Automata (2024)
For two flutes with kick drums
Commissioned by the Tempest Flute Ensemble for Paolo Bortolussi and Mark McGregor
Duration: 9 min
Program note:
When composing Automata for contemporary music flutists Paolo Bortolussi and Mark McGregor, I wanted to showcase not only their virtuosic abilities, but also their years-long history of supporting one another and collaborating on numerous projects. Both are known for their dedication, grit and willingness to take on virtually any work, regardless of its complexity or difficulty.
The concept of Automata was to imagine the duo as two halves of a flawless, machine-like super-flutist: precise, relentless, and virtuosic. The kick drums were added to heighten the energy and augment the sound world of the duo, and perhaps to offer a small nod to a cymbal-playing mechanical monkey that never tires.