In my exploration of new sounds and ways to evoke special objects--as in Collective Uncommon--I often write for "food instruments". These include ripped-open cabbages, stirred mac and cheese, and more recently, vegetable ocarinas. The first movement of Collective Uncommon is about a giant colon (this piece is written for a medical oddities museum. Check out:http://www.collegeofphysicians.org/mutter-museum/). I could think of no better way to evoke the 9-foot colon than with squeaky cabbages and squishy macaroni and cheese performed by the percussion section. You can hear these instruments clearly here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=510ThicNP5U
And here it is in the score:

I was commissioned by the Square Peg Round Hole percussion quartet to write a work using only found instruments. I thought it would be absurd and fascinating to include a movement for vegetable ocarinas called Vegetable Requiem. I found certain vegetables to be more effective than others; extra-large horseradish, Daikon radish, sweet potato, and carrot held up to the precise carving that's required to make suitable and resilient instruments.