2002 marks the 100th birthday of one of America's top Broadway composers. Richard Rodgers' contributions to the musical theatre of his day were extraordinary and his influence continues even today. This new medley for choir bandand optional strings salutes the achievements of this Broadway legend. Songs include: Do-Re-Mi I Whistle A Happy Tune June Is Bustin' Out All Over The March Of The Siamese Children My Funny Valentine Oklahoma Slaughter OnTenth Avenue The Sound Of Music The Surrey With The Fringe On Top There Is Nothin' Like A Dame. •08621218 SATB $2.95 •08621219 SAB $2.95 •08621220 SSA $2.95 •04490207 String Pak $45.00 •08621221ShowTrax CD $40.00.

Written based on a poem of the same title by Octavio Paz A Boy and a Girl is Whitacre at his finest with the composer himself describing four measures as 'the truest notes I've ever written'.Stretched out on the grassa boy and agirl.Savoring their oranges giving their kisses like waves exchanging foam.Stretched out on the beach a boy and a girl.Savoring their limes giving their kisses like clouds exchangingfoam.Stretched out underground a boy and a girl.Saying nothing never kissing giving silence for silence.    Octavio Paz 1914-1998

Work for Solo Cello and Orchestral Cello Section. Premiered by Yo Yo Ma.Quoting Tavener: It was while pondering these traditional dicta that I began to write the opening solo melody for the cello. It is in fact a palindromebecause waking and dying are like two sides of a piece of paper. If you wake up spiritually then you will die to all that is not of God. In the middle section which is also a palindrome the orchestral cellos join in theparadoxical meditation providing a platform as it were while the cello line takes on a much more melismatic and decorative character.In fact the whole work is a series of intellectual contradictions realised by thesimplest of musical metaphysics. Dying life life dying waking up in order to die the solo cello always represents the individual mind dying and the individual mind waking up.Then of a sudden just before the end thesolo chant begins again only to be cut off by a distant sentimental memory the memory of 'the blues' reminding us of ordinary human emotion and of our fallen state. The very end suggests a waking up into a kind of peace (notsoul slumber since after death the soul becomes more intensely alive); but we know nothing of that so the music fades beyond our ears.

This work is made up of three interlinked movements played without a break and includes references to two traditional Adirondack songs.