New Digital Single from Steven Sacco: Sonata for Trombone and Piano with Michael Powell

Tue - September 6, 2016, 12:00 pm

 

New Digital Single from Steven Sacco: Sonata for Trombone and Piano with Michael Powell

On September 6th, Composer-Pianist Steven Christopher Sacco will release a new recording of his Sonata for Trombone and Piano, featuring the composer as pianist with  trombonist Michael Powell.  The track is now available for pre-release on iTunes, Amazon.com, YouTube, and CD Baby.  Short excerpt:

The Sonata for Trombone and Piano was composed in 2007 for the great American trombonist Michael Powell. The piece is in three movements: Elegy I, Elegy II and Fantasy, which are linked together consecutively in the digital download file. The Sonata is the final work in a series of pieces for brass that began with Quintet (2003), followed by Elegy for 12 Brass Instruments (2004), Sonatina for Two Trumpets and Piano (2005), and Sonata for Bass Trombone and Piano (2006).

The music is fundamentally lyrical, with a strong sense of harmonic progression and form. Each movement uses simple forms, clean lines, and exact rhythms. Often the rhythmic complexity is attributed to the use of polyrhythms and broken tuplets. This can make the notation appear difficult at times, but the sound is true. This insures that the lines sing as they should.

Since 1983 Michael Powell has been a member of the celebrated American Brass Quintet. In New York City he performs and records regularly with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the Little Orchestra Society. Mr. Powell has performed as soloist with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Kansas City Philharmonic, the Aspen Music Festival, and the New Hampshire Music Festival. He also records for radio, television, and cinema, and has appeared on over sixty recordings as trombonist. Mr. Powell has commissioned, premiered, and recorded trombone works by Eric Ewazen, Robert Martin, Steven Sacco, and David Sampson. He is on the faculties of The Juilliard School, SUNY at Stony Brook, and the Aspen Music School.

The American composer Steven Sacco was born in Brooklyn, New York. His work is performed internationally by some of today’s leading soloists and ensembles. Critics praise him for writing “absorbing, poetic and passionate music that easily engages the sympathies and attention of a concert audience.” Highlights from past performances include: American Brass Quintet, Aspen Summer Music Festival, Australian Brass Quintet, Czech Nonet, Deal Summer Music Festival (UK), Juliana Gondek, Steven Isserlis, The Juilliard School, Speculum Musicae, Tanglewood Summer Music Festival, The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” among others. Sacco teaches composition at Mannes in New York City. He holds a doctorate from Columbia University, a M.F.A. from Princeton University, and a bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School. Audio recordings of his work are available on the Summit and Navona labels. His music is published by American Composers Edition (BMI) and Hickman Music Editions.

 

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