Reaching Out

From the composer: In writing Reaching Out I wanted to create a work where the musical argument was based on rhythm, dynamics and phrasing, on a level equal to that of, say, a string quartet, rather than merely exploiting theinstruments' tonal characteristics.The inspiration for the title was sparked by suggestions from the work's sponsor, British Telecom, concerning the progress achieved through the expansion of telecommunications in Scotland, and tothe islands in particular. The work begins with quiet playing of bongos in the centre of a semicircle - as the music progresses the performer moves to the adjacent drums in both directions, eventually reaching out to encompass allthe instruments.