Instrumentation
Piccolo
2 Flutes
2 Oboes
2 Bassoons
Contrabassoon
3 Bb Clarinets
Bass Clarinet
Soprano Saxophone
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
4 Trumpets in Bb
4 Horns
3 Tenor Trombones
Bass Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba (div.)
Double Bass (optional)
Piano
Harp (optional)
Timpani + 5 Percussion:

1. Chimes, Tambourine, Triangle
2. Vibraphone, 2 Bongos, 1 Conga, Suspended Cymbal
3. Suspended Cymbal, 4 Concert Toms
4. Bass Drum, Cabasa
5. Tam-Tam, Wind Gong (18-20 inch)

Program Note

A wilderness of mirrors is a state in which the surfaces of life reflect one another without revealing what lies beyond them. T.S. Eliot used this image to describe the spiritual atmosphere of modern culture, in which transcendence no longer anchors our understanding of reality. Without a horizon beyond the self, reality becomes a sequence of reflections, interpretations, and projections.

The term has also been used in the world of espionage, where deception and interpretation blur together until nothing can be taken at face value. One no longer walks on firm ground, but wanders through images of images in search of what is real. This condition increasingly describes modern life. We are surrounded by constant interpretation, yet struggle to locate what is ultimately real.

Wilderness of Mirrors names the tension of living in a world of appearances while longing for truth grounded beyond the self.