Conceived from an eleven-bar sketch for harp, STRANGE BIRD is an exercise in pushing the boundaries of a seemingly limited idea through the exploration of the orchestra's inexhaustible color palette. The strings double the harp to create a magnified and amplified mega-harp. Rhythmic and melodic motifs from the harp are picked up by groups of instruments, and at times the entire orchestra. From machine to breathing organism, the orchestra, like a flock of birds dispersing and coming together, transforms in shape and depth of color as it moves. STRANGE BIRD tells the tale of a place where a swarm of birds owns the sky and what happens when you have the courage to break away.