FLUTE (including Piccolo and Low Flutes)
April 2024 interview in The Flute Examiner

PREMIERED by Sharon Ostow flute, and Daniel Dorff clarinet, Bennington College, 1975.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott.
More about this all-Dorff Flute-Clarinet CD by the Scott-Garrison Duo.

YOUTUBE of the Garrison-Scott CD recording
PROGRAM NOTES

"interesting, imaginative... and certainly worthy of performance"
            – The Clarinet (West), Winter 1987.

"Great piece!! April Whirlwind has everything - lovely lyricism, a spontaneous spirit, and jazzy brilliance. I will look forward to sharing it with legions of students."
            – Jeanne Baxtresser, principal flute, NY Philharmonic, July 1998 "Delightful... an exuberant and joyful paean to Spring."
            – Sid Grolnic, Penn Sounds, Winter 1999

Texas UIL Prescribed Music List for all-state audition repertoire.

Duration: c. 7'

PREMIERE by Kathleen Nester alto flute, Wendy Stern bass flute, Barbara Lee piano; New Jersey Flute Society annual flute fair, October 18, 2020.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.

RECORDING on Austrian Gramophon, Kathleen Nester alto flute, Wendy Stern bass flute, Katie Leung piano.
PROGRAM NOTES

WINNER, 2021 NFA Newly Published Music award for the Low Flutes category.

Duration: c. 7'

COMMISSIONED by a consortium led by Therese Wacker and Kevin Eisensmith.
PREMIERED by Therese Wacker alto flute, Kevin Eisensmith flugelhorn, Evan Engelstad, in an all-Dorff concert at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, November 18, 2019.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser

YOUTUBE of Tabatha Easley, Rex Richardson, and Magdalena Adamek in live performance.
PROGRAM NOTES

WINNER, 2022 NFA Newly Published Music award for the Low Flutes category.

Duration: c. 12'

1. Montana Morning
2. Dancing Under the Stars

COMMISSIONED by Hat Trick (April Clayton flute, David Wallace viola, Kristi Shade harp).
PREMIERE tour through the greater Salt Lake City region, September 2023. AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDING on Bridge Records:
1. Montana Morning
2. Dancing Under the Stars

WINNER, 2025 NFA Newly Published Music award for Mixed Ensemble category.

"Evoking the expansive landscape and natural wonder of Montana, Daniel Dorff's Big Sky is an American postcard of texture and curiosity. The first movement, "Montana Morning," paints a Copland-esque flat open landscape and mysterious sunrise. The second movement, "Dancing Under the Stars," is a sprightly and frantic dance under the bright stars of the expansive sky. An asset to the flute, viola, and harp trio repertoire, every voice is dynamic and expressive with wonderful interplay, making it a joy to play and experience. This creative and fun work will quickly become any flutist's favorite trio."
            – The Flutist Quarterly, Summer 2025
"At the center of the album is a commissioned work by American composer Daniel Dorff. With Dorff's characteristic Americana sense of hope and wide-open spaces, the two contrasting movements, "Montana Morning" and "Dancing Under the Stars," unfold with a nearly cinematic sweep. Delayed by the pandemic, this splendid addition to the repertoire is especially welcome."
            – Harp Column (Alison Young), January-February 2026
"Theodore Presser Company has published a trio for flute, viola, and harp by Daniel Dorff. Big Sky was inspired by the majesty of the Big Sky state, and it was commissioned and premiered by the Hat Trick Trio (April Clayton, flute, David Wallace, viola, and Kristi Shade, harp). There are two movements with a total performance time of 12 minutes.
The first movement, “Montana Morning,” delightfully depicts the awakening of the vast countryside. It is about three and a half minutes and concludes with gentle harmonics on the harp.
The second movement, “Dancing under the Stars,” is an energetic succession of dances. It incorporates special effects such as scale glisses, gushing chords, pedal slides, and harmonics. There are meter changes that become more frequent as the piece progresses. Page turns were thoughtfully considered, and several pedal charts are included throughout the harp part. The many pedals are written below the staff."
            – Harp Column (Jan Jennings), November-December 2025

Duration: c. 8'

COMMISSIONED by Laurel Zucker.
PREMIERE by Laurel Zucker & Shelly Monier flutes, Matthew Mazzoni, March 15, 2025; presented by the Flute Society of St. Louis at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville IL.

AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDING by Laurel Zucker & Shauna Thompson flutes, Allison Brewster Franzetti piano, on Cantilena Records available on all digital platforms.

Duration: c. 18'

1. Breezing Into Town (Exit 0)
2. Autumn Monarch Migration
3. Victorian Garden Party
4. Dusk at Sunset Beach
5. Night Breezes on the Boardwalk

COMMISSIONED by The Monmouth Winds.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.

PROGRAM NOTES
ERRATUM: Mvt. 1, bar 37, the Oboe's last note should be G-natural.

WINNER, 2016 Newly Published Music award, National Flute Association.

INSTRUMENTATION: Solo Flute, 0121-1000, 1-2 Perc, Strings
Duration: c. 10-11'

Composed for Jasmine Choi.
PREMIERED by Jasmine Choi at the 2018 NFA Convention's orchestral gala concert, Christopher Confessore conducting.
Flute and Piano version AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Orchestral parts are AVAILABLE on rental.
RECORDED by Agnieszka Bartoszewicz flute and Katarzyna Nowaczewska-Manthey piano on the Sagittaria label, available on all streaming platforms.

YOUTUBE of the world premiere, Jasmine Choi flute, with NFA's festival orchestra.
YOUTUBE of the piano version, Patty Lazzara flute, Dave Malyszko piano.
ORCHESTRAL SCORE perusal available online.

PREMIERED by Sharon Ostow flute, and Daniel Dorff clarinet, Bennington College, 1975.
PERFORMANCES include a spontaneous walk-on by Jean-Pierre Rampal, joining the composer on clarinet, Cabbagetown Cafe, Ithaca NY, Spring 1978.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott.
More about this all-Dorff Flute-Clarinet CD by the Scott-Garrison Duo.

YOUTUBES of the Garrison-Scott CD of this suite of 9 short duets appear as 9 separate tracks. Here's Mvt. 1, which will lead to the following movements.
PROGRAM NOTES

"interesting, imaginative... and certainly worthy of performance"
            – The Clarinet (West), Winter 1987.

Duration: c. 8½'

Inspired by the composer's visit to Desert Hot Springs, in California's Coachella Valley near Joshua Tree National Park, DESERT DUSK captures the late afternoon's mourning doves, dramatic wind storms, and desert sunset.

COMMISSIONED by Mélomanie, for flutist Kimberly Reighley and cellist Douglas McNames, and premiered in May 2017.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED by Agnieszka Bartoszewicz flute and Cecylia Stanecka cello on the Sagittaria label, available on all streaming platforms.

YOUTUBE of Agnieszka Bartoszewicz and Cecylia Stanecka, live at the Bydgoszcz Academy of Music, Poland
PROGRAM NOTES

Duration: c. 5'

INSTRUMENTATION: 2 Piccolos, 4 C Flutes, 2 Alto Flutes, 2 Bass Flutes, 1 Contrabass Flute (not optional, but Cello/Bassoon ossia is provided).

COMMISSIONED by the Flute Society of Washington to celebrate its 50th anniversary season.
PREMIERED by massed flute ensemble at February 2016 Mid-Atlantic Flute Convention, conducted by George Pope, Reston VA.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.

YOUTUBE of the Yamaha Music Teachers Flute Orchestra (Tokyo).

NYSSMA list of recommended contest pieces.
1ST PRIZE (for Collated Sets), 2016 "Paul Revere" Music Engraving Awards from the Music Publishers Association of the US.

"Daniel Dorff's Fireworks lives up to its name, offering a high-energy piece for flute choirs of 11 or more players. Fireworks adeptly conveys an air of exuberance and jubilation.
"Dorff articulates the work's inspirations in the score, noting that 'real pyrotechnic fireworks typically shoot upward quickly and neatly, pop at the top, and then cascade downward slowly in a beautifully out-of-sync descent. Fireworks has many passages musically depicting this crisp upward whoosh exploding into downward sprinkles, often punctuated by a pop at the top.'
"Dorff beautifully illustrates this display with flowing runs, often overlapping or containing staggered entrances. These virtuosic passages are frequently contrasted against tutti rhythmic figures. The inclusion of bell tones in the latter portion of the piece creates additional interest and highlights the antiphonal echo audible at the end of the work.
"The score and parts reflect the same attention to detail as the work itself. Parts are clean and exhibit meticuous attention to detail, with clear instructions and carefully prescribed dynamics and articulations.
"The score is equally visually pleasing, with consistent spacing and clear notation. Dorff's choice to include a transposed score is an added bonus for the conductor.
"While the composite effect is harmonically and rhythmically adventurous, individual parts lay well on the instrument due to the scalar nature of technical runs. Daniel Dorff's Fireworks would make a dazzling addition to any flute choir recital."
            – The Flutist Quarterly (Shelley Martinson), Summer 2017

                                                 
Walfrid Kujala and Daniel Dorff
following the world premiere
of the band version

Walfrid Kujala performing Flash!
Northwestern University Wind Ensemble
conducted by Mallory Thompson
February 3, 2012.

Duration: c. 8'

1. Oh Susanna
2. Red River Valley
3. Shenandoah
4. Cindy

PREMIERED by Cindy Anne Broz and Ruth Washington Mayhew, Music at the Merc, Temecula CA, February 12, 2017.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.

YOUTUBE of live performance by the Jolly Jones Duo.

"The two parts are equally interesting and include new material interspersed with the familiar tunes. Page turns work fine for performance. These duos will be an excellent addition to the duo recital repertoire. Highly recommended."
            – Flute Talk, November 2017
"Daniel Dorff's Folk Song Suite for Two Flutes is a fun, light-hearted work that is also challenging enough to keep a more advanced flutist interested. Each of its four movements is presented with a playful sense of cheekiness that comes through clearly. Throughout the work, Dorff's use of grace notes and a sort of swung pseudo-syncopation bring in something a little bit rough and wild, rendering even the simplest aspects of the arrangements anything but plain.
"The 1st movement, "Oh Susanna," is dedicated to Ruth Washington Mayhew. It is lively and folksy, pairing the well-known melody with a running off-beat accompaniemnt. The 2nd movement is a setting of "Red River Valley" written for Cindy Anne Broz. This arrangement begins with one voice alone, playing the melody simply and at a sedate pace. As the range climbs, the tempo rises, and several modulations culminate in a fast final section labeled "subito hot bluegrass."
"Shenandoah," dedicated to Ellen Fisher Deerberg, delivers a tender, calm, and flowing melody that contrasts the music that came before. The final movement, "Cindy," was written for Cynthia Rugolo. Like the first movement, this one is fast and rollicking, providing a wonderful ending to the suite. Folk Song Suite is well-written and full of humor in its lovely settings of familiar tunes."
            – The Flutist Quarterly (Jessica Dunnavant), Winter 2018

 

Duration: c. 7½'

COMMISSIONED by Cindy Anne Broz, in celebration of her granddaughter Elise.
PREMIERED by Cindy Anne Broz and Katie Leung at the 2018 NFA Convention, Orlando FL.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.

YOUTUBE of the premiere by Jeffrey Khaner and Mimi Stillman

"... an interesting fantasy based on a very well-known work. It consists of two sections based on source material from the Allemande movement of the Bach Partita (BWV 1013). Dorff uses rhythm and texture to weave a new work from small snippets of the original tune. The new composition in its own compelling way, is not unlike a ransom note created by cutting letters from a magazine. The first section, "Moderato, with Baroque lightness" incomrporates an imitative texture and style reminscent of Bach's organ works, and the melody of the Allemande from is clearly recognizable, although there aren't any really direct quotes. The second section, "Faster, fiery," in 7/16, is driven by its asymmetrical meter into a rhythmic, Latineque dance that maintains the perpetual motion of the original music while discarding some of the gravitas inherent in the Partita. Where Bach's Partita is solemn, this duet is joyous, angular, and on the move. It is an exercise in carefully controlled chaos of which Bach himself might approve!"
            – The Flutist Quarterly (Jessica Dunnavant), Fall 2017

"This work was premiered by dedicatees Jeffrey Khaner and Mimi Stillman in celebration of Julius Baker's centenary. The piece is clever and challenging for two equal players. The opening moderato, with Baroque lightness, is reminiscent of J.S. Bach's Partita in A Minor. The faster, fiery second section is in 7/16 time. This would be excellent for studio recitals, especially if paired with another Bach work. Highly recommended."
            – Flute Talk (Katherine Borst Jones), May/June 2017

Duration: c. 2½'

PREMIERED by members of the Johnston (PA) Symphony, May 2021.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.

PROGRAM NOTES

Duration: c. 2½'

PREMIERED by Mimi Stillman flute and Allen Krantz guitar, March 16, 2006, Philadelphia.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.

PROGRAM NOTES

Duration: c. 7'

COMMISSIONED by a consortium led by the Astralis Chamber Ensemble.
PUBLICATION by Theodore Presser Company, in preparation.

YOUTUBE of World Premiere by Angela Massey flute, Kris Marshall trumpet, and Rachel O'Brien harp
PROGRAM NOTES

Duration: c. 7'

COMMISSIONED by a consortium led by the Astralis Chamber Ensemble.
PUBLICATION by Theodore Presser Company forthcoming in June 2024.

YOUTUBE of a live performance by Faith Wasson flute, Adam Brotnitsky viola, and Rebecca Simpson harp
PROGRAM NOTES

Duration: c. 7'
Scored for Piccolo, Flutes 1-4, Alto 1-2, Bass (may be played by solo octet or ensemble)

COMMISSIONED by the Slippery Rock University, Cassandra Eisenreich director

1ST PRIZE (for Sheet Music), 2003 "Paul Revere" Music Engraving Awards from the Music Publishers Association of the US.
"Daniel Dorff wrote his Nocturne Caprice expressly for this event, and an express composition it was, with about three weeks separating the commission and the premiere. It is an admirable addition to the repertoire, structured in a circular manner, as inspired by Chopin Nocturnes. Dorff encompasses a number of stylistic gestures, starting with a bluesy motif that morphs into whole-tone rows and flashy arpeggios, before settling back into a sweet repose. The elements are well integrated and are set out with calm pacing. Stillman rendered the music with utter confidence and palpable expressiveness." 
            – Philadelphia City Paper (Peter Burwasser), November 6, 2002

Duration: c. 11'

I. Toccata
II. Sarabande
III. Rondo

COMMISSIONED by Duo Flautas Frescas (Julia Barnett & Alina Windell)
PREMIERE by Julia Barnett, Alina Windell, and Jeremy Samolesky through the Atlanta Flute Club, April 1, 2023.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.

YOUTUBE of live premiere performance

"If you're always on the hunt for substantial chamber works to round out recitals, Daniel Dorff's Perfect Storm might be the perfect new addition. Commissioned by Duo Flautas Frescas, it is a high-energy frolic for flute, piccolo, and piano. It is rhythmically approachable, yet still includes metric shifts and contrasts. It has all of Dorff's usual harmonic energy and experimentation but is still tonal enough that it can be appreciated by diverse audiences. Storm has a great mix of unison rhythms and melodic independence for the flute/piccolo that make it appropriate for performers of all levels. Dorff's clever alternation between melodic lines in thirds and soloistic passages allows plenty of opportunity to explore intonation, blend, and tone colors on both instruments. The second movement begins with some beautiful contrasts between low register piccolo and flute and offers both players a moment to shine. Dorff's references to traditional forms like the toccata, sarabande, and rondo also make a teacher happy."
            – The Flutist Quarterly, Summer 2025

Duration: c. 16'

Five-movement suite inspired by "Helas! Je voy" by the 14th-century French composer Solage (original manuscript shown at the right).
I. Estampie
II. Mon coeur
III. Musette
IV. "Helas! Je voy mon cuer a fin venir"
V. Rondeau

COMMISSIONED by the Sparx Duo (Joan Sparks flute and Anne Sullivan harp)
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. RECORDED by April Clayton flute, and Kristi Shade harp, for Crystal Records.
Listen on Apple Music.
PROGRAM NOTES

"Serenade, was commissioned by the Sparx Duo (Joan Sparks, flute, and Anne Sullivan, harp). This harp and flute suite has five movements for a total performance time of 16 minutes. Like the aforementioned work [Big Sky], each movement can be performed alone or as part of the entire suite. Dorff wanted to honor late French medieval music and was specifically inspired by a 14th century love song by Solage.
The first movement, "Estampie," is a spirited dance with frequent meter and key changes. The second movement, "Mon Coeur," is a wistful, medieval love poem featuring some bisbigliando.
"Musette" is the third movement. It is primarily a lively dance until near the end when it takes on a more dreamy quality with some bisbigliando as it fades away. The fourth movement, "Helas! Je voy mon cuer a fin venir," is a transcription of the actual song by Solage that was originally written for a male singer with accompaniment. It is a typical medieval love song about dying of a broken heart.
The fifth and final movement, "Rondeau, is an "optimistic answer to the unrequited love of Solage's work." An exuberant finale to the suite, it is full of enharmonics, pedal and meter changes, scale glisses, and harmonics. It is the longest movement at about five and a half minutes.
Dorff collaborated with Sullivan several times to craft the harp part so it would be very playable for the harpist. The frequent meter changes make it a challenging piece, suitable for the more advanced player, but worth the effort."
            – Harp Column (Jan Jennings), November-December 2025
"I first came across Daniel Dorff via another of his serenades: Serenade for Eve, which was "after Rodin" (Fanfare 40:5). This Serenade is rather different, in that the inspiration here is a Parisian love song, "Helas! Je voy mon cuer a fin venir." As one can tell from the language, this is far from modern French; it was composed around 1370 by Solage. Dorff's piece is cast in five movements, "Estampie," "Mon Coeur," "Musette," "Helas! Je voy mon cuer a fin venir," and "Rondeau."
The music can be light (the first movement), or tender (the second), but structurally what is here is a set of variations in which the theme only gradually reveals itself. By introducing some nods toward medievalism, Dorff's music acknowledges its inspiration, while the fourth movement is a straight transcription of the song. The dialogue between ancient and modern is skillfully realized by Dorff, who is clearly a man of vivid imagination.
Clayton and Shade, perfect partners, are simply superb; their belief in this music shining through every phrase. The performance of the sound itself is beautiful, and beautifully elusive: it is as if the music floats in the air; the finale, a "Rondeau," is similarly light on its feet. All this is very well captured in sound at Sendesaal, Bremen (Germany)."
            – Fanfare (Colin Clarke), March/April 2026

Duration: c. 9½'

COMMISSIONED by Wendy Stern and Peter Sheridan.
PREMIERED by Kathleen Nester and Wendy Stern bass flutes, Katie Leung piano, 2019 NFA Convention.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.

RECORDING on Austrian Gramophone by Kathleen Nester and Wendy Stern bass flutes, and Katie Leung piano.
YOUTUBE of live performance by Matthew Angelo and Mary Matthews bass flutes, and Paul Thurmond piano.
PROGRAM NOTES & CORRECTIONS TO THE MUSIC

"Programmatic in nature, it is scored well for the two bass flutes and piano. The work is in several sections culminating in an atmospheric ending which has the instruction "pale." This will be an excellent recital selection.
            – Flute Talk (Anne B. Reynolds), March 2020.
"Dorff has created an atmospheric work for the rarely seen combination of two bass flutes and piano. Beginning with an expressive dialogue between the two flutes, the full range of the bass flute is explored in a gradual build into the third register through long and lyrical lines. Sleepy Hollow is a fairly straight forward piece that allows effort to be put into creating varied tone colours in the bass flute which would really make the piece come to life. It is a welcome addition to the ever-expanding low flute repertoire."
            – Pan Magazine (Gavin Stewart), March 2020

Duration: c. 5½'

COMMISSIONED by Ray-Michael Kauffman, in loving memory of his mother.
PREMIERED by Ray-Michael Kauffman flute, Betsy Buzzelli-Clarke, Pocono Flute Camp, East Stroudsburg PA, July 2018.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
Recorded (on private label) by Patricia Surman flute and Jooeun Pak piano.
Recorded (on private label) by Sharon Sparrow, flute and piano.

YOUTUBE of live performance (with video collage) by Lisa Hedley and John Sparkman.
YOUTUBE of Sharon Sparrow's recording.
PROGRAM NOTES

"The simplicity in the writing makes Snow Angel an ideal piece for the intermediate student to work on tone colours and flexibility whilst allowing for expressive playing and providing a slight challenge."
            – Pan Magazine (Gavin Stewart), November 2019
"This is a pleasant and lilting song that allows the flute to sing in the lower and middle registers. With its optimistic rising motives, the overall quality is gentle and hopeful."
            – Flute Talk (Diane Boyd Schultz), November 2019

Duration: c. 14'

I. Sprawling, burbling
II. Sparkling, glistening
III. Under Winter
IV. Spring Spirits

COMMISSIONED by Peter Sheridan.
PREMIERED by Peter Sheridan and Hyeeun Hahm at the 1st International Low Flutes Festival, Reston VA, April 2018.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser. RECORDED by Agnieszka Bartoszewicz bass flute and Katarzyna Nowaczewska-Manthey piano on the Sagittaria label, available on all streaming platforms.

YOUTUBE of live performance by Peter Sheridan.
PROGRAM NOTES

WINNER, 2020 NFA Newly Published Music awards (Low Flutes category).

"A truly stunning composition. One will never hear the bass flute the same... The emotional colours that are invoked through Dorff's use of lyricism and rhythmic drive set this Gem in a league of its own... Thank you for inspiring the next generation."
            – Peter Sheridan

Duration: c. 17-19'

I. Lake Wallenpaupack
II. Kezar Lake
III. Salmon Lake

COMMISSIONED by Cindy Anne Broz.
PREMIERED by Cindy Anne Broz flute and Corry Bell piano, Temecula CA, November 14, 2013.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Centaur Records by Patricia Surman and Kostas Chardas.
RECORDED (private label) by Patricia Lazzara and Kristin Johnson.

YOUTUBES: Over 40 flutists have posted complete or partial live performances on YouTube; here are the most-viewed performances:
YOUTUBE of Cindy Anne Broz and Matthew Bengtson, at St. Joseph's University.
YOUTUBE of Amy Porter and Tim Carey, at University of Michigan.
PROGRAM NOTES (and UPDATES following the first printing).

WINNER, 2015 NFA Newly Published Music awards.

"In this work for flute and piano, composer Daniel Dorff deftly captures the beauty of three American lakes that hold special memories for him. The work begins with an interweaving of long, vocally conceived melodies with both simple harmonic undercurrents and unexpected, adventurous turns in the harmonic context. There is both an elegant poignancy and likability on first listening that will surely lend this sonata to programs given for a variety of audience types. Sonata (Three Lakes) not only provides flutists an excellent forum within which to demonstrate their full range of color possibilities (including a hauntingly beautiful passage of harmonics) but also challenges the performers to maintain rhythmic accuracy and technical brilliance, especially in the third movement. A tour de force with a steady well of intensity, at approximately 20 minutes total performance length, the work is a true duo sonata, with musically satisfying passages of collaboration and exchange between the piano and flute.
            – The Flutist Quarterly (Danilo Mezzadri), Fall 2015

"This is a lovely work, and one of its chief assets is the piano writing which is sparse and really supports the flute line when the two instruments play together... This work should have a place in the standard repertoire.
            – Flute Talk magazine (Anne Reynolds), July 2014.

"What a marvelous and and evocative piece of music you have written. The long lines and beautiful lyricism of the first movement with the contrasting rhythmic moments is so beautiful - I love the harmonies under the flute that give so many cues to the player for color and nuance. The second movement is heartbreakingly touching - I was very moved. It brought to mind similar memories of my family summers in a little cabin on Lake Superior. But even without your program notes, I would have had a very personal reaction to your music. You captured something that can't really be described. The innocent playfulness of the third movement is a perfect balance to movements one and two and sounds like a pleasure to play and to hear. ....what a gift to us all."
            – Jeanne Baxtresser, Principal Flute, New York Philharmonic

 Cover art (and matching tie) by Julia Mieko Dorff 

Duration: c. 9'

COMMISSIONED by Ai Goldsmith
PREMIERE scheduled for August 6, 2026 at the NFA Annual Convention.

Duration: c. 7'

COMMISSIONED by Leonard Garrison, for Shannon Scott in honor of their dogs Xena and Zoe.
PREMIERED by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott at the 2015 NFA Convention.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott.
YOUTUBE by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott, featuring the real Zoe and Xena.

PROGRAM NOTES

"Perennials was devoted to the amiable music of Daniel Dorff, a release hailed by Fanfare critic Peter Burwasser as "a rich soufflé of wonderfully conceived and executed chamber music." Similar could be said of this new release... Dorff's delightful Zoe and Xena: A Romp in the Park (2015) is a concept left over from the earlier CD, and realized instead for this release. The composer did not care to write yet another work for clarinet and flute, so produced for his two friends a sprightly mouse-and-elephant sort of dance for piccolo and bass clarinet. Of course, the image one is supposed to get is of the couple's young chocolate Labrador and golden retriever cavorting in a park; that works for me, too."
            – Fanfare Magazine (Ronald E. Grames), February 2017
"Zoe and Xena: A Romp in the Park was composed for the duo's two dogs. Because Dorff had already written Two Cats for clarinet and flute, he wanted a different challenge, so he scored this for the unusual combination of piccolo and bass clarinet. This too is a fun, toe-tapping piece, gaining added interest by the wide difference in pitch separating the two instruments (there is no piano in this piece to bridge that gap). The music is picturesque and in the best sense of the word, catchy."
            – Fanfare Magazine (Henry Fogel) February 2017
"I have positively reviewed a few works by Daniel Dorff prior to his present Zoe and Xena: A Romp in the Park, a piece for the delightful and quite unorthodox duo of piccolo and bass clarinet. The work is an exuberant portrayal of the two dogs owned by Scott and Garrison, and is a sequel to Dorff's previous Two Cats, an equally delightful work portraying the feline contingent of the Scott-Garrison household."
            – Fanfare Magazine (David DeBoor Canfield) February 2017

Leonard Garrison &
Shannon Scott 's CD of
Zoe & Xena on Albany Records