Roso
Roso is a 10-minute, single-movement piece for flute, clarinet, baritone saxophone, and piano.
The piece got its initial spark when my student colleagues Livia Schweizer, Iines Kiuru, Anna-Sofia Anttonen, and Niina Ranta held a concert in October 2019 with this ensemble. The theme of the concert was decadence, and the program featured works that were considered decadent in their own era. The concert was capped off with a singalong of the Vera Telenius schlager "Miljoona ruusua" ('A million roses'), which is also saxophonist Anna-Sofia Anttonen's karaoke bravura. The attitude of the group, the visibly sparkling play, and the quirks of the program inspired me to write them a piece which carries the karaoke earworm "Miljoona ruusua" along all the way. The title "Roso" ('rough surface') simultaneously refers to roses and the non-smooth surfaces in the piece, abundantly provided by riffs from the baritone saxophone and the low register of the piano.
Roso was premiered at Kalliosali in Helsinki on January 4th, 2023.