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: MA.EMR-33868

Possible instrumentations:

Soprano Saxophone & CD Play Back / Play Along
Soprano Saxophone & Organ (+ Play Back / Play Along CD optional)
Soprano Saxophone & Piano (+ Play Back / Play Along CD optional).

SKU: MA.EMR-44987

Scotland / Fleas Jumping / There Is A Green Hill Far Away / Cadet Rousselle / Dangerous Liaisons / Sadness / Toys' Procession / Home On The Range / The Blue Danube / Can-Can / Farther and Farther / Going Up / The King of Sliding / Swanee River...

SKU: MA.EMR-50853

Cinderella / Sleeping Beauty / The Toy Festival / Funny Cats / A Dog's Life / Pirates / Serenade and Arabesque / Irish Variations / Russian Variations / A Russian Fantasy.

SKU: MA.EMR-909QC

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Traumerei (Schumann) / Candelight Waltz - Auld Land Syne / Brautchor aus Lohengrin (Wagner) / Sarabande II (Handel).

SKU: MA.EMR-54765

1. In The Our Yard / 2. Four Elements / 3. Four Seasons / 4. Shadows Of Light / 5. Glamour Of The Old Castle.

SKU: MA.EMR-63199

1. Hello Christmas 2. Divine Christmas 3. Sweet Christmas Night 4. Jingle Bells 5. The Snow Angels 6. The Three Little Reindeer 7. Silver Bells 8. My Beautiful Christmas 9. Noel en Caleche 10. White Xmas 11. Wonderful Christmas 12. Peaceful Christmas.

SKU: FL.FX073467

A distant planet that will certainly inspire our young performers (from 4 years of practice) - Pascal PROUST ; Instruments: 1 Soprano Saxophone 1 Piano; Difficuly Level: Grade 3.