Leonardo´s wings
A Tribute to the Dream of Flight
I composed Leonardo’s Wings while studying classical clarinet, during a time when my goal was to one day play the oboe (which is another story for another time—but I never did learn to play the oboe).
As part of my studies, I decided to compose a piece for clarinet—the best way for me to explore the instrument’s nuances. For me, playing an instrument involves two stages:
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Playing in my mind—understanding what I want to create before even touching the instrument.
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Playing with my hands—translating those ideas into actual sound.
Both phases are essential to improving my ability to make music through an instrument.
This piece is inspired by the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, which is why it carries his name. In many ways, it is a homage to someone I deeply admire—perhaps the last true polymath, a person who lived between science, esotericism, and art, creating astonishing things out of his imagination and his belief in what was possible, even without the tools of his time to bring everything to life.
Among his many ideas, flight remains one of the most fascinating concepts. This composition pays tribute to that dream, blending orchestral elements within my own musical limitations, centered around a clarinet solo.