Recent Commissions
Contemporary Showcase Edmonton has commissioned the following pieces in the past.
| ELEMENTARY FLUTE - ALLAN GILLILAND | ELEMENTARY VOICE - JODI PENNER |
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| Intermediate Piano - John Estacio |
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Now and Then Gr. 6 - any 1 movement
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John Estacio, renowned Canadian composer, Member of the Order of Canada, member of the Canadian Music Centre, was commissioned by the Edmonton Contemporary Showcase Committee to compose a three movement piano piece reflecting the COVID 19 pandemic crisis of 2020 – 2022. The first movement is the world before COVID, Hustle Bustle, busy and a little anxious. The second movement is during COVID, somber and introspective. The last movement when the northern spring brought better days, (can’t say after COVID yet), Onwards! with positive energy.
The piece is beautifully composed with colorful dynamics, appropriate titles and tempi for each movement and a contemporary compositional technique suitable for Grades 6 – 8. Teachers and students alike will find the piece interesting to study with the use of changing key signatures, tonal and atonal aspects, patterns, repetition and rhythmic elements coordinating with levels of theory for these grades.
The last movement is most interesting in the exploration of compound and simple time in successive measures demanding a very strong feeling for the creative pulse of the music. After a period of rather straight forward meter before COVID we now have to gear up to be ready for a much more complex world as portrayed by the abrupt changes of meter from compound to simple time and back again. However, as initiated at the beginning of this movement, compound time briskly returns to finish the piece in a safe, friendly and energetic manner.
John Estacio was the first clinician for the Young Composers’ Program which was organized in Edmonton in 1994 and continues to this day. His ability to create a positive learning environment for the young students and his ability to show them how to use the entire keyboard in their compositions was breathtaking. He was a natural choice to be the composer for this commission. We owe him our deep gratitude and thanks for accepting the commission request.
– Gladys Odegard