Overcorrection

for Chris Revak 

ensemble for any solo clarinet

duration 
written 2020
for Chris Revak
premièred Nov 2020

Program Note by Chris Revak:

The term “Overcorrection” is diabetic medical jargon used to describe the state of imbalance in blood glucose levels that occurs after one experiencing high or low blood sugar “overcorrects” their blood sugar by administering too much insulin or carbohydrates. The result is a blood sugar in the opposite direction (high blood sugars dips down to low blood sugars and vice-versus). This cycle may persist for an hour to a full day or two, depending on the diabetic-in-question’s aptness to managing their blood sugar. This concept is translated into music in this piece by starting with a soft A section at a moderate pace that accelerates to a faster pulse and a stark style contrast from slurred phrases to flurries of tongued riffs. (Let’s say this A-B transition represents blood sugar being overcorrected to a high level after eating a candy bar to correct the low glucose levels). After an aggressive climax of the B section, the music transitions back to ideas present in the A section, but at a much slower tempo and with juxtaposed use of the registers of the clarinet. Let’s call this A’ (A prime) as it represents - again - the idea of a “lower” blood sugar than the A section that introduced the piece.