My harmonic language has also been influenced by 20th century composers such as Sergei Prokofieff, Arnold Schoenberg, Igor Stravinski and Vincent Persichetti. All of these features give the piece an exotic and mysterious tonality. Oriental pentatonic clusters are found in measure 18, and the ending consists of an arpeggio of ascending fifths-a more modern touch. Fantasia utilizes segments of a Hungarian mode, as well as fragments of symmetrical scales that are popular in the jazz idiom. Many of my harmonies and melodies are derived from the intervalic relationships and tone colors of the medieval modes. In this collection you will hear a variety of elements drawn from all periods of music. Today's composers have an incredible wealth of ideas at their disposal. All the pieces leave plenty of room for interpretation, so that each performer can make them his or her own. Many of the motifs are only a measure long and can be played with lots of rubato, allowing the performer a feeling of freedom and self-expression. The challenges are short in length and can be very rewarding when mastered. There are some technical challenges, but all are stepping stones to more advanced works. In general, these pieces were composed with young people in mind. What surprised me most was how easily all the pieces came together they seemed to write themselves! Each piece reflects the principal personality traits of one of my grandchildren. It is this concept that prompted me to try to "paint" a portrait of each of my grandchildren with music. Some composers have even expressed this idea by choosing specific colors for certain notes or keys. It is hardly a new concept that the 88 keys of the piano are analogous to an artist's palette, and that both offer virtually limitless combinations of color. This collection of pieces reflects my fascination with harmonies, chord qualities and progressions, and how a simple change can profoundly alter the emotional effect of a motif or theme.
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