Neo Trio
By Don Bowyer
This trio for oboe, alto saxophone and piano was commissioned by Dr. Debra McKim, Professor of Music at Hastings College in Nebraska. Each short movement uses a different five- or six-note synthetic scale, with the melodic lines juxtaposed horizontally.
The first movement uses a five-note scale that includes a major 2, minor 2, minor 3, and major 3 (e.g., E, F#, G, Bb, D). Harmonic motion is created by transposing the scale up by minor thirds every measure, then every two beats, and finally every beat.
The second movement uses the same six-note scale throughout: C, Eb, E, G, Ab, B. Harmonic motion is created by building chords from every other note of the scale.
The third movement uses the same six-note scale throughout: Db, E, F, F#, A, C. Harmonic motion is very limited in this movement.
This piece was premiered in Nebraska on September 14, 2007. This recording is from a concert at UA Huntsville on October 17, 2008.