“Shrubs and Bushes” is a set of four short pieces for orchestra.  As I recall, I chose the title for its decorative associations.  I wrote it for my high school orchestra back in 1972, when I was 17.  I had already written a piece for strings, and orchestrated a piano piece by Turina to learn some technique.  I suppose if I went to a public high school nowadays, there would be no orchestra to work with.

Here’s the beginning of the fourth piece, “In Favor Of.”  It was scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba, percussion, and strings.  I recall having a lot of fun writing, conducting, and hearing it.  This is a pencil copy, since I never got around to a final ink score.