Press Play!
Ian Dicke
About this work:
When I finally made the decision to study music seriously in my late teens, I entered the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and quickly realized that I didn’t know anything about classical music. In my youth, Nirvana was my Mozart and while I am in love with almost all forms of sound, my kinship with pop and rock music still remains my most important influence. To compensate lacking a classical background, my undergraduate years were filled with a complete immersion into the great sonatas and symphonies including a tour de force of composing derivative pieces. I had my Impressionistic chamber works, my Prokofievian piano concerto, and I even paid tribute to Steve Reich with a piece that included two marimbas playing canonic African rhythms. After graduating the conservatory and through the encouragement of my teacher Dan Becker, a few friends and I started a “new music” chamber ensemble with the idea of fusing rock and classical music. Press Play! is the fruit of that labor. Its conception marked a return to my roots as a rock musician while maintaining the classical ideals of form and variation.
Year composed: 2005
Duration: 07:00:80
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 1 Alto Saxophone, 1 Drum Set, 1 Electric/Electronic Keyboard, 1 Electric Bass, 1 Electric Guitar
Instrumentation notes: 'Fender Rhodes' sound preferred for electric piano/keyboard. Optional drum set part also available.