Circus Music is a title that stems from an initial passing interest in the word “circus”. While living in Italy during the years 1997-98, I visited many ancient Roman amphitheaters and became interested in the many definitions and visual images the word “circus” has engendered over the past 2000 years. These include the ancient Roman gladiatorial games, chariot races, and the slaughtering of animals; the large public spaces in London, marking the intersection of major thoroughfares, filled with people, lights, and noise; and the performances of traveling entertainers under the big top, complete with clowns, exotic animals, and death defying acts. Informally, the word has become associated with any environment that gives way to rowdiness or noisy disorder. All share the significant attribute of public spectacle.
Circus Music is, then, an entertainment piece of sorts. A fantasy for chamber orchestra exploring the drama, showmanship, fun, and cliché associated with “the circus”. Circus Music is a single movement work, twelve minutes in duration.