Written for Evelyn Glennie, Aurolucent Circles is a concerto conceived to display the wonderful array of delicate and mysterious percussion sounds it is possible for a skilled player to produce, as well as the styles of more traditional drumming. The aim was to make a concerto that would be as musically sophisticated as the ones usually written for the violin or piano. In the delicate and transparent sections, the soloist is often accompanied only by one of two concertino groups. The first group consists of two flutes, two harps, two section percussion, solo strings, and one trombone, and is used in various combinations. The second group is a concertino of five woodwinds. Lyrical and intimate sections of either solo percussion, or solo accompanied by concertino players are contrasted with loud drum solos accompanied by full orchestra.