Suite for Clarinet and Guitar
Description
I can best describe this piece as an allegory about awakening, about trying to exist in one milieu, gradually coming to really see it for what it is, and then deciding to take action. It consists of two major parts.
Part 1 explores a variety of related themes, all in dance meter (6/8). Though in a series of minor key signatures, Part 1 is all about a sunny, naive, perhaps hopeful attitude. It consists of the following sections:
- Introduction
- Canon 1
- Fugue
- Canon 2 (inversion of Canon 1)
- Danse
Part 2 is more about resistance, "we're not gonna take it anymore," assertion, taking charge, fighting back. Part 2 switches time signature to 4/4, and has two parts, Fugue Petite, and Fin, with a more militant mood.
Contest winner!
Jâca (pronounced, ZHĀ-ka) is an international award-winning clarinet and guitar duo that combines classical and world music. They sponsored the 2024/2025 Emerging Composers Competition, and this piece won third place! They described it as "a six-movement work notable for its evocative contrasts, structural clarity, and cohesive musical storytelling." Here is their press release about the contest.