Description
Perusal Score
Video
Round for Three Muses by Andrea Clearfield performed by the Adams State University Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Dr. James Doyle. Performed by Delaney Armstrong, soloist, Andrew Naughton, Dryden Hill, and Kevin Johnson. Visit http://www.jameswdoyle.com/blognews/ for program notes.
Duration
Premiere
Michigan State University, Cook Recital Hall, Lansing, MI
Performed by Yun Ju Pan, Will Alderman, Alex Smith, Kathryn Irwin, and Yun Tsu Pan
Commissioner
Instrumentation
Movements
. MELETE (muse of meditation)
II. AOIDE (muse of voice and song)
III. MNEME (muse of memory)
Program Notes
Round for Three Muses was inspired by a poem by David Wagoner “Round for the Muses” quoting Picasso, ”to draw you must close your eyes and sing”, the poem “Heartbeat” by Rainer Maria Rilke, and the ancient Greek Muses. The piece is a cross between a concert work and a performance art piece, where the performers play their instruments and also speak, sing and move.
The piece is structured with an introduction and three continuous movements loosely associated with the three ancient Muses:
I. MELETE (muse of meditation)
II. AOIDE (muse of voice and song)
III. MNEME (muse of memory)
This work was commissioned by a consortium of percussionists, organized by Yun Ju Pan. Yun Ju Pan Ensemble premiered the work at Michigan State University, later performing it on tour in Taiwan and China and at the 2017 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis. The work has recently been performed by the Adams State University Percussion Ensemble in Alamosa, Colorado.
The composer wishes to thank the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts for providing invaluable time and space
to create this work, and to Manfred Fischbeck for his translation of the Rilke poem.
–Andrea Clearfield