Deviations on the Carnival of Venice

Mike Mower: "Deviations On The Carnival Of Venice" for flute and piano was written in 2005, and published the same year by the composer's own imprint, Itchy Fingers Publications. As Mower notes in his program commentary, the piece is a lighthearted response to an "eminent flute professor" from his youth. This professor once told a teenage Mower he was better suited for "coal mining" than the flute after hearing his self-transcribed version of the Briccialdi variations.
This virtuoso "crossover" work consists of 10 variations (deviations) that move through various keys and styles, including Salsa, Rock, Ballad, and Waltz, utilizing any key or time signature he chose as a "rebellion" against his early classical training.
By 2005, Mower had transitioned from his primary role as a touring jazz saxophonist with his group Itchy Fingers to becoming a premier composer for the flute. The "Deviations" were written to break the technical and stylistic mold of the standard 19th-century variation form. Mower deliberately composed them to include styles he had encountered throughout his career, such as jazz, waltz, rock, ballad, salsa, and swing. During this era, Mower was frequently writing for and collaborating with Sir James Galway, which helped cement his status in the international flute community.