Beach Party! was commissioned by Peter Sheridan for the premiere by the Pacific Coast Flute Orchestra in the opening concert of the August 2016 National Flute Association Convention in San Diego.  An ode to my Southern California roots with many hours spent at the beach, Beach Party! is a fun, celebratory romp through the anticipation and the excitement of a beach party.  The ethereal opening of the piece with lush chords anticipates the fun yet to come.  After the opening, the style is rhythmic with a rock beat and a Beach Boys’ feel.  The rhythm of the words “beach par-ty” (quarter-note and two eighth-notes) is a motive that appears in the main melody and throughout the piece.  Each of the parts get a turn at the melody and there are several sections prominently featuring the low flutes.

Instrumentation:

• Piccolo
• 4 C Flutes
• Alto Flute (or Flute 5)
• Bass Flute
• Contrabass Flute (or Bass Flute 2)