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Wind Ensemble

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Solo Works

Music for Two

Bull in a China Shop (2020) for alto saxophone and piano
Follow the Leader (2015) for tuba and piano
Super Groove (2011) for oboe and piano
Pistol Pete’s Passacaglia (2008) for violin and contrabass (solo strings)
Fantasy in Six Continuous Movements (2006) for alto sax [or Bb clarinet] and piano
The Red Thread (2002)for trumpet and organ

First three score pages (pdf)

Excerpt 1            Excerpt 2

The Red Thread was commissioned by James Ackley, then Professor of Trumpet at the University of Connecticut. The piece merges the ideas of an organ fantasy, a trumpet fanfare, and a virtuosic showpiece, bringing them into a harmonic world built primarily on diatonic clusters. Due to a fundamentally slow harmonic motion, these clusters are perceived not so much as dissonances, but as rich, full expressions of tonal harmonies. Even the dissonances in the middle section, where they become even thicker and more chromatic, are anchored by the stability of the open fifths that persevere after each dissonant chord. This section represents one of the main ideas of the piece, that there is an underlying stability that coexists with the elements of tension and release on the surface. The title refers to the ball of thread Ariadne unrolled to help Theseus find his way out of the Labyrinth after slaying the Minotaur. Musically, the open fifths provide a stability that helps guide the listener through the maze of otherwise dissonant harmonies.

Contact the composer directly to inquire about score/parts: mikedambrosio@gmail.com


Sonata for Alto Sax and Piano (2001)
Re-Emergence (1998) for cello and piano
Two Pieces for Horn and Piano (1997)

Chamber Music for Larger Ensembles

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