Sean William Calhoun | Composer and pianist

Fluctuations, composed for the trio F-PLUS, begins with Forest, a movement of running lines growing from the marimba’s initial figurations, at times fracturing between instruments or coalescing into longer melodies. It spins away upward, landing in the stark second movement, Frost, featuring a marimba solo accompanied by sustained violin and bass clarinet notes in the outer registers. Flow is rapid quasi-dance in alternating meters flying faster and faster until it collapses into the Fallen, the longest movement. The violin and bass clarinet play a slow duet supported by rolled marimba chords, building to a powerful climax, then fading back, ending with an echo of Frost. A bass clarinet solo heralds the beginning of Fuoco, an energetic, rhythmic movement that draws together themes and motives from the preceding movements.