Divertimento No. 2

Divertimento No. 2 was composed in 2016 to showcase Flute Street, a Toronto-based, professional flute ensemble in which Isaac's mother, Carolyn Ricketts, is a founding member. Flute Street first performed the work that November in Toronto and then, because of its generous attention to the melodic possibilities of the alto, bass and contrabass flute colours, chose to premiere it in Reston, Virginia (U.S.A.) at the First International Low Flutes Festival in April 2018. The composer notes "As with my other Divertimenti, this work deals with how similar elements can create contrast. The homogeneous timbre of the flute choir is used in this work to highlight the formal contrasts thatare at play. Structured in an arch form, the work starts with a complex harmonic language that gradually simplifies. As the harmonic language simplifies, the accompaniment becomes more complex."