“After years of writing music for full steel bands, I ventured into solo pan territory with Nectar. The double seconds were the first pans I learned how to play so it felt a fitting place to write my first solo.” – Joshua Muetzel

Nectar is a melancholic solo for the double second steel pans. The piece captures the sweetness of memories as well as the sadness that accompanies those lost moments. Combining the warmth of the low notes with thebrightness of the high notes gives the piece the sense of two musical lines. Just as memories are interwoven with happiness and longing, these two registers are laced together to create a beautiful two-voiced counterpoint.

Joshua Muetzel is a composer based in Miami, Florida. His music spans works for orchestra, western percussion ensemble, guitar, and steel band. He received an M.M. in Composition from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, and an M.A. in Performance Studies and a B.A. in Music from Texas A&M University.

Performed by Hannah Moore on Hartt Steel Band Concert April 20, 2024