Works

The word “filé” has two meanings for the composer. Most people from south Louisiana will know that filé is ground sassafras and that it is used as a seasoning in gumbo. The word also means “spun” or “thread”—a perfect allusion to the “spinning out” of the work’s opening chord to create the various motives and melodies found in this piece.

Filé was premiered by the Baton Rouge Symphony (Timothy Muffitt, Music Director) in November of 2003. It was the winner of the 2005 Truman State University/MACRO Society Composers Competition.