Abstract Mosaics was inspired by the mosaic artwork of Sonia King. By nature, mosaics are synergistic - many small pieces structured together to make an artistic whole. Needham's work vividly captures this construction from small elements. Each of the work's four sections highlights a particular sonic quality, and each of the instruments, or "pieces" of the quintet, works in concert with one another creating the musical landscape, instead of the traditional model of one voice carrying the main melodic content. Abstract Mosaics was commissioned by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Faculty Brass Quintet in celebration of the group's 25th anniversary.