Folk Music Reimagined

About This Project

We, as human beings, are not monoliths. We are more than our genders, race, class, occupations, attire, etc. The repertoire we present, promote, and support should celebrate that by exploring a wide variety of human nature, cultures, and societies. Moreover, as an educator, I have encountered several situations in which students interested in classical saxophone cannot find classical and contemporary saxophone literature that resonates with them. Or, they find literature they enjoy and resonate with but cannot study as it is too difficult for them. Folk Music Reimagined is one small attempt at remedying that problem by inviting more voices to be visible and present within the classical and contemporary saxophone field (both as performers and composers).

Mission

Folk Music Reimagined aims to regularly commission new, emerging, and professional composers from diverse musical, social, and cultural backgrounds to write new works for all the voices of the saxophone inspired by folk music idioms and practices. These works may be unaccompanied, with piano or with electronics. Works commissioned through this project form collections: Collection 1: Works for the Developing/ Intermediate Player or Collection 2: Works for the Advanced/Professional Player. Each collection will adhere to the following guidelines:

Jordan VanHemert

●Soprano Saxophone and Piano

○Difficulty: Intermediate

○Duration: 8-12 minutes

Program Note: This piece will be a two movement work at around 8-12 minutes for soprano saxophone and piano. Given the timeline necessary for the piece’s completion this fall, I thought it would be fitting to compose a piece in honor of the Korean holiday 추석 (Chuseok). Chuseok is the Korean celebration of the mid-autumn festival and it is a time for spending time with family and expressing gratitude to one’s ancestors for the bountiful harvest.

Tolga Özdemir

●Alto Saxophone and Electronics

○Difficulty: Advanced/Professional

○Duration: 7-9 minutes

Collection 1:Developing/Intermediate Player

No altissimo
Limited to no use of extended techniques (*extended methods used will be accessible for beginner/early intermediate players)
Accessible piano or electronic accompaniment
3-12 minutes in duration

Collection 2: Advanced/Professional Player

Full range of instruments used
More involved (but still accessible and playable) piano or electronic accompaniment
Extended techniques
7-15 minutes in duration

Performers will receive periodic updates on the work and these may include work in progress sketches as well as written updates from the composer.

Each iteration of this project (after being funded) will culminate into a published collection of works accompanied by a professional recording of each piece for reference.

Funding

The first iteration of this project will utilize GoFundMe as it is part of a pre-order CD campaign scheduled for recording in December 2023. Check out the GoFundMe page for more information. Please help spread the word to any individuals or groups that might be interested.

Future iterations of this project will use a consortium model. The aim is to keep costs low for all involved, increase the visibility of this project, and increase the visibility and support of the outstanding composers and pieces written. To ensure all composers are paid equitably for their artistry and to provide those interested who can participate, this consortium has two tiers, seen below.

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GoFundMe Donation Page