Refrains & Ritornellos for nine players was composed in 2003-4. The piece is inspired by
Eastern European folk music and rhythms. It is constructed on the principles of repetition
and variation. This is achieved by selectively adding or subtracting an extra bit or note to
rhythmic patterns and musical cells. The choice of the instruments was made around the
number three: 3 instruments in 3 groups (3 woodwinds, 3 brass and 3 strings), divided by
register into smaller groups of 2 higher plus 1 low instrument in each group (oboe and
clarinet in E-flat plus bassoon; etc.), thus creating a total of 6 higher instruments and 3
low. The two groups of refrains in this piece consist of either returning melodic cells with
characteristic interval of minor and major seconds or varied minor and major triads, while
ritornellos are short repeated sections.

Refrains & Ritornellos for nine players was composed in 2003-4. The piece is inspired by
Eastern European folk music and rhythms. It is constructed on the principles of repetition
and