for clarinet, violin and cello with accompanying visual aids for children
circa 7 minutes
pictured in photo: unheard-of//ensemble
 
PROGRAM NOTES by the composer:
Cirque du solfège was written at the request of Unheard-of//Ensemble for their community engagement concerts. The initial inspiration was to write a piece that could be used to teach solfeggio (DO-RE-MI-FA-SOL-LA-TI) to children in a fun and unique way, hence the title and its play on the world-famous circus group, Cirque du Soleil. Each miniature explores an animal which is extinct or endangered in a different part of the world: the Dodo bird from the Mauritius Island in the Indian Ocean; the Tibetan fox; the Giant Millipede from Africa; the Duboisi Falcon; the Irish Sole; the Volcano Rabbit from Mexico; and the Tasmanian Tiger. You will hear music that is loosely inspired by those regions and meant to draw a musical portrait of each animal. 
 
VIDEO SAMPLE