Begun in 1993, Pathways is a series of works for solo instrument and chamber orchestra consisting of a single, fixed accompaniment that provides a continuously transforming sonic landscape through which each soloist traverses its unique way. The conceptual metaphor for Pathways is that of a traveler (soloist) and their individual relationship with the surrounding environment on a given journey. The four concerti in this series composed to date— featuring trombone, percussion, soprano saxophone, and piano—explore these various relationships in contrasting ways. Superimposed onto this metaphorical conceptual framework is a distinct narrative element that informs the individual soloist/ensemble relationship in each work.

The first in the series, Opposing Forces explores the relationship between the trombone soloist and the ensemble as one of contention, with the two forces pitted against one another throughout the three-movement work. The first movement, Fractured Horizons, is a study in entropy, with the trombonist seeming to push the ensemble beyond its breaking point. Here the concept of “horizon” is evoked, from the elusive points at the edge of the earth to the cosmological event horizon at the boundary of a black hole. The second movement, The Searcher, is intended as a tribute to exploration and inquiry, and to those who dedicate their lives to such pursuits in any field. The third movement, Butterfly Storm, is a reference to the principle of “sensitive dependence on initial conditions,” which pertains to those systems that develop exponentially rather than geometrically, where minute deviations at an early stage can lead to extremely divergent results. Studied by meteorologist Edward Lorenz in the early 1960’s and initially applied to weather systems, the so-called “Butterfly Effect” is a reference to the hypothetical notion that a butterfly stirring the air today in Peking could ultimately generate storm fronts in New York City next month.

Pathways I: Opposing Forces was composed for trombonist Andrew Glendening, who first performed the work on 9 October 1993 at the University of North Dakota with John Deal conducting the Greater Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra. The work received honorable mention in the 1994 ASCAP Rudolf Nissim Award competition and is included on the album Pathways: New Music for Trombone (Mark MCD-1629, 1998).