Valerie Coleman - TZIGANE for WIND QUINTET - {Van Buren Winds of Shenandoah Conservatory}

The Van Buren Winds the faculty wind quintet of the Shenandoah Conservatory perform Valerie Coleman's Tzigane for Wind Quintet.

Julietta Curenton, Flute
Stephen Key, Oboe
Garrick Zoeter, Clarinet
Ryan Romine, Bassoon
Geoffrey Pilkington, Horn

October 2. 2023 Concert - Goodson Hall, Shenandoah University

Notes on the piece:

Tzigane (not to be confused with Ravel’s famous violin work of the same name) is a work for wind quintet by Valerie Coleman, that celebrates the virtuosity of each member within the ensemble. Written in the fall of 2011, Coleman was inspired by two occurrences: Imani Winds’ collaboration with Palestinian oud player Simon Shaheen, and her recent completion of ROMA, a work for wind ensemble celebrating the culture of the Romani people (commonly referred to as ‘gypsies’). The work itself represents the third installment within a series inspired by the combination of Romani and Middle Eastern styles, the first two being a nonet for wind quintet and strings, and the previously mentioned wind ensemble.

Throughout the work, the bassoonist is scored to play a ‘low A’, which is typically not within the range of the bassoon, but is made possible with the insertion of a tube into the bell of the instrument, thereby extending the range. The work, however, is not about the unusual techniques but rather stylized playing as Tzigane brings the same intensity and virtuosity found in gypsy violin to winds. This means that a certain level of freedom and passion is required to bring each solo alive, while a constant undercurrent of rhythm would provide a source of drive. The result is a colorful, highly-charged journey within one substantial movement.

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