SKU: PR.114419290

ISBN 9781491135235. UPC: 680160676118. 9 x 12 inches.

Supported by a major commissioning award from the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress, my Chinese Folk Dance Suite is written for violin solo and orchestra, and premiered by The Women's Philharmonic with violin soloist Terrie Baune, conducted by Apo Hsu, on March 10, 2001, at Yerba Buena Center For the Arts Theater in San Francisco. Inspired by various Chinese traditional folk dances, I've composed three movements in the suite: 1) Lion Dance. Traditionally, people dance with richly decorated hand made lions, accompanied by percussion ensemble, to celebrate happy occasions and major festivals throughout the country. In the composition, I use Chinese drum and other percussion instruments in the background, to form a dynamic and rhythmic texture responding to the solo part, which imitates the tunes played on the suona (traditional Chinese trumpet). The pitch materials came from traditional Guangdong Music tune and Chaozhou Music tune ; 2) YangKo. Originated in northern China, it's a major folk dance form in mass performance popularized in the country. In YangKo performance, people always play rhythmic patterns on the drums hung around their waists while singing and dancing. In my second movement, I have imagined a warm scene of YangKo dancing in distance. The solo violin plays a sweet and gracious melodic line while all members in the orchestra sing the non-pitch syllables in different layers as the soft background, to imitate the percussion sound which produces the ever going pulse. 3) Muqam. It is a large scale traditional music and dance form from Uygur nationality in Xinjiang province, originated in the 15th century. In my third movement, I keep the meter of seven eight and the melodic style of Muqam music. The fiery dancing gesture cumulates the sustained climax section at the end of the work, after a colorful violin cadenza in both improvisational singing style and polyphonic writing with woven lines. Scored for 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in Bb, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns in F, 2 trumpets in Bb, 3 trombones, percussion 1 (3 congas, low tom-tom, temple block, paddle castanets), percussion 2 (snare drum, 6 small Beijing opera gong, 12 big Beijing opera gong, crotales, tambourine), percussion 3 (suspended cymbal, a pair of 6 Chinese cymbals, bass drum), solo violin, violins I, violins II, violas, cellos and double basses. Duration is about 16 minutes. The work is recorded on Bis [CD-1352] and released in 2003, performed by Cho-Liang Lin and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, cond. by Lan Shui. Reduction for B-flat soprano saxophone and piano by Wong Tak Chiu (2017) and edited by Chen Yi (2018) The second movement YangKo is premiered by Dr. Wong and Korak Lerpibulchai at the Singapore Saxophone Symposium on 8/13/2017. The American premiere of the saxophone and piano reduction version of Chinese Folk Dance Suite is given by Chi Him Chik and Hao Yin at the Society for American Music National Conference in Kansas City, MO on 3/2/2018.

SKU: KJ.SOS2C

UPC: 8402740676.

Polish Dance is a tour-de-force for aspiring violinists! This is the perfect selection to showcase your concertmaster, concerto winner, or guest artist. The orchestra parts are definitely accessible at a grade 3 level, with the solo violin part set for advanced players. This work represents one of Dr. Frost's final and finest arrangements, completed shortly before his passing.

SKU: HL.48183388

UPC: 888680869328. 9.0x12.0x0.075 inches.

French pianist, arranger, composer and conductor, Jean-Michel Defaye (b. 1932) entered the Paris Conservatoire at the mere age of ten years old. His successful compositions and arrangements were mainly for brass, Two Dances, composed in 1954, and adapted for Bass Trombone and Piano by Donald Knaub, being no exception. With a typical performance lasting about eight minutes, Defaye's Two Dances are named Sacred Dance and Secular Dance. Defaye's understanding of the Trombone is clear throughout the work, with use of exciting techniques and contrasts. For all aspiring bass trombonists wishing to vary and expand their repertoire, Two Dances by Jean-Michel Defaye is essential..