DodecaFunky (fl, pno)

A funky solo for flute with piano accompaniment, this intense and spastic work exploits various manipulations of a twelve-tone row (dodecaphony) and sets the serial melody to a backdrop of hard bop and swing. While it is a flurry of virtuosity, DodecaFunky nonetheless convinces itself not to be taken too seriously.

There is no doubt that Dodecafunky is a great title. Scored for flute and piano, Sarah Brady and Yuko Hagino have a ball; effects on the flute are delivered with more than a touch of a sense of fun. The “funk” element is rhythmically garlanded, so there is the impression of a level of extra complexity. The piano break around three minutes in is guaranteed to raise a smile, being compositionally cheeky and offering pianist Yuko Hagino the chance to shine (as she does). Brady is a fine flutist, a true mistress of her instrument, not least in the multiphonic moment. Wallin Huff’s sense of lightness is the mark of a versatile composer. This piece represents a nexus between hard bop, swing, and dodecaphony. (Colin Clarke, Fanfare Magazine)