Mackey, Steven: Micro-Concerto

The composer imagined particular ways to coax sound out of pieces of wood, metal and skin instead of simply hitting things as for him, the first step in writing for percussion is to invent the instrument and a playing technique. The two interludes are played on big, standard pieces of percussion "furniture", but the main movements focus on small moves and subtle distinctions. They are full of fussy descriptions of how to play some handheld "toy" just so. This micro-management of small muscle groups, and the fact that the concerto soloist is accompanied by the smallest orchestra imaginable, suggested the title.