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City Vignettes for Voice and piano [or guitar], Op. 29a

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Date of Composition: 2013; rev. 2023

Duration: 5 Minutes

Text: Sara Teasdale       

Language: English

Commissioner: Malkin-Trybek Duo

I. Dawn

II. Dusk

III. Rain at Night

Program Notes: The City Vignettes began as a work for the mezzo-soprano and guitar group, the Malkin-Trybek Duo. The arrangement for piano was born out of necessity and practicality, and the cycle was subsequently arranged on request for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Alto Saxophone, Trumpet and Oboe. American lyric poet, Sara Teasdale, first published her set of three miniature poems City Vignettes in 1911 in the collection Helen of Troy and Other Poems. Though Teasdale regularly had bouts of depression throughout her life, which ended in suicide, she was the first person, man or woman, to receive the first ever Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1918. The first poem, Dawn, opens with the atmospheric line “The greenish sky glows up in misty reds,” set in the key of a minor, grows to despair and ends in loneliness. A very free and expressive solo begins the second number, Dusk, and continues into a dismal description of the austere city landscape. There is hope, seemingly, as Teasdale writes “A thousand yellow lights begin to gleam and over all the pale untroubled skies,” set to a rhythmic and bouncy accompaniment based on the introductory material. A distinctly metered pedal point is employed at the onset of the third stanza, Rain at Night, depicting the steady precipitation. A plaintive tune is sung or played over the raindrops and reaches a climax, through a shift in the pedal tone and its rhythmic intensity, at the line “and the rain is heard now loud and blurred,” before subduing itself back to a light drizzle and concluding the cycle.

Performance History:

-February 5th, 2014; Piano; Music at MiMoDa – Paper or Plastik Cafe; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-March 12th, 2014; Guitar; Saint Mark’s Lenten Concert Series; St. Mark's Episcopal Church; Glendale, California – 12PM

-August 23rd, 2014; Guitar; Solo Recital; Steinway Gallery; Pasadena, California - 4PM

-June 27th, 2015; Guitar; Edendale Up Close; Edendale Public Library; Echo Park, California - 12PM

-January 21st, 2017; Guitar; Footnotes: Fifth Annual Concert of New Music for Voice and Guitar; Fallout Arts Initiative Studio 3; Minneapolis, Minnesota – 7:30PM

-January 22nd, 2017; Guitar; Footnotes: Fifth Annual Concert of New Music for Voice and Guitar; Fallout Arts Initiative Studio 3; Minneapolis, Minnesota – 3PM

-February 24th, 2017; Piano; RenegadeEnsemble – Black Anemones; Studio Z; Minneapolis, Minnesota – 7:30PM

-February 25th, 2017; Piano; RenegadeEnsemble – Black Anemones; Studio Z; Minneapolis, Minnesota – 7:30PM

-October 21st, 2017; Piano; The Truth in Simple Things; St. Mark’s Episcopal Church; Glendale, California – 8PM

-November 19th, 2017; Guitar; Duo Arabesque; Promethéus - Stagione Concertistica; Castello di Leucatia; Catania, Italy – 8PM

-August 17th, 2018; Guitar; Duo Arabesque; Festival Internazionale di Musica da Camera di Siracusa; Siracusa, Italy - ??PM

-August 19th, 2018; Guitar; Duo Arabesque; Centro Studi Acitrezza; Aci Castello, Italy – 8:30PM

-November 9th, 2018; Guitar; No. I; Pasadena City College; Westerbeck Recital Hall; Pasadena, California – 7:30PM

-December 4th, 2019; Piano; Musica Vitale; Encinitas Library; Encinitas, California – 12PM

-March 4th, 2020; Piano; Music at MiMoDa – Paper or Plastik Cafe; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

City Vignettes for flute and piano [or guitar], Op. 29b

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Date of Composition: 2013; rev. 2023

Duration: 5 Minutes

Performance History:

-April 21st, 2014; Guitar; Silver Lake Public Library; Silver Lake, CA – 6PM

-May 14th, 2014; Guitar; Music at MiMoDa – Paper or Plastik Cafe; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-June 14th, 2014; Guitar; Noble House Concerts - Local Music Evolution; Sherman Oaks, California - 7:30PM

-June 19th, 2015; No. 3; Piano; Flute Workshop; University of Minnesota Duluth; Weber Music Hall; Duluth, MN – 7:30PM

-October 29th, 2015; Piano; Metropolitan State University of Denver; King Center Concert Hall; Denver, Colorado - 7:30PM

-December 4th, 2015; Piano; Portland State University; Lincoln Recital Hall; Portland, Oregon – 7PM

-February 8th, 2016; Guitar; University of Minnesota Duluth; Weber Music Hall; Duluth, Minnesota - 7:30PM

-November 28th, 2016; Guitar; Edith L. & Robert Prostkoff Memorial Concert Series; Curtis Institute of Music; Field Concert Hall; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 8PM

-May 10th, 2017; Guitar; Music at MiMoDa – Paper or Plastik Cafe; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-July 2nd, 2017; Guitar; Solerno International Guitar Festival; Solerno, Italy – 8PM

-September 30th, 2017; Guitar; Duo Contrappunti; Giovani per L’arte 2017; Festival Chitarristico Del Roero; Cuneo, Italy – 8PM

-February 18th, 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Café Muzeum; Cieszyn, Poland – 4PM

-February 26th, 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Základní Umělecká Škola; Hlučín, Czech Republic – 5PM

-February 28th, 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Opava Cultural Organization (OKO); Opava, Czech Republic – 7PM

-March 1st, 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Hudební Oddělení – Central Library; Ostrava, Czech Republic – 6PM

-March 4th, 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Klášter svatého Karla Boromejského; Prague, Czech Republic – 5PM

-April 8th, 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Gorolské Informační Centrum; Jablunkova, Czech Republic – 5PM

-April 14th, 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Kostel sv. Jana Křtitele; Stará Ves nad Ondřejnicí, Czech Republic – 5PM

-May 25th 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Poutní chrám Panny Marie na Chlumku v Luži; Luže, Czech Republic - 6PM

-May 25th 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Kostel sv. Kateřiny Alexandrijské; Heraletz, Czech Republic – 8PM

-May 25th 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Kostel sv. Jakuba Staršího; Raná, Czech Republic – 9:15PM

-July 14th, 2018: Guitar: VientoMarero Duo; Medzinárodný Gitarový Festival Modra; Kultúrne Centrum Modra; Bratislava, Slovakia

-August 10th, 2018; Guitar; VientoMarero Duo; Renesanční sál Zámek; Kamenice nad Lipou, Czech Republic – 7PM

-April 8th, 2019; Guitar; The Voices of America; Univ. of Redlands; Frederick Loewe Performance Hall; Redlands, CA – 8PM

-April 20th, 2019; Guitar; Senior Recital; University of Redlands; Frederick Loewe Performance Hall; Redlands, California – 6PM

-April 28th, 2019; Piano; Tully United Community Church; Tully, New York – 3PM

-May 7th, 2019; Piano; The Oaks at Menorah Park; Syracuse, New York – 2PM

-May 18th, 2019; Piano; CMM Outreach Series; Nottingham Retirement Community; DeWitt, New York – 2PM

-July 14th, 2019; Piano; Tully Arts Council Recital; Tully Community Church; Tully, New York – 3PM

-July 21st, 2019; Piano; Society for New Music: Cazenovia Counterpoint; Stone Quarry Hill Art Park; Cazenovia, NY - ??PM

-August 21st, 2019; Piano; Skaneateles Outreach Concert; Skaneateles, New York – 6:30PM

-October 8th, 2019; Guitar; Cline/Cuestas Duo; Musical Club of Westfield; Westfield, New Jersey – 7:45PM

-October 9th, 2019; Piano; Civic Morning Musicals; Park Central Presbyterian Church; Syracuse, New York – 12:15PM

-November 12th, 2019; Guitar; Cline/Cuestas Duo; Nyack College – Room 2241; New York, New York - 7PM

-November 15th, 2019; Guitar; Cline/Cuestas Duo; Willow Hall at Passaic River Coalition; Morristown, New Jersey - ??PM

-February 20th, 2022; Guitar; Cline/Cuestas Duo; Mid-Atlantic Flute Convention; Reston, Virginia – 11AM

-March 25th, 2023; Piano; Thayer Hall; Colburn School; Los Angeles, California – 2:00PM

-April 30th, 2023; Guitar; Recital; Central Presbyterian Church; Summit, New Jersey – 3:00PM

-July 1st, 2023; Piano; Farmer’s Market Recital; Cazenovia Counterpoint; Cazenovia, New York – 10AM

-January 21st, 2024; Piano; Musical Prelude – Discovery Series; La Jolla Music Society; The Conrad; La Jolla, CA – 2PM

-March 20th, 2024; Piano; Performance Forum; Thayer Hall; Colburn School; Los Angeles, California – 11:30AM

-May 4th, 2024; Piano; Soka Peace Festival; Soka Performing Arts Center; Aliso Veijo, California – 4:30PM

City Vignettes for Clarinet and piano [or guitar], Op. 29c

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Date of Composition: 2016; rev. 2023

Duration: 5 Minutes

Performance History:

-June 18th, 2016; Piano; Sound and Fury Concert Series; Lineage Performing Arts Center; Pasadena, California – 4PM

-August 31st, 2016; Piano; Music at MiMoDa – Paper or Plastik Cafe; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-September 10th, 2016; Piano; Stan Harris House Concert; Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-October 5th, 2016; Piano; Music at MiMoDa – Paper or Plastik Cafe; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-October 29th, 2016; Piano; Collaborative Arts Recital; USC; Jeanette MacDonald Hall; Los Angeles, California – 11AM

-August 29th, 2018; Piano; Music at MiMoDa – Paper or Plastik Cafe; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-May 15th, 2023; Piano; Recital; Elebash Hall; The Graduate Center, CUNY; New York, New York – 6:00PM

City Vignettes for violin and piano [or guitar], Op. 29d

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Date of Composition: 2016; rev. 2023

Duration: 5 Minutes

Commissioner: Aubree Oliverson, Violin

Performance History:

-May 21st, 2016; Nos. 1 & 3; Guitar; Recital; Los Angeles Classical Guitars; Pasadena, California – 7:30PM

-November 24th, 2019; Piano; Violin & Piano Recital; USC Brain and Creativity Center; Cammilleri Hall; LA, California – 5PM

-December 18th, 2019; Piano; Music at MiMoDa - Paper of Plastik Café; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-January 31st, 2020; Piano; GroupMuse Concert; Freeport, New York – 7:30PM

-April 7th, 2021; Piano; Glendale Noon Concerts - Livestream; Glendale City Church; Glendale, California - 12PM

-July 6th, 2021; Piano; Collaborative Musicians Project presents consonari “American Nostalgia”; Cross of Christ Lutheran Church; Bellevue, Washington – 6PM

-March 6th, 2022; Piano; Recital; The Colburn School; Thayer Hall; Los Angeles, California – 5PM

-March 25th, 2023; Piano; USC Jeanette MacDonald Recital Hall; University of Southern California; LA, California – 12:30PM

-April 15th, 2023; Guitar; Recital; Recital; Unitarian Universalist Church; Buffalo, New York – 2PM

-May 6th, 2023; Guitar; Recital; Duende at Silo City; Buffalo, New York – 1PM

-May 28th, 2023; Guitar; Recital; The Strand Theatre; Hudson Falls, New York – 3PM

-June 3rd, 2023; Guitar; Recital; Hoag Library; Albion, New York – 12PM

-June 4th, 2023; Guitar; Recital; The Little Theatre; Rochester, New York – 7PM

-June 15th, 2023; Piano; Private Recital; Chamber Music OC – Weinstein Performance Space; Lake Forest, California - 7:30PM

-June 16th, 2023; Piano; Sounding Point Recital; Thayer Hall – Colburn School; Los Angeles, California – 7:30PM

-July 26th, 2023; Piano; Sidewalk Sounds! with Columbus Indiana Philharmonic; Franklin, Indiana - 11:45AM

-January 26th, 2024; Recital; Pharos Arts Foundation; The Shoe Factory; Nicosia, Cyprus – 8:30PM

-March 10th, 2024; Piano; City Lights; Westside Music Conservatory; Los Angeles, California – 6:00PM

-March 10th, 2024; Piano; Dances & Romances; London, England – 3:00PM

-April 7th, 2024; Piano; Dances & Romances; Jankowice Palace; Wielkie, Poland – 5:00PM

-April 25th; Nos. 1 & 2; Piano; The Shade of Excellence; Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts; Patricia Bonner Recital Hall; Houston, Texas – 4:30PM

City Vignettes for alto saxophone and piano [or guitar], Op. 29e

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Date of Composition: 2017; rev. 2023

Duration: 5 Minutes

Performance History:

-November 4th, 2018; Piano; Musikschule Muri-Gumligen; Barocksaal der Villa Mettlen; Bern, Switzerland – 5PM

-December 13th, 2018; Piano; Herliche Einladung Zu Einem Hauskonzert; Zurich, Switzerland – 7PM

-June 21st, 2019; Guitar; Duo Montagnard; Tenri Cultural Institute; New York, New York – 7:30PM

-December 3rd, 2019; Piano; Uproar Duo; University of California at Fullerton; Recital Hall; Fullerton, California – 2:30PM

-December 4th, 2019; Piano; Uproar Duo; Music at MiMoDa – Paper or Plastik Cafe; West Los Angeles, California – 8PM

-December 6th, 2019; Piano; Uproar Duo; Cerritos College; Burnight Center Theatre; Norwalk, California – 11AM

-December 8th, 2019; Piano; Uproar Duo; Silicon Beach Monthly Series; St. Paul’s Lutheran Church; Santa Monica, CA – 4PM

-March 2nd, 2020; Guitar; Duo Montagnard; Piedmont High School; Oakland, CA – 8AM-3:30PM

-March 3rd, 2020; Guitar; Duo Montagnard; Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo; Davidson Music Center, Room 218; San Luis Obispo, CA

-March 4th, 2020; Guitar; Duo Montagnard; Cal State University at Long Beach; Bob Cole Conservatory of Music - Daniel Recital Hall; Long Beach, CA – 8PM

-March 5th, 2020; Guitar; Duo Montagnard; University of Southern California; Thornton School of Music - Schoenfeld Hall; LA, CA

-March 7th, 2020; Guitar; Duo Montagnard; Sound and Fury @ ArtShare LA; Los Angeles, CA – 2PM

-March 10th, 2020; Guitar; Duo Montagnard; University of California at San Diego; Conrad Prebys Recital Hall; San Diego, CA- 5PM

-December 9th, 2020; Piano; Festival SAX in the CITY; Theatre Stok; Zurich, Switzerland – 10:30AM

-March 31st, 2021; Piano; Civic Morning Musicals; Livestream; Syracuse, New York – 12PM

-June 12th, 2022; Guitar; Vientos y Tangos; Classical Revolution Cincinnati; The Listing Loon; Cincinnati, Ohio – 4:30PM

City Vignettes for Trumpet and piano [or guitar], Op. 29f

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Date of Composition: 2023

Duration: 5 Minutes

Performance History:

City Vignettes for Oboe and piano [or guitar], Op. 29g

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Date of Composition: 2023

Duration: 5 Minutes

Performance History:

-January 19th, 2024; Guitar; Blair Master Series; Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall; Vanderbilt University; Nashville, TN – 8PM

-March 18th, 2024; Guitar; Guest Recital; Lee Chapel; Stetson University; DeLand, Florida – 7:30PM

-March 19th, 2024; Guitar; Guest Recital; Performing Arts Center; University of Central Florida; Orlando, Florida – 1:00PM

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