Oasis for solo tenor saxophone (2020)
Oasis was written in July of 2020, and is about our attention span.
Inspired by this video, I was deeply moved by how quickly, and drastically, the focus of our nation shifts. It seems we obsess about the latest Marvel movie or celebrity scandal as much as the latest in a long string of moments of violence in our country. And, often regrettably, we forget them just as soon, to make room for something new.
As would anyone, I felt frustrated by this. I wished we might hold on to, and reflect upon, any of these moments that define our country, our values, and even our generation, for just a few moments longer. I wished we might have the patience to learn from them, in our constant effort to heal.
Oasis replicates the sporadic, the spontaneous, and the rapidly shifting media we each are subjected to daily. However, it also pauses momentarily to meditate on some of these ideas and give them the time they deserve, before it is inevitably pushed back into the whirlwind. One cannot stop in the oasis forever, but sometimes the rest taken is necessary.
Compositionally, this piece is indebted greatly to the playing of two phenomenal tenor saxophonists: Travis Laplante and David Pope. Travis has been a model for my works since I first heard his group, Battle Trance, in 2016. David Pope, professor of saxophone at James Madison University, has been a cherished friend and model for the future of his instrument.
Nick Napier, a fantastic saxophonist and friend of mine at The College of New Jersey, helped provide feedback and brought this piece to life in its premiere performance. Nick’s playing has never failed to leave me blindsided, and his playing here is no exception. I hope his premiere serves as a model for a long series of continued performances ahead.