b. 1973 || Website
Roshanne Etezady is a current professor at the University of Michigan. She has been commissioned by several high-profile ensembles including eighth blackbird and PRISM Saxophone Quartet. She is also known for her teaching and has taught at Northwestern University and Yale University and has given masterclasses at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and the Juilliard School.
Diamond Rain is a piece written for orchestra that sounds exactly as you might expect it to. Dazzling percussion with atmospheric strings begins the piece at a dramatic and magical place. The entire piece is riddled with sounds cleverly composed that seem to sparkle and shimmer. Around the 3 minute mark, one can start to hear more of the “rain” section of the piece with dramatic rhythmic intensity and a more centered approach to melodic direction. It continues to intensify until around the 6:40 mark where it “resolves” and seeks to combine the former diamond-like shimmering aspects with the melodic nature of the latter. The piece finishes by fading into nothingness right before it reaches nine minutes.
Diamond Rain
Recurring Dreams is a piece written for saxophone, violin, cello, and piano. Intensely lyrical, the piece connects each instrument to each other through lyrical runs being passed from one instrument to another. The saxophone then takes a lead in the melody for a short time as the other instruments echo some of his lines. It continues towards a more rhythmic forward section where the instruments work together as a whole to create a different atmosphere. Around 3:37 the cello finally gets to shine in a solo moment with a beautiful lyrical line. The violin takes over his melody as an extension of the thoughts into the higher register. The strings and saxophone then form a sort of separate ensemble that “float” into a homophonic section, standing unique among the other polyphony. The piano is much of the driving force behind the next and final section, directing the group from the lower registers to finish at full energy.
Recurring Dreams
Street Legal is a piece written for soprano saxophone and piano. This piece starts running out of the gates with its energy. Two things that one may notice almost instantly, is her use of dynamic range and her extended techniques for the saxophone. Although this piece is a bit of a wild ride in terms of general tempo, she perfectly places rests for the performers and for the audience so that they are left curious to hear what will come next. I also love the wide range she uses for the piano. It can be difficult to find ways to use the lower “groggy” register of the instrument, but she adds it in the perfect moments to add suspense and intrigue.
Street Legal
Rosanne Etezady music is incredibly exciting, intensely varied, and magnificently beautiful. Her music has challenged me to find ways to pack more fire and more creativity into each piece that I create. To follow her career or to listen to more of her music, please visit her Website.
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I do not own any of the videos or music in this blog post or in any other post that you may find in this blog.
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