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Programme Note

I am happy to be finally entering the band world—a generous and hard-working world that has generated so many excellent wind, brass, and percussion players. It seems also to be a place of people that actually love living composers! Since this was my first foray into the band world, I decided that a short piece would be the wisest course. In naming the piece, I noticed that there are many contours of motives that are shaped in curved “ribbon” patterns. I immediately thought of the word “fascinating.” And the ending dotted-rhythm reminded me of Gershwin’s Fascinating Rhythms—hence the title. It is dedicated to Jack Stamp, that intrepid “stalker” of composers who will not give up until he gets a band piece from them. (I should know; it took him five years to get me to write one!)

—Joan Tower