Feed Forward: Full Scores

Feed Forward presents an intellectually rigorous yet viscerally engaging journey from fragmented structure to unified sonic saturation. The work's central conceit—percussion divisions gradually breaking down under the weight of accumulated sound—gives conductors a clear architectural spine while demanding ensemble members commit fully to extended techniques that feel integral to the musical argument, not decorative.

Feed Forward begins as a collection of isolated sonic events held in sharp relief, like watching a structure slowly pressurized from within. As the work deepens, clarity gives way to saturation; the sharp divisions that once anchored the listening experience dissolve into a spreading haze of overlapping sound. What remains is the memory of structure, now submerged.

Advanced conductors and ensembles ready to engage with contemporary techniques and formal processes. This work demands musicians who can execute extended techniques with precision and who understand that gradual transformation of material is itself the content of the piece.

• Study the performance notes thoroughly before rehearsal; the extended techniques (quarter tones, multiphonics, contrabass effects) require individual preparation so that musicians understand the acoustics and mechanical approaches behind each effect.
• Map the erosion of rhythmic precision across the score. Early sections demand sharp attacks and clear sectional boundaries; later sections intentionally blur metric clarity. Rehearse these zones in isolation so players understand where they sit in the overall trajectory.
• Balance transparency with density as the work progresses. In early sections, every percussion articulation should land distinctly; by the final pages, the ensemble's accumulated texture should feel inevitable rather than chaotic.

Pair this with works that share its interest in sonic process and textural evolution. Feed Forward functions best as a centerpiece to a concert exploring contemporary approaches to orchestration and ensemble sound, particularly one that contrasts with more traditionally structured or pitch-centric works.

• Executing extended techniques in winds and strings (quarter tones, multiphonics, contrabass effects)
• Listening to gradual transformations of material across an extended span
• Maintaining rhythmic precision in early sections while embracing metric dissolution in later passages
• Balancing individual expression within a collectively determined sonic texture