Fandango Fantasy in F (2009)
for chamber orchestra

Program note:
Imagine this. After 80 years of dancing on the world’s stages, Ravel’s Bolero has had enough. She’s tired. She’s fallen in with a new crowd—Californian Terry Riley and his merry band of drone-meisters—who tell her to kick up her heels and just watch the world pass by. The image of Bolero chilling out at a 60s happening is the inspiration for Fandango Fantasy. Here, the refined French melodies and Iberian rhythms are submerged beneath waves of hypnotic drones. It’s more psychedelic than sensual, more freakout that flamenco. And that never-ending crescendo in Bolero is morphed into a cosmic hymn of praise.

Performance Instructions:
Fandango Fantasy is conceived as a chamber music piece for orchestra. No conductor is needed; instead the piece is for a community of performers working together to make music. Percussionists provide cues for the other performers. (Percussion 1 plays a constant quaver rhythm for the entire piece, and percussion 2 indicated important structural points with the slapstick.) In addition, it is recommended that some of the performers (solo strings as well as flute 1) have stopwatches to ensure the smooth unfolding of the piece—timings are indicated in the score.
Duration: 25 minutes