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Thomas Sleeper |
Hana's Day Out
| Instrumentation | 2+picc222-4331-timp+4- strings
percussion equipment: Marimba, Xylophone, Orchestral Bells,
Triangle, Suspended Cymbal, Crash Cymbal, Chinese Cymbal,
Wood Blocks (2) , Snare Drum, Tam-Tam (Large), 5 Tom-Toms, Bass Drum |
| Length | 9 minutes |
| Difficulty | moderate - Suitable for any orchestra from a good HS on up.
I would rate it grade 5 to 6 in difficulty. University of Miami Symphony Orchestra performed it with 2 rehearsals. |
| Comments | Hana's Day Out, scored for full orchestra, is a nine-minute frolic into the worlds of the Lydian mode and related environs. The work is in three parts: fast-slow-fast with the central section a bittersweet lullaby featuring solo horn, flute and oboe in a chamber-like setting - the outer sections flashy and rhythmic with a nicely paced coda.
Audience reactions to the piece have been outstanding! It's fun to play for everyone, challenging yet engaging and a real crowd pleaser. |
| Sources | You can hear a live performance by the Frost Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gary Greene online and download a free score at www.sleepermusic.com/HDOUT.html |
| Extras | |
| History | Hana's Day Out has been performed by the EOS Orchestra in China (China's "New World Symphony"), the Florida Youth Orchestra with Dr. Bryce Seliger, The Frost Symphony Orchestra with Gary Green and I've conducted it with the Miami-Dade All-County Orchestra so we know it can be put together in a short period of time with good players. |
| Contributor | the composer |
| Other | |
Symphony No. 1
| Instrumentation | 2+1222- 4231-Timp+2 - harp- strings |
| Length | 26" |
| Difficulty | moderate to difficult last movement multimeter but very logical. |
| Comments | Easily performed by a good Youth Orchestra or Regional Orchestra. Audiences have been VERY enthusiastic with the two performed movements. Modified tonal - see quotes below for an idea:
"...his music is tonal and melodic [yet] Sleeper avoids high-sucrose neo-Romanticism for a darker, more personal and edgy style, bristling with nervous energy. " - Sun-Sentinel (Larry Johnson) "Overall effect of the 20 minute concerto is simply that of a tightly constructed, sophisticatedly crafted...score...[with] echoes not only of sardonic Prokofiev, but also Shostakovich and Mahler...yet the concerto is not much less identifiably Sleeper's than, say, Barber's music is Barber's." - Miami Herald (James Roos)
With 4 movements, the heart of the work is the second movement adagio which may be played by itself (14 minutes).
Last movement also stands as a breath taking concert opener at just under four minutes. |
| Sources | uroboros music (http://www.sleepermusic.com) for engraved score/parts
mp3 and live files posted at http://www.sleepermusic.com/symphony.html
please contact composer directly:
Thomas Sleeper
10310 SW 89 ST
Miami, FL 33176
305-630-3522
sleeper@sleepermusic.com |
| Extras | |
| History | Adagio first performance Ruse State Philharmonic, Burgaria, subsequent performances Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony, Russian National Orchestra, EOS and the Frost Symphony Orchestra Finale first performance: Florida Youth Orchestra, subsequent Russian National Orchestra. Premiere of the entire symphony November 2007, Meadows Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Texas: Paul Phillips Conductor |
| Contributor | the composer |
| Other | |
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