The Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano was begun on October 23, 2006 and completed on February 21, 2007. However, during this period of time, only about a week was devoted to the actual writing of the work, as other projects intervened. The occasion for this work was the awarding of the Doctor of Music degree by the University of Illinois to Kenneth Tse, for whom I had previously written four works. In light of the occasion that inspired the writing of the work, I have inserted two brief references to well-known works associated with academia, the Pomp and Circumstance March no. 1 by Sir Edward Elgar and the German student song, Gaudeamus Igitur. I have also personalized the work for Dr. Tse by the ending sonorities of the three movements: (U)T(=C), Es & E. The work is cast in three movements, the last two of which are played without pause. The work is quite virtuosic throughout, and is intended to display both the beautiful production of tone and the considerable virtuosity of the dedicatee. Tonal throughout, the harmonies are complex and constantly shifting, in line with the composer's freely-tonal musical language.
