Fauna was composed in April/May 1988 for the Toronto-based percussion group, NEXUS. It is an experimental piece combining electronic instruments and acoustic instruments, and it is also programmatic in nature. Recorded electronic instruments are used to generate reproductions of natural sounds (water, loons, voices) as well as reproductions of acoustic musical instruments (drums, marimbas, Chinese opera gongs, penny-whistles). These sounds are combined with acoustic instruments like the Papua New Guinea war horn, melodion harmonica, Brazilian rainstick, marimba, and Chinese opera gongs to produce music that is constructed around a single melody, harmonized, and repeated in several series of variations. Inspiration for the piece arose form the experiences in seeing the incredibly gentle and vulnerable wildlife of Australia during NEXUS’ first visit to that continent in 1986. 33 page score, arranged for Full Orchestra (29 parts)
