The Smallest Thing (Score)

Justin Morell says: “When you have a child with developmental challenges, you try to learn to accept the very small bits of progress as big accomplishments. It teaches you to be in the moment as best you can, to appreciate little victories.”

Variation 7 begins with the trumpet alone, playing a melody developed from the first few notes of Loren’s theme in a descending pattern. The tone here is plaintive—the soloist should take as much time as is needed to convey the emotion, and phrase as is comfortable. This movement recalls the spirit of the famous Miles Davis recordings with Gil Evans, with nods to earlier jazz styles and Gershwin. The strings are divisi in two and/or three through much of this movement, so it is essential to have a large enough string section to balance the parts. The guitars have few notes to play, but are an essential part of the texture, and each player will need to make good use of delay, reverb, and a volume pedal. The middle of this variation also features a brief moment of a string quartet as well as a short, intricate violin solo.

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