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Christopher W. Palestrant, DMA Original Compositions

The Wind in His Mane
    cinematic poem for large orchestra
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 364k)

Caligula for symphony orchestra
    tone poem after the play by Albert Camus
           listen to an excerpt (MP3, 2 MB)

Festival Hebridean for symphony orchestra
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 332k)
           I.   Evensong
           II.  Nocturne
           III. Ceilidh (all movements attacca)

Boogie Sinfonietta in D
    for large wind ensemble
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 228k)
           I.   Boogie
           II.  Shuffle
           III. Fughetta and Coda

The Tidewater March
    for concert band
    Commissioned by The Tidewater Winds (Virginia Beach, VA).
           listen to an excerpt (MP3, 1.7 MB)

The Port of Freedom
    for concert band
    Commissioned by The Tidewater Winds (Virginia Beach, VA)
          watch a complete performance with introduction (YouTube, music begins at 3:09)
          listen to an excerpt (MP3, 2.7 MB)

The Battle of Great Bridge
    for concert band
    Commissioned by The Tidewater Winds (Virginia Beach, VA)

Rondo 'n Roll, from the Soda Shop Suite
    concerto for cello, double bass and orchestra
   Commissioned byRebecca Gilmore Phillips and Christopher White (Norfolk, VA).

Soda Shop Suite for cello, double bass and piano
    Commissioned by Rebecca Gilmore Phillips and Christopher White (Norfolk, VA).    
           I. Blues ma non Troppo
           II.  Pop Ballade
           III. Rondo 'n Roll  listen to an excerpt (MP3, 1.9 MB)

Between the Stoney Points for string quartet
    After an 18th century American Colonial march and a 19th century breakdown.   

Stages for flute, harp and piano
    Commissioned by Les Amies harmoniques (Chapel Hill, NC).     
           watch a complete performance (YouTube, 11:15)

"Alaksa" Quintet for piano and strings
           I. Pinnell   listen to an excerpt (MP3, 2.1 MB)
           II.  Toklat   listen to an excerpt (MP3, 2.0 MB)
           III. Eielson   listen to an excerpt (MP3, 1.9 MB)
           IV. Denali  listen to an excerpt (MP3, 2.1 MB)

The Cotillion Suite
    Commissioned by Harry Wood (Goldsboro,NC).
           Country Tango for clarinet and piano
           The Town Waltzes for viola and piano    listen to an excerpt (MP3, 2.2 MB)
               The Town Waltzes, version for cello and piano    watch a complete performance (YouTube, 7:08)
           Metro Cha Cha for muted trumpet and piano           

Mirage for brass quintet
    Commissioned by Protocol (Norfolk, VA).
           listen to an excerpt (MP3, 2.5 MB)

"Janus" Quartet for saxophones
    Commissioned by Maurice LeFlore (Elizabeth City, NC).
           I. Sonatina: Adagio–allegretto   listen to an excerpt (MP3, 1.8 MB)
           II. Canto per Madre: Andante cantabile  listen to an excerpt (MP3, 1.7 MB)
           III. Rondo scherzoso: Vivo, con momento incessante  listen to an excerpt (MP3, 1.8 MB)

Aubade for solo alto flute
           Commissioned by Erika Fischer, “Creating Space” benefit concert (Ann Arbor, MI).
           Selected for presentation at the 44th national meeting of the College Music Society (Santa Fe, NM).
           view a score sample

Blue Nocturne for alto flute, harp and organ
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 185k)

Visions for chamber ensemble
    Bass clarinet (or bassoon), horn, trombone, percussion, two violins, viola and cello (1-3 on each string part).

Woodwind Quintet "Outbreak"
    flute, oboe/Eng. horn., Fr. horn, Eb/bass clarinet, bassoon
           listen to an excerpt (MP3, 1.9 MB)
           I.   Driving
           II.  Marcato - Adagio
           III. Agitato

Chrysalis for flute, oboe, Bb clarinet, bassoon
           listen to an excerpt (MP3, 1.1 MB)

Dialogue for clarinet and bassoon

Reunion for string quartet

Allemande for keyboard

Inventions in D and Eb for keyboard

Two Processions for organ

Processional and Anthem for organ and brass quartet

Fugues in F and Eb for organ

Aislinn's Boon
    Opera etude on an original libretto (25 min). 
    Scored for dramatic soprano, soubrette, tenor, baritone, flute, 'cello, vibraphone and piano.
    Staged at The Theatre Project, Baltimore, MD.
           view a page of sound clips and production photos

The Grove
    Opera etude on an original libretto (15 min).
    Scored for soprano, mezzo and piano.
    Staged at The Peabody Conservatory, Baltimore, MD.
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 281k)

Pawns
    Chamber opera on an original libretto (one hour).
    Scored for flute, 'cello, piano, six solo voices and chorus.
    Premiere theatrical performance of the Gault Recital Hall, College of Wooster, OH.
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 555k)

Yada
    Concert/performance piece for percussion quartet.
 

Ludvik the Carpenter
    Setting of a text by Celeste Raspanti for the play I Never Saw Another Butterfly, for voice and
    keyboard or guitar, with optional clarinet, shakers and tambourines, in the style of a Czech folk song.
    Commissioned by Keith Hight for Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, NC).

Songs of Journey’s End
    Song cycle for mezzo-soprano, oboe (or flute), viola (or violin) and piano.
    "Upon the Hearth" commissioned by Amelia Harris-Horné (Elizabeth City, NC).
    Songs 2-9 commissioned by Drea Pressley (Albuquerque, NM).
    Song 4 selected for presentation, College Music Society 53rd National Conference (Minneapolis, MN).
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime6, 823k)
           1. Upon the Hearth (viola, piano)
           2. Ritornello I: The Road Goes Ever On (oboe)
           3. I Sit Beside the Fire and Think (viola, piano)
           4. In Western Lands Beneath the Sun (oboe, piano)
           5. Ritornello II: The Road Goes Ever On (viola)
           6. All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter (oboe, piano)
           7. Song of the Elves Beyond the Sea (oboe, viola, piano)
           8. Ritornello III: The Road Goes Ever On (oboe, viola)
           9. At the Grey Havens (oboe, viola, piano)

Prufrock
    Song cycle for baritone and piano on T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 310k)
           1. Us. (a prologue)
           2. Them. (social chatter)
           3. She. (a memory)
           4. Adjudication.
               Interlude
           5. Revelation.

No Words to Utter for soprano and piano
    Setting of an unpublished excerpt by William Wordsworth.
    Commissioned by Kathryn Aaron (Baltimore, MD).
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 242k)

Open Your Heart for medium voice and string quartet
    Including an arrangement of "Here, There and Everywhere" by Lennon-McCartney in baroque style.
    Commissioned by Lauretta Jakobsen (New York, NY).

Noble Tonight
    Ballad for voice and piano.

NewBride
    Vocal quartet with Irish flute and piano on an original text.
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 111k)
 

Shi no Haiku for unaccompanied mixed choir, SSAATTBB
    Setting of poems by Basho and Buson in an English translation by poet laureate Robert Hass.
    Selected for presentation, College Music Society 53rd National Conference (Minneapolis, MN).
           listen to an excerpt: I. Winter (MP3, 1.4 MB)
           listen to an excerpt: III. Summer (MP3, 2 MB)

Lesbia Catulli for unaccompanied choir, SSATB
    Setting of Catullus texts.
    Winner, aThird Biennial Michael Hennagin Prize in Music Composition, University of Oklahoma.
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 431k)

Missa in Progressione for unaccompanied mixed choir

Kyrie for unaccompanied mixed choir

Kyrie for mixed choir and string quartet
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 105k)

Amazing Grace
    Setting for mixed choir, 'cello, flute and alto solo.
    Commissioned by Wingson Wong (New York, NY).

The Language of My Soul
    Comtemporary anthem for mixed choir, bass and guitar.

He Never Sleeps
    Anthem for mixed choir and piano on Psalm 121.

He is Worthy
    Gospel anthem for mixed choir and piano on psalm texts.

I Call Unto the Lord
    Motet in 16th century style.

'Twas Brillig
    Doo-wop motet on Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky".
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime6, 671k)

Kiec for solo clarinet and live electronics
    (equipment: MAX programming environment, MAX-MSP live processing)

Solo for dancer and live electronics
    (equipment: Bucla Lightening movement-to-MIDI converter, MAX programming
     environment, MAX-MSP live processing, Kurzweil K2000 sequencing)

Finding the Millennium for processor and tape
    (equipment: Soundhack software processing, Kurzweil K2000 sampling and
     synthesis, Digital Performer, DA-88 Digital Multitrack Recorder, Sony R7 and
     Sony M7 processors.)
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 230k)

Determinacy for processor and tape
    A commentary on John Cage's Indeterminacy.
    (equipment: DA-88 Digital Multitrack Recorder, Sony R7 and Sony M7 processors.)
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 232k)

Molting's End for tape
    (equipment: Kurzweil K2000 synthesis, Digital Performer, DA-88 Digital Multitrack Recorder)
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 235k)

Astronauts in Trouble for tape
    (equipment: Kurzweil K2000 synthesis, Digital Performer)
    Commissioned by Matthew Smith, theme for the graphic novel
    Astronauts in Trouble: Live from the Moon by Larry Young, Charlie Adlard and
    Matt Smith [San Francisco: AiT/Planet Lar books, 1999] (Burbank, CA, 1998).
           listen to an excerpt (Quicktime, 151k)

Notes:

	This list contains wholly original compositions only. Portfolio also includes numerous arrangements for various ensembles. You may also listen to several original pop/rock songs on the Personal Page.
		Some audio examples are formatted for Quicktime, free for Windows and Macintosh users.