Fantasy on a G Minor Scale(1989 rev. 2018) by S. A. Workman

For piano, percussion, string quintet and wind quintet.
Recorded at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Yanchunzi Duan conducting.

In 1989, my college composition teacher Scott Wilkinson gave me my first assignment: write a four-voice chorale. I started with a melody -- a simple ascending scale. Then the scale decided it felt good in 7/8 time with varied rhythmic emphasis. Professor Wilkinson never did see a chorale from me, but he did seem satisfied with the resulting piano piece in 7/8 and 11/8 time. Years later, I extended the piece for 12-person emsemble.

Instrumentation
-flute
-oboe
-clarinet in Bb (doubles as bass clarinet)
-bassoon
-horn in F
-percussion (snare with brushes, egg shaker)
-piano
-violin I-II
-viola
-cello
-double bass

Photo: San Francisco Bay Bridge at night from onboard Muni, by S. A. Workman.