When I was younger, one of the folks in my neighborhood had a luscious outdoor garden. There were so many different types of plants growing, but the most prominent were these thick, fluffy bushes and ivy growing around the house. My dad thought it would be cool to take me over there and look at all the plants. When we got there, a single monarch butterfly was sitting atop a leaf. I went to try and touch it, and suddenly hundreds of butterflies flew out from the bushes and trees and began flying away. It was like a scene out of a movie, it was such a beautiful but surreal experience. This piece is based on this group of butterflies. While deciding on a title, I discovered that a group of butterflies is formally called a “kaleidoscope,” which I found very fitting.
Throughout the piece, eighth notes will be repeated both in consistent patterns and at random moments. This, along with the light articulations and overall bright mood to the piece, portrays the imagery of these butterflies. The beginning of the piece, which has a much different tone with it’s lower range and longer note lengths, almost builds the anticipation to the moment that we hear out first butterfly flutter around.
This piece will be added to the Nu Quintet’s virtual database of pieces by new composers at some point in the near future.
Molly Kay Wenzel 