INSTRUMENTATION

PICCOLO, 2 FLUTES, 2 OBOES, 2 CLARINETS IN Bb, 2 BASSOONS, 2 HORNS IN F, 2 TRUMPETS IN Bb, 3 TROMBONES, TIMPANI, GLOCKENSPIEL, 1 PERCUSSION (Triangle, Tambourine, Suspended Cymbal, Wood Block, Wind Chimes, Snare Drum), STRINGS

The piece may be accompanied with a slow-moving visual slideshow I've prepared

using astronomical images from the Hubble Space Telescope appropriate for each

section. In the opening section (Magic Sky), string harmonics should be clearly articulated

playedbeautifully as possible to conjure the wide array of the cosmos. The second

section (Shooting Stars) calls for strings to do a descending glissando accelerando

with ricochet (bouncing the bow). It is not possible, nor desirable, for the string

sections to play these figures together. The glissando should start and end at the

same time, but in between, each player should play the accelerating glissando in

their own tempo. Dynamics are critical at the beginning of the third section

(Interstellar Dust) to achieve dramatic changes of color.