Civitasolis Reed Quintet

We are just over halfway to our goal! Thanks so much to everyone who supported us so far! We really appreciate all of you. If you haven’t donated yet, please consider checking out our project here and donating. Even a small donation helps greatly! Link in Bio to Support.

Last but not least, we are featuring our oboist, Luis Gallo Quintero, talking about his favorite moment in Travilah.

Luis: One of my favorite movements to perform is the first movement of Travilah. It’s full of color, energy, and contrast, with lush lyrical lines, rich harmonies, quarter tones, and complex rhythms. I love how the instruments interact and blend throughout. I also love how Elliott develops the movement from a simple motif that I get to introduce on the English horn, which makes it even more fun to play.

Check out more of the album on our Kickstarter page - Link in Bio.

Today we are featuring our bassoonist, Alexandra Castro, talking about her favorite moment in Travilah.

Alex: Two of my favorite movements from Heroes and Villains are the second and third movements!

The second movement opens with this a nice and mysterious bassoon solo that starts a conversation with the English horn, gradually joined by the rest of the winds. The whole thing feels like you’re walking through shadows... then suddenly, it shifts! The bass clarinet jumps in, and the mood moves from dark and eerie to something a bit more playful, but still with that edge.
Then comes the third movement — full-on energy. It’s playful, yes, but with this underlying weight to it, like a circus that’s a little off-kilter. Fun, and just a little bit intense. 🎪🖤

Check out more of the album on our Kickstarter page - Link in Bio.

Today we are featuring clarinetist Amy Humberd talking about her favorite moment in Travilah.

Amy: One of the highlights for me about Elliott’s piece is the third movement of Travilah. I love the niente entrances and the way the sounds move together and are passed through the group. This movement always gives me a feeling of nostalgia. The way the different colors of our instruments blend together while also maintaining their uniqueness is one of my favorite parts of these kind of movements, and it is easy to appreciate in this movement in particular.

Check out more of the album on our Kickstarter page - Link in Bio.

Next up on our album features is saxophonist Beth King-Bennett!

Beth: My favorite part of the album is the addition of tenor sax in movement 1 & 3 of Travilah. Tenor isn’t common in reed quintet but I love how it combines with the English horn, bass clarinet, and bassoon to create this dark, rich color. I like the juxtaposition of the tenor’s quarter tone line with the chordal harmonies in the other four voices.

Take a listen to to excerpts form this and other movements from the CD on our Kickstarter page (Link in bio)

ter