Scott Robbins, composer

Abating Autumn

flute, harp, viola

5:00

The third of three "autumn" works I've written over the years.

Antiphonal Fanfare

brass ensemble (44311)

2:00

The title says it all--it's a fanfare that positions the brass ensemble spatially in order to emphasize antiphonal effects. This work has been performed a few times, including some very fine performances by the Chicago Brass Ensemble on one of their concert tours.

Approaching Autumn

fantasy-duo for violin and piano

12:00

The first of the three "autumn" pieces and winner of one of my first big prizes.

Winner of Davidson College's Wilmer Hayden Welsh Prize in Composition in 1994

Awakening Autumn

clarinet, English horn, piano

(also clarinet, trumpet, piano andclarinet, trumpet, percussion, piano)

9:00

The second "autumn" piece. It continues the impressionistic steps of the other two works. 

Pastiche Composers Award, 2000

Chamber Concerto

flute and 8 wind instruments (2 ob, 2 cl, 2 bn, 2hn)

12:00

Commissioned by James Croft for the Florida State Winds to premiere at the 1995 National Flute Association Conference, this piece is modeled on the wind divertimenti of Mozart. Four movements: Allegro Gravoso-Metallico, Scherzo, Adagio, Final Quasi-Minimalistico. Originally entitled "Pervertimento," but I caved to pressure to find a less annoying title.

Elastic Frequencies

flute (+ alto), clarinet (+ bass), violin, cello, percussion, piano

17:00

Multi-movement variations for sextet, with allusions to rock music and minimialsism. For such a tighly-constructed and controlled work, this is actually refreshingly ungeeky.

Here, Where the Lens is Wide

cello duo

9:30

Very cool work for two cellos. Title is from a beloved Yes song.

Light Streams Down in Bright, Unbroken Beams

flute, oboe, piano

3:00

A lovely, elegant processional, featuring a title (and four-note melodic lick) taken from a Rush song. Yes, this is the processional from when Kristina and I were married--good times!

"...like the music of the sun..."

flute, oboe d'amore, violin, piano

10:00

Celebratory work, commissioned for the 2017 inauguration of Converse College's president.

Meditation

violin and piano

10:30

Lovely chamber work for violin and piano..

Meditations

saxophone and marimba

(also clarinet and guitar)

10:30

Modern Miniatures

flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano

(also flute, clarinet, cello, piano)

7:00

Three movements for Pierrot ensemble: I. Slasher Movie Music II. Slow Jam III. Pop Song (circa 1967)

Percussion Trio #1

tom toms, hi-hat, temple blocks

3:00

Very minimalist; very cool. One of the first pieces I ever had played at a festival. I travelled all the way to Alabama to hear an audience member exclaim, after hearing this piece, "I hate Scott Robbins." (That sort of stuff'll toughen you up.)

Percussion Trio #2

marimba, vibraphone, vibraphone/timpani

4:00

The companion piece to "Percussion Trio #1," featuring all pitched percussion instruments. (Thus far, no one has audibly hated this piece around me.)

Psychedelic Epigrams

flute, oboe, violin, cello, two pianos

22:00

Such a cool piece: three movements inspired by psychedelic rock songs:I. The Dizzy-Dancing Way You FeelII. Butterflies and Zebras and MoonbeamsIII. Where the Diamond Crescent's GlowingCommissioned by the South Carolina Music Teachers Association and MTNA.

Grand Prize: Composers Guild 37th Annual Composition Contest, 2006

Nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Music, 2006

Quartet for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano

(Change of Address)

18:00

The quartet version of the first piece I wrote upon moving to Spartanburg, based upon my old street address. 

1st Prize: Clefworks Composition Competition, 2008

HM: Red Stick International Composition Compeitition, 2003

Radiance

flute, oboe, piano

18:00

Written for Ensemble Radieuse (radiance = radieuse). A very cool monster of a piece--18 minutes of extremes: the piece starts with an incredibly tranquil piano solo before bringing in all the instruments and really turning up the heat. I had forgotten how good this piece is.

the sky, waiting (to get cloudy)

guitar duet

(alternate version for guitar and English horn)

6:00

The oldest piece in the catalog, this is from my senior recital. It's still cool to hear, and I'm amazed at what a "me" I was, even then.

Sonata for Flute and Oboe

11:00

The first of many pieces written for Chris and Kelly Vaneman, this is a three movement work, featuring the first-ever version of "Spooky Does the Bunny-Hop." When the Vanemans received this piece they gave me two cases of wine and said, "Thank you for a piece that we can play for the rest of our lives." I hope they do just that. Bottoms up.

String Quartet #1 ("Fortressed House")

2 violins, viola, cello

13:30

My take on the four-movement sonata cycle for string quartet. This one did pretty well on the prize circuit:

ASCAP Foundation Grant for Young Composers, 1992 (now they're called Morton Gould Awards)

HM: Washington International Competition for Composers, 1994

HM: Instrumental Music: Composers Guild 24th Annual Composition Contest

Recorded by the Moyzes Quartet for MMC Recordings.

String Quartet #2 ("Wings of Stone")

two violins, viola, cello

15:30

A mixture of Rush's "The Spirit of Radio," Neil Young's "Danger Bird," and Thomas Mann's "Dr. Faustus" that works, this is 15 minutes of fury for string quartet. Nicely performed by Tenth Intervention in 2014 (check out the video).

Sweet Dreams for Spooky

flute, oboe, piano

(also flute, English horn, piano)

8:00

For Ensemble Radieuse. The follow up to "Spooky Does the Bunny-Hop," this time in lullaby form.

Theme and Variations

oboe, violin, cello, piano

(also oboe, violin, viola, cello, piano)

8:00

Four continuous movements in variation form, each with a different character. One movement is very tranquil, one is a sick sort of march, and one is a funky-soul variation.

Three Blues for Cello and Trumpet

10:00

Probably my best seller, Each movement has a different aspect of the blues.

1st Prize: Britten-on-the-Bay Competition, 1997

1st Prize: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (Iota Pi Chapter), 1996

Recorded by Trio Chromos for their CD "Trumpet Colors."

Three Sketches

flute and guitar

11:00

I've always thought this was a neat piece -- three movements inspired by the heroines in books my daughter read in elementary school:I. Sadko, Folding 1000 Paper CranesII. Scout, Whose World is ChangingIII. Regina, Captured by Indians

Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano ("Address")

18:00

The first piece I wrote when I moved to Spartanburg, based on my street address, This work is modeled on the three-movement sonata cycle, featuring a opening movement, chaccone, and rondo. All very lovely.

Tuladandasana

cello sextet

7:30

Stereophonic work for three pairs of cellos. The title refers to yoga's "balancing stick pose."

Una Pallottola Senza Un Nome

piccolo, oboe d'amore, guitar, harpsichord, recorded sounds

10:30

Subtitled "​Scenes from a non-existent western," this works evokes the sound of spaghetti westerns of the 1960s and 1970s. For four live performers plus an assortment of recorded sounds, including theremin, jaw harp, and boot-steps.

Variations

clarinet, violin, piano

17:00

17-minute continuous variation for clarinet, violin, and piano.