Red Rover - Score Only

Red Rover is the composer's equivalent to driving while angry. It's over-the-top. It's too fast and too loud. It's exhausting to play and conduct. I began work on Red Rover in early 2018, shortly after several tragic events had unfolded across the U.S., and what emerged was a dark, violent little divertimento on the theme of children's playground games. To me, the game Red Rover perfectly captures human's penchant for tribalism and violence, all in an "innocent" school playground setting. Throughout the piece, you will hear heavy breathing, running feet, quotes from playground songs, singing, whispering, police whistles, a squeak toy, and a broken window. This marks the first time that I've ever told an ensemble "I want you to make the audience deeply uncomfortable." Many thanks to Matthew De Lassus and the Ellington High School Band Boosters in Ellington, Conn. for commissioning this project.