for soprano, three flutes, bass clarinet. nine miniatures using texts from fortune cookies. ca. 15'

difficult for everyone. involves extendend techninques, lack of time signatures, a game to see who can hold their breath the longest, scatting, etc.

For all I know, the fortune cookie is probably some bland Americanization of an ancient Szechuan meal ritual (or worse, that it has nothing to do with any part of Chinese culture whatsoever), but I’ll continue to pretend that it is a wondrous foreign custom that brings sugar and cryptic messages into my life. I had been saving fortune cookie texts for about six months, hoping to use them for little rounds. When the opportunity came to write for this unusual combination, I panicked, frantically looking for a text to use. I eventually came to my senses and realized that everything I needed to write the piece was on those teeny slips of paper: the text, the organizational material, the rhythms, everything.

2003.

score to come. (needs editing)

performance history:

11 July 2004. Tonic, NYC. Anti-Social Music: Rachel Carter, soprano; Christine Perea, flute; Katie Brisotti, flute; Andrea La Rose, flute; Peter Hess, bass clarinet.

24 May 2004. Lighthouse International, NYC. Rachel Carter, soprano; Christine Perea, flute; Katie Brisotti, flute; Andrea La Rose, flute; Peter Hess, bass clarinet.

9 May 2004. Levenson Recital Hall, Brooklyn College. Rachel Carter, soprano; Christine Perea, flute; Katie Brisotti, flute; Andrea La Rose, flute; Peter Hess, bass clarinet.

6 May 2004. Elebash Recital Hall, The Graduate Center, CUNY. Rachel Carter, soprano; Christine Perea, flute; Katie Brisotti, flute; Andrea La Rose, flute; Peter Hess, bass clarinet.
a recording of this performance:
i. patience is the key to joy

ii. a secret admirer will soon send you a sign of affection

iii. the only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into the tiger's den

iv. your skill will accomplish what the force of many cannot

v. do not trust immediately — trust should be earned

vi. you are surrounded by fortune hunters

vii. we should not expect from others what we cannot do ourselves

viii. look up an old friend if you're feeling down

ix. you will attract cultured and artistic people to your home

5 May 2003. Levenson Recital Hall, Brooklyn College. Rachel Carter, soprano; Elizabeth Schubert, flute; Su Shu-chun, flute; Chia-Hao Lin, flute; Chris Bacas, bass clarinet; Andrea La Rose, conductor.