"Pepperoni Pinwheels" was commissioned and performed by Quincy Doenges for a vibraphone dining experience in October 2025. The piece was interpreted by Chef Oscar Moreno and turned into the third course for the experience, giving attendees a multi-sensory experience! Pepperoni Pinwheels (the food) are essentially rolled up little pizzas, and are typically dipped in a creamy chipotle ranch. They are a greasy gooey good time! I find a bit of cheekiness as the pepperoni pinwheel sneakily serves you a pizza in a different form. There is a slight zest to them, but at their core they are a friendly, indulgent bar food. I wanted to bring this friendly mischievousness into this representative piece of music with the melody and harmony. This piece is tied together by a zippy ostinato, welcoming yet angular. We take a few breaks from this cheeky ostinato to enjoy broad, stable, creamy open intervals representing our chipotle ranch dipping sauce. However, the main component that I focused on for “Pepperoni Pinwheels” is the food’s shape. You can hear the ostinato of “Pepperoni Pinwheels” swirling inwards as the piece develops. The piece starts in a zesty 11/8 time signature and over time compresses, moving down to 9/8, then 4/4, 7/8, and continuing all the way down until only the first note of the ostinato remains. Our melody swirls inward in part, until we get to the big finish as we reach the doughy, gooey center.