South Africa

"South Africa" was originally written to feature the texture of the soprano saxophone with viola, the performance can be adapted to other instruments as indicated on the score or others within the written range. Although the piece is not specifically influenced by African music, it is dedicated to Nelson Mandela upon his release from prison. The writing alternates between counter and synchronized lines---the same is true for other pairings such as dissonance/consonance, changing tempos, and dynamics. The challenge is to get the piece to flow through these many shifts of texture. Towards the conclusion there is some space (optional) for improvising using the suggested written notes and intervals as the source material for both instruments.