Chamber Ensemble
SKU:
BT.MUSM570209088
On Track. By Sadie
Harrison. Set (Score &
Parts). 15 pages.
University of York Music
Press #MUSM570209088.
Published by University
of York Music Press
(BT.MUSM570209088).
English.
13
specially commissioned
pieces which aim to
breathe new life into a
largely neglected
component of the GCSE/Key
Stage 4 Music syllabus,
Ensemble Performance. On
Track comes complete with
a CD-Rom containing all
the parts for all the
pieces and transpositions
for any instrument, and
these parts come with a
licence for printing as
many copies as needed,
directly from the CD-Rom.
A separate 'audio' CD
also contains recordings
of every piece. The book
contains scores for each
piece and extended notes
by the composers to aid
in the preparation of the
music: there are 5 pieces
for fixed ensembles and 8
pieces for flexible
ensembles. The editor of
the compilation, Sadie
Harrison, comments:
Playing in an ensemble
with one's peers is
perhaps the most
rewarding and satisfying
thing to do as a young
performer, and it is
crucial to nurture this
element of GCSE courses
to reflect this. On Track
is a fantastic collection
of many different styles,
approaches and sounds.
There is something in
here for everybody, at
whatever level, and on
whatever instrument. This
is what GCSE Music
teachers are crying out
for, and finally here is
something that really
hits the mark. Harrison's
comments are echoed by
recent examiners' reports
from EdExcel, one of the
largest examiners of GCSE
music. They describe how
the music they heard in
examinations demonstrated
'an extreme range of
standards and revealed
evidence of the very wide
range of instruments in
use'. The AQA (Assessment
and Qualification
Alliance) Examiners'
report in 2004 warns
schools against allowing
their students to present
solo music with a piano
accompaniment played by a
teacher or with a CD
accompaniment for the
ensemble performance
component. It continues,
saying that it is of
utmost importance that
the chosen ensemble
allows the candidate to
show rapport with the
other player(s). This is
a significant requirement
with which many
[examination] centres did
NOT comply. Fixed
Ensembles Sadie Harrison
— On the run!for
clarinet in Bb, violin,
'cello, piano Ed Hughes
— Matthew's Mazurkafor
piano duet Jeremy Dale
Roberts — 'Takes
three...' for trumpet,
'cello, piano Matthew
Roddie — Gone Clubbin'
for violin, 'cello Thomas
Simaku — From Across
the Sea for 2 flutes,
clarinet in Bb Flexible
Ensembles David Blake —
Piece for Luis and Justin
for four instruments
Anthony Gilbert — U-GO
for Arirang for four
instruments Jo Kondo —
A Birthday Toast for any
number of instruments
David Lumsdaine — A
tree dances for Orpheus
for three instruments
Paul Mealor — Swing
Slow for two instruments
Robert Saxton — There
and Back for three
instruments John Stringer
— Duo for two
instruments Lu s Tinoco
— Diversion for four
instruments.
Justin Young
