flesh: Accordion

Saunders writes for the accordion with genuine instrumental knowledge, treating it as a serious concert instrument rather than a folk or novelty voice. This 10-page work demands both technical facility and interpretive sophistication, offering accordionists challenging contemporary repertoire that appears rarely in the standard recital literature.

The work unfolds with concentrated intensity, exploring the accordion's capacity for both lyrical expression and timbral complexity. Saunders creates moments of stark clarity alongside passages that blur the instrument's textural boundaries, inviting the player into a soundworld that feels both intimate and architecturally ambitious.

Advanced accordionists seeking substantial contemporary concert repertoire. This is ideal for performers ready to engage with modernist compositional thinking and willing to invest in interpretive depth beyond virtuosic display.

• Study the score closely for Saunders' specific dynamic and articulation markings; her notation is precise and integral to the musical shape
• Explore the bellows control as an expressive element rather than purely functional; breath and air pressure directly shape phrasing
• Experiment with the full range of the accordion's sonic possibilities, including registral combinations that extend beyond traditional folk or classical idioms

Program this as a centerpiece in a contemporary accordion recital or as part of a modern chamber concert that values instrumental exploration. It pairs well with other 21st-century works that challenge conventional genre boundaries.

• Interpreting contemporary notation and extended technique markings
• Controlling bellows pressure for dynamic and timbral shaping
• Navigating complex rhythmic and registral writing at the advanced level
• Understanding the accordion as a concert instrument with equal standing in new music