Jumping Fish
For Woodwind Quintet (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, French Horn, Bassoon)
Length- 7:30 Minutes
Program Notes-
My inspiration for this piece came from one of my friend’s observations. They asked me, “Wait… did that fish just jump!?!?” And after further watching and observing, they were right; the fish would spontaneously jump out of water. We saw these fish jumping at Lake Osceola in the University of Miami, a grand lake that we would pass every day to get to and from classes. This lake apparently is known to have fish that jump, to allow them to receive more oxygen (or because they are just happy). In my composition I wanted to highlight this idea through two contrasting and minimal ideas.
 
The basis of these two ideas is highlighted within the first four measures of the piece. The first two bars represent the jumping while the second two bars represent the fish swimming. The balance and contrast between these ideas imitate how these beautiful creatures navigate through the ecosystem. Mixed-meter and oddly syncopated measures are utilized to help illustrate the unpredictability of the fish. You never know when one will spring out of water, or when it will just gracefully swim below the surface.
 
The other two motives relate to the time of day. The motif of the 6th motion represents the daytime, its liveliness, and vibrance sprouting from the University and the environment of South Florida. The second motif, found prominently in the latter sections of the piece, is highlighted in the clarinet and bassoon. This motif reflects the serene nature of night and rest. The end of the piece returns to the jumping and swimming motifs from the beginning, as the fish gradually go to rest for the night.