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Sweep

(2021, rev. 2023)

8 minutes

(2,2,2,2 3,2,2,1 Timp.2 Percussion, Harp. Strings

Performance Information

Commissioned by the Greater Twin Cities Y outh Symphonies and New Brunswick Y outh Orchestra

World Premiere by Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies for their Sinfonia East. Ernesto Estigarribia, Conductor. Orchestra Hall; Minneapolis, MN. May, 2022.


New Brunswick, Canada Youth Orchstra. Pedro Moya, Conductor. June 2023.


The St. Olaf Orchestra. Chung Park, Conductor. March 2024.


The Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra. Neil Hampton, Conductor. April 2024.


The Annapolis Symphony and the Orion Youth Orchestra. Jose-Luis Novo, Conductor. January 2025.


Clark College Orchestra. Rafael Roriguez, Conductor. Vancouver, WA. December 2025.


Photo by Ahmad Dirini on Unsplash

About

The work ignites with a sharp, two-chord gesture—a sudden sweeping motion that crackles with kinetic energy. This opening builds a sense of coiled tension on the upbeat, only to release it in a surge of momentum that propels the music forward. From this rhythmic spark, a restless, searching melody emerges in the low strings, initiating a high-energy tug-of-war between the aggressive "sweep" of the chords and the lyrical yearning of the strings.


About halfway through, the music pivots to explore a different dimension of its title. A new, soaring melody takes flight in the violin, shifting the focus from physical motion to an emotional sweep of the spirit. This expressive core serves as the heart of the piece before the original energy returns, driving the ensemble into a rollicking, virtuosic coda.


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