Anna’s Listening! Week 8 - Michael Abels
This week Seattle Collaborative Orchestra began rehearsals for our next concert “We walk, We fly!” on March 14 at the Shorewood H.S. Auditorium. It is impossible to convey my excitement for the compositions we are performing, however I will start with exploring the music of one of our featured composers Michael Abels.
Michael’s music is fun, accessible, and tells excellent stories, which make sense since he has composed numerous scores for film, including his best-known score for GET OUT, an Oscar-winning film, as well as the hip-hop influenced score for US. Abel’s music has been performed across the country. Today I would love to introduce you to three of his compositions.
Global Warming (1990)
This composition offers an excellent opportunity to show off your principal violin and cello players and could be performed by an excellent high school orchestra youth symphony and up. Super fun to play and the rhythms keep musicians on their toes. Global Warming was written in 1990 and was not written from the perspective of our climate crisis today, however, it has certainly deepened its meaning. From his website, Ables writes, “It begins with a desert scene, a depiction of a futuristic vast desert, with desert locusts buzzing in the background. But soon the piece turns quite uplifting.” There are moments of pure joy with hints of Irish, African and Persian music in the texture and color of the music. Definitely a crowd and musician pleaser!
Super high energy from the get go! This composition could work for a youth symphony level ensemble and above and definitely needs a seasoned quartet who is comfortable with a variety of musical styles to solo with the orchestra. Urban Legends was commissioned by the Sphinx Organization and premiered by the Harlem Quartet in 2012. As you will hear, this composition is influenced by rock, jazz, hip-hop, and electronic dance music. Super fun!
This is the gorgeous 2nd movement to Abels’ guitar concerto “Borders” co-premiered by ROCO and Quad City Symphony Orchestra with Mak Grgić on guitar. The whole piece is fabulous, but I love this movement!! This composition could work great for an excellent university orchestra and above.
For the cost of a good cup of coffee per month, you can get quick access to awesome compositions such as these. Additionally, you will find a great place to explore, find repertoire for the needs of your ensemble, as well as get terrific ideas for concert programming.