Asimov's Aviary

Joel Puckett

General Info

Year: 2012
Duration: c. 4:45
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Bill Holab
Cost: Parts - Rental | Score Only - $90.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute I-II-III (III doubling Piccolo)
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Piano
Harp
Timpani
Percussion (3 players), including:

Chimes
Marimba
Suspended Cymbal
Tam-tam (at least 36" preferred)
Vibraphone

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Asimov’s Aviary was commissioned by The United States Air Force Band for a world premiere performance at the Midwest Clinic in 2012. The work’s title references Isaac Asimov (who created the Three Laws of Robotics and helped to define the concept of serious science fiction) and the Micro-Aviary at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The Micro-Aviary is part of the Air Force Research Lab, whose mission is to design the next generation of undetectable robotic drones, which will take the form of tiny insects and birds. Puckett remarks, “I frequently imagined Asimov dreaming of an aviary far in the future where robotic insects and birds were given life and flew around in constant electronic swarms. I also found myself thinking about the excitement that the researchers at the Micro-Aviary would feel if they were able to show their creations to Asimov, and how amazed he would have been to see how quickly his ideas have become a reality.” Puckett dedicated this work to the men and women at the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

- Program note by David Balandrin and Ricky Parrell for U.S. Air Force Band concert program, 19 December 2012

In 1974, Isaac Asimov [creator of the three laws of robotics and the father of modern technology based science fiction] predicted in his short story That thou art mindful of them, that before humanoid androids would be accepted into mainstream society, robotic birds and insects would be created to desensitize the population.

While writing this piece, I frequently imagined Asimov dreaming of an aviary far in the future where robotic insects and birds were given life and flew around in constant electronic swarms. Amazingly, this work has begun. At the Air Farce Research Lab at Wright-Patterson’s “Micro-Aviary” these robotic insects and birds -- or micro-drones as the press has dubbed them -- are being developed and put in the field as part of a whale host of projects including weather management and environmental monitoring.

However, as anyone who has read I, Robot or The Naked Sun will know, where there is potential for light in technological innovation, there is also potential for darkness. I often find myself thinking about the excitement that the researchers at the Micro-Aviary would feel if they were able to show their creations to Asimov and how amazed he would have been to see how quickly these artificial insects and birds have become a reality.

The piece features tightly woven canonic lines that form a furious web (swarm?) of contrapuntal activity over very slow moving (inevitable?) metallic drones.

Asimav’s Aviary was commissioned by The United States Air Force Band “The Chief’s Own” and is dedicated to the men and women at the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson and premiered at the 2012 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic.

- Program Note by composer

Media

Audio CD: United States Air Force Band (Larry H. Lang, conductor)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Mallory Thompson, conductor) - 22 April 2022
Atlanta (Ga.) Wind Symphony (Chris Schumick, conductor) – 19 January 2020
United States Army Band (Ft. Myer, Va.) (Andrew J. Esch, conductor) – 12 April 2019 (Manassas, Va.)
University of Nebraska (Lincoln) Wind Ensemble (Carolyn Barber, conductor) – 23 April 2018
Brooklyn (N.Y.) Wind Symphony (Jeff W. Ball, conductor) – 28 October 2017
The Ohio State University (Columbus) Wind Symphony (Russel Mikkelson, conductor) - 9 March 2017 (82nd Annual ABA National Convention)
University of Texas (Austin) Wind Ensemble (Jerry Junkin, conductor) – 25 September 2016
University of Miami (Fla.) Frost Wind Ensemble (Robert Carnochan, conductor) – 22 September 2016
Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Md.) Peabody Wind Ensemble (Harland D. Parker, conductor) – 11 December 2015
University of Southern California Thornton Wind Ensemble (H. Robert Reynolds, conductor) - 12 April 2015
University of South Carolina (Columbia) Wind Ensemble (John Cody Birdwell, conductor) - 6 March 2014 (ABA 2014 Annual Convention (Montgomery, Alabama))
United States Air Force Band (Washington, D.C.) (Larry H. Lang, conductor – 19 December 2012 (2012 Midwest Clinic) *Premiere Performance*

Works for Winds by This Composer

Asimov's Aviary (2012)
Avelynn's Lullaby (2011)
Blink! (2006)
Concerto for Viola and Wind Ensemble
Emory's Barcarolle (2015)
Fanfare for Chris (2019)
Fanfares for Friends (2019)
15th Night of the Moon (2014)
I wake in the dark and remember (2022)
it perched for Vespers nine (2008)
Knells for Bonnie (2016)
A Lullaby for John (2023)
My Eyes Are Full of Shadow (2016)
Piece for Solo Flute and Chamber Winds (2015)
Ping, Pang, Pong
a proper goodbye (2020)
The Shadow of Sirius (2009)
Ship of Theseus (2015)
Short Stories (2012)
Southern Comforts (2008)
that secret from the river (2016)

Resources

Joel Puckett website Accessed 19 April 2022