The work was commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony with support from Michèle and Larry Corash, to whom the piece is dedicated.
The final movement "Licks" is named for the eponymous musical term, which refers to small improvisational moments in jazz.
The composer added, "While this is not a jazz movement, the idea of small ornamental turns appealed to me, and provided me with the inspiration for the solo writing.
[1] Reviewing the world premiere, the music critic Joshua Kosman of the San Francisco Chronicle praised Triathlon, writing, "As the title suggests, it's a workout."
He continued, "Corigliano’s 30-minute extravaganza, which the [San Francisco] Symphony had originally commissioned for a 2020 premiere that was delayed by the COVID pandemic, was the highlight of Thursday's matinee program.