in playing and listening to the music as I experienced in composing the piece.