I wrote Intrada in 1988 for a reading session with the University of Southern California Symphony Orchestra. The session required pieces of no more than three minutes, as around ten pieces were to be read, rehearsed, and performed in one sitting. My interest in tricky rhythm and multiple tempi had to be somewhat kept in check, considering the almost ludicrous time pressure, but there are several tempo modulations in the piece, nonetheless. The listener is occasionally deluded as to what is the beat and what is the syncopation, and often what seems syncopation soon becomes the beat.

The piece begins with a splashy fanfare, which dissolves into progressively slower tempi and more amorphous textures until nearly reaching stasis at the center of the piece. The process is more or less reversed as the piece gathers its forces for an emphatic return to the opening.