Written for the Third International Low Flute Festival, April 2024

Steam pistons: Heavy, thrumming cylinders, corralling blasts of hot air and vapor as valves alternately seal and discharge, moving with precision and relentless regularity, yet powering sublime dreams and the most noble of mankind's creations. Are we speaking of the dawning of the industrial age, of the most storied of locomotives, or of today’s lowest flutes?

Scored for 4 contrabass flutes; performance time: 3:10

Written for the Third International Low Flute Festival, April 2024

More than five thousand years ago, people assembled massive stones in an area now known as Avebury, England. The towering circles and avenues of this ceremonial site dwarf Stonehenge. After the crops had been harvested and the people made ready for the coming winter, it is likely that they gathered within those stones and sang songs to remember the dead. This piece imagines such a requiem.

Scored for 4 contrabass flutes; performance time: 2:30

Written for the Closing Concert of the Third International Low Flute Festival Christina Steffen, Director

Scored for 3 alto flutes, 3 bass flutes, and contrabass flute; performance time: 4:30

Written for Four Friends, J2N2 - Jeanette Donald, Nicole Nikolov, Noreen Friedman and Jonathan Cohen for the 2023 National Flute Association Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

This is about shared joy of playing together, given in 3 movements: A Perfect Day, A Quiet Moment, and A Celebration.

Scored for 2 altos, bass, and contrabass. Performance time: 5:00

Winner of the 2023 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

Commissioned by Chris Potter for the 2022 International Low Flute Festival.

Subduction was written to open the 2022 International Low Flute Festival. It is a swing piece that uses the contra as a walking bass underlying the other instruments as they play fun melody and chips in jazz chords and rhythms. An in-your-face celebration of low flutes that is a blast to play!

Scored for 3 altos, 2 basses, and contrabass. Performance time: 3:30

Commissioned by Les flûtistes de Montréal for the 2022 NFA Convention.

Aurora is the Latin word for dawn and the name of the Roman goddess who brings sunrise, known also by her Greek name Eos. Each day she opens the gates of dawn and flies through the air behind her two horses, ending the nightly reign of her sister, the moon, and heralding the day鈥檚 reign of her brother, the sun. She is also the mother of the four winds, and, as it happens, of many others. Through Aurora Borealis (dawn wind), her name is also associated with the skies of the northern hemisphere and of Canada in particular.

This piece offers three vignettes of Aurora's life:

Frolicking

This movement imagines Aurora's cavorting with abandon. We picture gamboling and exaltation with a freedom that can only come from being a goddess.

Aurora and Tithonus

It is said that Aurora had taken one of Venus's lovers and, in retaliation, Venus cursed Aurora with an insatiable appetite for mortal men; indeed, she was known to abduct them. But Aurora fell deeply in love with the prince of Troy, Tithonus. Since Tithonus was mortal, Aurora asked Jupiter to grant Tithonus immortality. This he did, but she forgot to ask for eternal youth as well. They were initially happy, but then Aurora had to endure her dear Tithonus aging, unable to die.

Dawn

We hear the tranquil, waiting world just before daybreak. With majesty, Aurora ascends, bringing a rosy glow to the horizon. Joy ensues as she shoots saffron arcs across the heavens and ground. Finally, as the transformation completes, we settle into the pleasant promise of a new day.

Scored for 2 C flutes, 2 altos, bass, and contrabass. Performance time: 6:30

Forbidden Forest is a musical adventure story. Think of Indiana Jones. Our heroine must face many challenges: creepy, dangerous, fast moving, unknown. There are no accompanying words, so the event details are left to your musically-stimulated imagination.

Honorable Mention in the 2022 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

Written for George Pope

Springtide Exaltation recalls scampering out of the house into the colors of a promising spring day, reveling in the new warmth, the fresh green appearing on the trees, the exploits of a carefree weekend. Out in nature, we sit in a favorite spot and, closing our eyes, slip into a reverie, the sun and slight breeze nearly coaxing us to sleep. Then, first quietly, then building, we are roused by the voice of adventure; we jump up and sprint with joy, our best friend at our side, into the boundless possibilities of a newborn season.

Scored for flute and piano. Performance time: 3:30

Too much: Greg Lutz and Jonathan Cohen at the same time!

An unusual collaboration between two (slightly crazy) composers led to the creation of this piece, dedicated to the bright, aspiring flutist and future music educator, Athena Konidaris. In three movements: Stay Positive is happy swing, Dream Big is an expansive reverie, and Composure in Adversity is a down-dirty, in-your-face, pile of energy with extended techniques. Come find out what Athena knows.

"There are three movements, and they are all really good.... It's all very, very great!" - Chris Hankin of Just Flutes, October 2021
Watch the full review here

Scored for flute and piano. Performance time: 5:30

Finalist in the 2022 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

Written for the Sunday Gala of NFA's 2020 Convention
(deferred to and premiered at the 2021 convention)

In Dallas, they say "Big things happen here". One of those big things this year is big flutes. This is a fun piece to celebrate the larger members of the flute family in a big rockin' way, complete with extended techniques.

Scored for 3 altos, 2 basses, and contrabass, with alternate parts for other low flutes. Performance time: 3:45

Who is stealthy, on a mission, and oh so cool? Furtive Ferret, of course. Join him on this mission as he sneaks about, skirting danger, blending with the shaddows, and being very hip. This is a quest with swing, a smooth operation, a meaningful wink from across the casino.

Scored for 2 altos and bass or contrabass flute. Performance time: 3:00

Flute Center of New York best seller of 2023

This is an intimate soliloquy of shared pain, acknowledgment, and hope. The piece begins in a quiet minor, slowly building in intensity and register, reaching a point of peace, then resolving in major key and a feeling of hope.

The composer was inspired to write this piece by the circumstances around the pandemic and the many other worrisome aspects of the world's state.

Scored for any flute pitched in C (especially bass and contra) and piano. Performance time: 2:30

Finalist in the 2020 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

Playdates for Flute, Clarinet, and Bassoon is a collection of three exuberant trios guaranteed to please you and your audience.

In Stalking the Wild Catnip Mouse, a cat sees itself as an agent on a secret and delicate mission as it seeks to bring down enemy number one.

Led by the bassoon, I'm Skipping, Even If Everyone Is Watching lets our inner (and outer) kid express itself, uninhibited by the staring of jealous eyes. At least we are having fun.

But I Always Have This Much Sugar for Breakfast! is a headfirst dive into a frenetic and joyous day.

"Playdates is a delightful work.... Each ... is charming and colorful. This is an excellent addition to the limited repertoire for this ensemble." - Christina Ballatori, Flute Talk, December 2019

"... fun and full of catchy rhythmic patterns. Playdates will live up to its name for adult amateurs, high school and early college musicians." - Gregory Barrett, The Clarinet, December 2019

Far out in space, the only indication of man's existence is the occasional passage of long-forgotten signals, the dit-dit-dit dah-dah-dah dit-dit-dit of an SOS. But space is not empty. The dance of the unknown and unknowable would be both rhythmic and cacophonous if we could but hear it. Play Deep Space Heat Wave and gambol in the cosmic whirl.

Honorable Mention in the 2019 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

Where the Patuxent River forms the boundaries between Howard and Montgomery Counties in Maryland, I took a walk. I reveled in the quiet green freedom of the outdoors. Moving down the river westward from what is now MD 97, I followed the waters as they curved through hardwood forest and rock, past mountain laurel and fern. Suddenly, the river opened into what is now the Triadelphia Reservoir. The reservoir is named for the town of Triadelphia, now at the bottom of the reservoir, surfacing only during severe droughts. But there was plenty of water that day, and the reservoir was wide, peaceful, and beautiful.

The movements:

I. Reflection at the Bend in the River: Where the Patuxent River forms the boundaries between Howard and Montgomery Counties in Maryland, I take a walk along the river. Pausing at a bend, I sit on a rock and stare into the current. I am lost in thought as my own reflections mix with those on the river.

II. Outside at Last: As I bound along the twisting path with joy, I revel in the sun on the leaves and the quiet green freedom of the outdoors.

III. The River Opens: Moving down the river westward from what is now MD 97, I follow the waters as they curve through hardwood forest and rock, past mountain laurel and fern. Suddenly, the river opens into what is now the Triadelphia Reservoir.

IV. Song for Triadelphia: This movement is a requiem for the town of Triadelphia, a thriving place in its time, home to four mills and 400 people, now at the bottom of the reservoir formed by flooding its lovely valley. Wistfully, the music recalls the lost town named for three Brooke sisters. In the middle of the movement, the music briefly returns to happier thriving days of Triadelphia, then is brought back to the present time, leaving the town to recede in tender, bitter, and sad memories.

V. Dance of the Leaves on the Water: A single leaf falls in a spiral, hesitates in an updraft, then settles on the river, where it is drawn into a jig already in progress, joining the other leaves as they rush, circle, slow, and pass each other in eddies.

Performance time: approximately 10 minutes.

Honorable Mention in the 2019 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

Scored for 1 alto, 1 bass, and 1 contra.

Performance time: approximately 2:00.

Winner of the 2019 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

"One Ann Arbor Morn is a delightful romp of a trio for C flute, alto, and bass (or contrabass) flutes. ... Cohen keeps it fresh and fun...." - Flutist Quarterly, Summer 2019

Scored for C flute, alto, and contra.

Performance time: 7:00.

Winner of the 2019 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

"Cohen's charming low flute ensemble piece, part of the publisher's International Series, was written for the opening concert of the first International Low Flute Festival in 2018. "Tango Molto Basso" uses all three octaves of the flutes' range to bring out the fire and passion of tango as the music moves between sharp staccato, fluttering, and sweeping legato triplets. The piece culminates in a contrabass cadenza before returning for a playful and impassioned finish. The work is suitable for players of all many levels and is a wonderful addition to flute choir music." - Flutist Quarterly, Summer 2019

This fun low flute ensemble tango features a contra solo in the middle!
Scored for 3 altos, 2 basses, 1 contra.

Performance time: approximately 3:30.

Scored for 2 altos, 1 bass, 1 contra.

Performance time: approximately 1:20.

Winner of the 2019 NFA Newly-Published Music Competition

"Cohen's quartet for contrabass flutes, part of the publisher’s International Series, was composed for the contra section of the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra directed by Paige Long. This quartet shows off three octaves of the contra with a jazzy infectious groove, highlighted by solo and tutti sections. The work is a great addition to the low flute repertoire. While written for four contrabass flutes, it can be played on any four equal-key instruments (four altos, four basses, etc.), which makes it a versatile piece for any library." - Flutist Quarterly, Summer 2019

Scored for 4 contras, but suitable for any 4 flutes in the same key.

Performance time: approximately 2:00.

This piece for bass flute and piano was written for Peter Sheridan on the occasion of his acquiring an Albisiphon Baritono, an instrument manufactured circa 1920 and designed by Abelardo Ernesto Albisi, the principal flutist for La Scala in Milan, Italy. Albisi designed a family of such instruments with varying ranges. The Albisiphon Baritono, having essentially the same range as the modern bass flute, including a B foot, is an upright instrument with a T-shaped head and a large bore.

Albisiphonics celebrates all three octaves of the bass flute and many of its moods from the unapologetically-romantic lyrical to brash staccato syncopation to contemplative to tender to exuberant to euphoric.

All movements of this piece may be played with a conventional bass flute. A B foot is not required, but may be exploited. The movements range in difficulty, for both the flutist and the pianist, with the inner movements being the easiest. Because of the difficultly of playing some the fast percussive low parts on the piano quietly, it is likely that the flutist will want a microphone to blend well with the piano.

Although this piece was written with the bass flute in mind, it is suitable for any flute pitched in the key of C.

The movements:

I. Early Morning Departure: After being awakened by the alarm and abandoning denial, we take a frenzied gallop through the preparations at home, race to the airport — and stand, vegetative, in line. Upon at last reaching the end of the line, we again tear off in a frenzy, hoping to catch the flight in time.

II. First Star: This is clearly a song: a song of longing, introspection, and hope. It just precedes girl getting boy and boy getting girl.

III. The Unfettered Mind: When unbridled, the imagination wanders to wonderful places, inquires, addresses sublime and frivolous questions alike, and moves on, perhaps to reach an enlightened or noble state, but always refreshed.

IV. Shades Make the Musician: Peter Sheridan posted a photograph of himself wearing wraparound sunglasses and playing his alto flute. He was the very picture of cool.

Performance time: approximately 10 minutes.

Legend of Llyn Llech Owain (Lake of Owen's Stone) is inspired by Sir Lewis Morris's poem Llyn Owain: A Legend of the Vale of Towy and the many other stories of the lake known as Llyn Llech Owain in Wales.