Style and Sensibility (Harp and Drum-set)

Style and Sensibility is a harp and drum-set duo. Yes, you read that correctly. This piece is a challenge for the drummer's soft and sensitive playing and the harpist's chamber skills. 
 
I. Joyful and Enthusiastic
The first movement is joyous and dance-like, featuring rudimental style drumming and two-hand teamwork harp playing. The lively, slithering interplay between the two voices in the beginning makes way for a bolder, pop-oriented hook section in the middle, followed by an epic, driving ending!
 
II. Intimate and Intertwined
The second movement is a complete change of pace. The drum-set player uses brushes to compliment the harp's steadily undulating lines. The movement follows the journey of the pitches "C" and "E" separated by two octaves in the beginning, drawing ever nearer until they are intertwined in the closing section in the same, middle octave. The journey is marked by rhythmic conflicts and resolutions, tonal shifts, and extended techniques on the harp. 
 
Written for and premiered by my wife and I, this piece demonstrates that this instrumentation is not only viable for composition, but carries nuances that other combinations cannot. It has moments of virtuosic playing for both players, a feast of extended techniques, increases dynamic chamber ensemble playing skills, and leaves the audience with a peaceful, resolute feeling at the end.  
 
Length: 6'30"
 
Difficulty: Professional